Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-11-24
A STUPENDOUS ISSUE.

The st. Paul Globe takes theground that
socialism is the reactionary effect of mo.
nopolistic oppression, and that to get rid
| of the former the latter must be killed. In
presenting the matter and reaching it's con.
illusions that journal says:
at only takes a retrospect of the last
twenty-five years and a comparison of pub
lie opinion and political sentiment. as they
existed a quarter of a century ago, with
what prevails to-day, to convince any one
| the growth OF a~grarianism in this country.
Twenty-Five years ago ii socialism or agra
| rianism were discussed at all it was done in
an indefinite sort of way, merely by refer
ence to it as some species OF vagary or IA.
naticism that existed in some foreign coun-
try or az a relic of the primitive republic.
anism OF Roman days. II any one openly
expressed an opinion that such doctrines
would ever receive serious discussion in this
model republic OF the world he was immedi-
ately written down as q foolish theorist
whose vagaries were too ridiculous to be
tolerated. Yet within a brief space oil q
quarter of a century the nation is brought
face to face with this, the most stupendous
issue that ever confronted it for adjust
ment. We are now beginning to realize
what proportions it has attained.
When we see q political party organized
on this distinctive issue. when we see that
party polling a vote for it's candidate in a
municipal contest in the Empire City OF the
Union greater than the vote cast for the
Republican candidate for the same Office.
when we see men like Aveling going around
the country preaching this doctrine to
large and enthusiastic audiences, and espe-
cialiy when we see men holding the posi-
tions of professors in our state universities
sitting on the same platform with Avelinp.
giving the moral support and encourage.
ment OF their presence to the cause he rem.
~resents, it is time for the American people
to treat this matter in a serious light. It
is worse than folly to attempt to ignore the
fact that Socialism has taken deep root in
the United States, and that it is organising
with unprecedented energy to give express
sion to it's peculiar form of doctrine in the
legislation Of the country.
The first thing to be done in dealing with |
this subject is to ascertain tie causes of
the wonderful growth and spread of social.
istic ideas in this country, and having as.
certained the causes, the next thing to be
done is to remove them. 1t will not do to
charge the spread Of socialism, or agrarian.
ism, or by whatever name we may choose |
call the underlying principle of the
GEORGE movement, to the large influx of
population. It may be true that
had it's birth on German soil.
and the germ may have been transplanted.
still it is none the less true that it's c~ultiya.
ton here has been of American culture.
the nearly 10000 voters who cast their
ballots for Henry George in the late New
York election, nearly four-ffths of them
we're native American citizens. We must
20 elsewhere than to our foreign immigra.
ion to find the cause for the growth of
new element in our politics.
And we need not seek long to
it. To an observant mind that has
;arefully watched the progress of Ameri.
an Institutions for the last twenty-five
ears, there is nothing as clear as that the
'rigin OF American socialism is contempt
with the birth of monopoly. The
establishment OF the latter was the pro-
,oking cause of the growth OF the former.
1 monopoly had not been permitted to
stabl!sh it's imperious rule in the country.
he seed of socialism would never have
ound soil in which to grow. The svs.
EN- OF legislation which encouraged the
rowth OF monopoly was at the same
feeding into strength and power an
.ther hydra.headed monster. Socialism is
he logical and inevitable reaction of mo-
opolistic oppression. To get rid of one
re must crush the other. Monopoly and
ocialism are children of the same birth ]
must sleep together in the same grave. J
70 long as monopoly exists socialism will ]
ourish. The latter draws it's vitality ]
'om the former, Notwithstanding they are ]
against zach otherin An irrepressi-
lie conflict. The safety of our institutions ]
on the determination of both. ]
if Jul national lawgivers desire {
preserve the country from the perils Of I
ocialism, they must first rid it of the l
i'm e monopoly.