The Labor enquirer., 1886-10-16
EQUITABLE distribution. / note q number

equitable distribution. note number
of these half truths. addressed to the
laborers and there is one statement
which occurs in different connection
and will appeal with special force to the
capitalist, which needs to be corrected.
Or. Ely says, "The Socialistic Labor
Party is at present at swords points
/ with the Internationalists." am glad
to be able to quote, in this place, por-
tion of private letter from one of the
most trusted leaders of the S. L. P, writ
ten just previous to the appearance of
DR.. Ely's book:
"As to any difference in tactics that
may exist between the s. L. P. and the
I. w. A.. agree heartily with you that
it should not effect our solidarity. did
not know. however, that there was any
difference ssve that which locality
might prompt or induce even among
sections of theS. L. P. You can depend
upon it, we here are not particularly in
favor of political action, save as means
ofagitation, and for its sake we make all
the noise we can. On the other hand,
if we should be surprisedby the election
of our candidates, we should not mourn,
for they in their turn would agitate still
further in their several new spheres of
of action. l don't think, comrade. that
we seriously disagree, Quarrel? Well,
l should say not"
Furthermore, if DR.. Ely will carefully
read certain editorials published in the
New York Volks ZeitunG during and
since the alleged trial" of Comrades
Parsons and others, be will receive new
| light on the attitude of our moderate and
peaceful comrades toward what he calls
the Chicago massacre"
A word in relation to our authors
remedies" ameliorative reforms and
the influence of the Christian church.
Whether the ethics of Jesus satisfy the
needs of our time, is question which,
so far as 1t has any personal application,
must be answered bv every man for him
self Ifor one do not believe that the
church, as an institution-or any con-
siderable portion of the clergy or laity-
will move IN aid of labor. The church
aims always to be with the majority, be-
cause with the majority are to He found
the Ioaves and fishes. After the conflict
between capital and labor has been
practically decided, the chur Ch will
throw the weight of its influence into
our side of the scale. In the meantime,
| it will attack US as enemies of religion ;"
and will in every way try as hard to
nerpetuate wages slavery as it did to
support chattel slavery. Blessed is the
Socialist who expects 40 more, for he
shall not be disappointed
AS to ameliorative reforms, they will
serve only to postpone, not to render un-
necessary, the final reckoning with the
oppressors of the people. Reformers of
a certain order have been advocating
and gaining ameliorative reforms ever
since the DAYS of Evans; and the labor
ing people of tie United States to-daY do
not enjoy so large prOpOrttOnate share
of the benefits of civilization as they
did fifty years ago. 1t was John Stuart
Mill who said / quote from memory:
when great abuses are to be over
| thrown, small means do not merely pro-
dure small results they produce no re,
suit at ALL"
The ideal history of the labor move
ment will be written, years hence, by
some one who has comprehended its full
significance as a world force and who
has shown his faith by his works; by
Comrade Haskell, | personally hope. As
for DR.. Ely, he modestlv Offers his box
merely as sketch. | am persuaded
that, however it may rank as a literary
whole, in time to come, it will live as
the honest work of an honest man.
There is no Socialist but will prof by
perusal of it; and | am sure that there
is none who will withhold his approval
of such timely and weightv words as
these. which fairly represent the spirit
of the work:
Socialism, when stripped of all acce5-
sores, is simply theory of industrial
society. and if it could be shown that it
ls better form of economic life than
our present imperfect system, 1t ought
to be welcomed most heartily. |, for
my part, do not believe this is true but
l fail to see any valid reason why man
who thinks so should be subject to re-
proach. On the contrary, | see great
harm, possibilities of terrible disaster in
any serious attempt to suppress free and
open inquiry, and to drive error into
those gloomy and subterranean channels
where it grows and expands in a conge.
NAL atmosphere until it breaks forth in
volcanic eruptions."
WALTER L. SAWYER.