The Labor enquirer., 1886-03-06
"A STEP AHEAD. =.
A. .s5z.ss.,
zeno Discusses State So-
cialism With Mr.. c. S.
Griffin.
The Ignorant Do not Criticise,
But They Accept Their
Masters Will.
GAIL Conditions Indicate Bloodshed
Adopt the Course 1 Offer and
Escape ft.''

Escape ft.o
Editor Labor ENQUIRER.
In the Alarm G. s. Griffin, " ho lately
wrote about Harmony" gives the State
Socialists doctrine in full, as he sees it.
How he could ever hint of harmony
with such monstrosity, is beyond COM
prehension. After drawing the dreadful
picture he says:
"Anarchistic Socialism is the reverse
of all this" So is any other Socialism
which can be criticised nationally by
reference to the evidence. But Anar.
chists care nothing for proofs.
fThese important differences between
State Socialism and Anarchlstic Social
ism have caused us to throw the state
overheard for Anarchism." !" saws Mr. Grif.
fin, A more deliberate person might
have hesitated even longer, between the
devil and the deep sea. ,.-.- >s5
A man writing at random cannot ex-
pect to be consistent. IF in the navy
yards ships were built to sell, and the
sale of them would pay the cost of build
ing, that would be State Socialism. y
But: Having got the state to build all
ships for the people, it is time for an
lt
other step ahead. They demand that
the state shall hire the sailors, and keep
and sail the ships, carry freight and col.
lect freight money from the people," y
Is this latter proposition also State.
Socialism? +? If not, the "step, ahead" is a
step out of State Socialism. f.:
Regarding land also, Mr.. Griffin finds
two kinds of State Socialism: "The
ships carry the produce of the farms, SO
the state must own the farms and hire
the farmers. In short the state MI q
own everything, and everyone who
works at all must work for the COVE, n
ment, by the hour for wages" Yet M, !.
Griffin gives the state permission to
"rent the earth, sea and air to the IN
habitants." State Socialists must now
abandon the resolution of 1880: "That
land. light, air and water, are free gifts
of nature to all mankind" etc. When
Mr.. Griffin can prove that any State So
cialist wants to rent air, he may then in
clude land in the rent roll.
"The government must be always pre-
pared to find work for every body, an !
have a charity institution for those c 1t
of work or disabled" Horrible despot-
ism.
Of the postoffiee: "This is State So
cialism, pure and simple, except how
ever few changes in the pay roll to
make the wages more even" The sys-
tenn of appointments from high offices is
to be abolished. Every officer or SER
want should be chosen from those he
serves.
"Some must direct and some must
obey; therefore, not always the man
who possesses the talent, but always the
man who possesses the Office, must di-
rect; and the same is true of the one
who must obey" This is entirely false.
Like the present order of things II
operates as a penalty against having a
wife, children or sickness. These things
must be paid for in proportion as you
have them" .s
Very good; out this is not full state
ment. The state shall own all the
women. and rent-that is YOU must ap-
ply formally to some ficer if you want
a wife. Your child--n will be the rrop-
erty of the Office id you will be- paid
IN time tickets for your share in then
rearing. Dobt omit any OF these i'm,
portant points. Let us ha We harmony,
Certainly.
In late ENQUIRER Mr.. Griffin begins
with an apolc gy, and if it is good one
he should moi nave written at all. II
coGtfoversy is bad avoid 1t.
II it can be prove1 thar / ever seemed
to "see wicksdress III war hut nor,e in
starvation ant oppression" snsn L will
write no more.
"Criticism is no sign L f intelligence,
says Mr.. Griffin. Neither is it sign oi
ignorance. 1 wish it were true that
"The most ignorant and the most fault
If it were, the victims of capitalists
would help us criticise the present order
But they more than any accept and de.
fend whatever code of justice their mas.
ters offer them to bind them tighter.
Luther was critic the first to "growR
at the caked and fossilized theology, un.
til then impregnable. But Mr.. Griffin
complains because nature f'the most per.
feet" is growled about. By nature he
means Anarchy no doubt. Now why
are the apostles of nature divided, one
branch insisting that Communism is
natural, and the other, that private
property, competition and individuality
will result naturally from the abolition
of the state? The critic may prove a
useful as the destructionist until thii
point issettled.
Mr.. Grifin's able exposure of the bo.
gus philosophy of the red card, will at
tract attention. The card was issued By
his own organization for agitation pur
poses. Mr.. Griffin has been negie ctln,
his I. W. P. A., letting it 60 to the doel
| and becoming detsrioratsd By such crit