Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-22

want. You subsldlze the press, you moi.
son the fountains of ,aarning. you buy
legislation, bride judges, ami aatter
silly politicians until laws and insti.
tutions are but the expressions Of your
will"
The Anarchist here repeats: "A farce,
fraud, a mockery Of justice is all com.
pulsory law. The good sense and con-
science Of the individual is better, safel
than this" But the Anarchist, in advo.
eating mo law" is as visionary and i'm.
practicable as the selfish are unjust in
securingthe enactment Of bad laws. His
idea of individualism would not protect
the weak against the strong, nor secure
the general welfare of civilized society.
The third theory is that of the Social.
list, who holds that all good can be secured
Anarchist builds upon individualism, the
Socialist rears his social fabric upon coll
lectivism; in ot':er words, Common eff
fort for the common good" He complains
as bitterly as the other Of existing condi-
tions whereby "the rich are made richer
and the poor poorer" but he proposes 8
different remedy. While the one hints at
torpedoes and bombs, the other, with
philosophic goodwill, declares the broth
erhood Of man and the fatherhood Of God"
and appeals to the nobler, more humane
sentiments of mankind, and that by CO.
operation in producing and distributing
the good things Of life all can be made
comfortable and none be Unfortunately
rich. This understand to be the essence
Of Socialism. It favors law and order, but
would have the laws in the interest of all
instead of the few.
l have described the poor anarchist,
but he is not the worst type of that per.
suasion. The rich" anarchist would also
be above all law, save such as compels
others to pay this tribute. These are the
fellows composing the big combines.
While society should stop the poor fool
with his torpedo, it is far more important
to bind, hand and foot. this devil-fsh
whose tentacles reach into every home in
the land. We know we are paying unjust
tribute to the whole gang.
Is there no remedy? I say confidently
there is-both potent and peaceful. Our
Government has been and is a mixture or
compromise between the two ideas of in
dividualism and socialism. After hun
dred years Of experience, the question is,
DO we apply them in the right proper
tions?" Should the state do more or do
less in controlling the agencies of produce
ton and distribution? Experience proves
that these agencies, in private or corpor-
ate hands, are used for private gain only.
much government CONTROL" but history
records no harm, except where govern
ment has surrendered its authority to, or
gone into partnership with, class interests;
but never when its authority was exercised
for the common benefit Of all. Let US
then reverse the policy of evasion of duty
or tame submission to class rule for class
benefits, and demand that the government,
without banks Of issue, supply the neces-
sary volume of money to exchange our
products with, and to unload our debts
with. Let it take the entire control of
Interstate transportation and commune
letting private enterprise" continue to tax
"all the traffic will bear"
Let us not be deceived by closing our
eyes to the situation, Or ostrich like, hide
| our heads in the sand lest we see our ene-
| mics. The fight is on between the masses
| and the classes. Which shall ruler An.
| archy settles nothing. Let US add SO much
of socialism as demands equal opportuni-
| ties before the law for all feedful classes,
and the impartial exercise Of the peoples
sovereignty in protecting themselves from
the grasp Of organized greed, building
anew upon the grandsst rule ever delivered
to man: AS ye would that men should
| do to you do ye even so unto them"
/ Ous yON ooA, 10 ~ IOsoAuAo VI pAoSCASo.
bic for the state to supply the money, and
own and operate the railways, telegraphs,
and SO on?" can say what has been
done can be done again." Our own Gov
eminent has supplied all the money
! needed for business and still supplies
part of it, and never had we currency
more popular or profitable than Govern
ment money; q legal tender and good
everywhere. England, France, Italy,
Belgium, Germany, all have postal tele-
graphs owned and operated by the state.
to the great advantage of the people.
Germany also operates her own railways.
and France and Belgium the main lines
of railroads. While safety to life and
property are secured the cost is reduced
more than half.
Is it not shame that Americans, boast
ing of their love Of equality and hatred of
class rule, should be SO far behind in pro-
tecting themselves against the rapacity
of organized capital? If the present sys-
tenn of plumber continues our form of
government will have proved itself but a
"snare and delusion" in the hands of
people with ballots, used not to promote
but to destroy human happiness.