Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1888-06-23
THE EIGHTH STREET MEETING

Franz schaider Ex,ois Socialism and Con-
dennis the Present Disorder.
The American Sections Sunday even
ing meeting at 145 Eighth street was adj
dressed by Mr.. Franz Schaider, who, in
an interesting manner, compared the So
cialist idea Of society with the present
competitive system. Unfortunately our
limited space will not permit its repro
ductlon, but our readers may gather
from the following fragmentary synopsis
the drift Of the lecturers remarks. Said
he:
This is the age of steam and cleo
tricity. These mighty forces of nature
were discovered by and through the III
tellectual progress of men, and we have
learned to utilize them. We are now
enabled to communicate with ease and
consistency with those who are living in
the most distant parts of the globe thus
we have conquered space and time; we
have found the means to provide for the
necessities OF life on a large scale, thus
hitting men above drudgery, and it is
evident that we must Ill all arrange
ments build upon this basis, if our labor
is to have durable and beneficial results.
To-day we know that the mission in life
is to understand how to live correctly,
/. e., how to attain physical, intellectual
and moral soundness. In order that the
intellect may be sound il is imperative
that the body be sound, and this is de-
pendent upon sufficient nutritious food
and other material conditions We
know to-day that according to nature,
the qualifications embodied in us, this
life affords to us the only opportunity
for assertion, and that because of this
power in us we must assert it. | submit
that the paradise, which according to
the teachings of the churches is to be
found beyond the grave, is all the more
sure for us If we have proven true to ma
lures law, l. e., to the conditions of
prosperity OF body and mind-for if the
paradise Is more perfect state of con-
dltlons, then, IN beng more perfect our
selves, we tit these conditions all the
more, and here | submit that socialism
answers this purpose as no other ar
rangement will.
Man is not opposed to man by force
OF natures law; each individual repre-
SCENTS part only of the whole. One sup
PIGMENTS the other in physical and IN
teliectllal qualities, III ability and in
cllnations; for each and all may be
found room and opportunity; we all can
serve each other when the occasion
arises, and if we are intent that each
and every one should, in the measure of
their necessities, produce in useful ways
and receive accordingly-then are we
socialists. Socialism, as basis for
society, is moral, because it is just. So
cialism would prevent one prospering at
the expense of another, ana thus the ex-
IRENE conditions of riches and poverty
would be made impossible.
THUS we create harmony of the
forces within us that are striving for
assertion, and the forces without, on
which we sway influence, and from
which we are influenced. The enlarged
power of the lever of the machine, and
the greater velocity of its wheel-that
must and will serve us to alleviate the
drudgery in life, to make the burden of
life more easy-why is it that these
forces have now the contrary effect?
The cause of it lies in that individuals
are the owners of it. As soon as we
change this condition, as soon as we
claim for society, i. e., for all, the prop
erty right i'll all tools used in production,
that early shall we come to the benef-
cence gratuitously offered by nature,
and now mastered through the intel
lectual evolution of man"
The speaker paid his respects to the
press, saying:
"What great factor it could be as a
ditfuser of knowledge, as a fountain of
intelligence, as protector of morality,
as a warden of justice, as an intellectual
guide. But, what is it: With a very
few exceptions it is in the service of the
political pirates, and with them in the
service of the extortioner of our time.
They don't hesitate to violate all decency
and perform the most infamous services
for spoils. They don't hesitate to pollute
what is grand, virtuous and heroic.
They distort morality and intelligence:
they defame and decry it; they irritate
the conscience; they attempt to stamp
as criminal what is lofty virtue. To
this awful influence we must attribute
the greater portion of what is wrong
with us. How UNANIMOUSLY the aspira-
tinnS of the WORKING class ara ,,isra,,.