Daily Republican., 1890-06-05
Il Socialism s,.vssys
rConNuNIcAflp.1

lOOmAUHt0AT1OsJ
Many persons who would b horrlnsd
10 DO called Socialists are advocating,
without knowing II, rank ecolalistic
principles, or State Socialism. Take, for
example, the Western 1armere In the
meetings Of their difIsrent organizations.
the demands Of the nsmbers Upon the
government. They demand that the
government shall issue all the money
Il. They demand that the railroads and
telsgraphs shall b. owned and controlled
BY government 90 that all the people
shall be benefited BY them, and none
shall be oppressed by them % at present.
And recently they have demanded that
government shall establish immense
stores apd warehouses, 90 that they can
be supplied at the Wholesale price, with
only tho additional cost Of handling the
merch Andise and Implements. What ID
that but the Socialislic idea Of abolishinR
Rent, Profit and interest," - they are the
means by which the non-producsrs rob
the producers and thereby create mil
lionaires and paupers, or In other words
slaves and Maslersl ! have already said
think the system OF Socialism u eu-
tirely practicable. do not kes why such
com prehensive coordination Of Indus.
try mia ht not grow into complete opera
ton Just as easily aud naturally us the
50 .ar trust has grown.
Our post ofiices and pubic schools
have become common property, just as
bridges. roads, gas works aid water
works frequently do, because, whether
mistakenly or othorwise, y majority of
the people OF the nation, or OF given
locality, think they can thus best pre-
serve the equal riyhts of all,
A. soon AZ a majority OF the people
become convinced Of the great gain OF
humanity that would accrue from max
Ing land common property that will be
done too. There will be no difficulty In
doing It. 1t will be just a. easy to pay
ground rent 10 the city, state or nation
a. 1t now Is to pay 1t 10 Richard Roe, or
to some church corporation; indeed, II
all taxes are remitted 1t will be great
deal easier, for now we hAve to pay
ground rent aud taxes. whereas then we
should have to pay ground rent only. II
1t Is practicable to make some things
common property and use them for the
com mon benefit. who eau draw the line
At which such common property and
management 10 not practicable.
Do not misunderstood me. I Am not
now saying that . Socialistic systsm OF
industry Is either right or wrong.
merely say that 1t 10, In my opinion,
easily practicable, and should not cause
slavery. The question l sI now to dis
cuss Is, would such . system be more
tyrannical than our pr sent system?
Would IL destroy our libertyl Would it
transform us into a nation OF Industrial
slaves, as Is 30 frequently said by those
with Bssant, WHO argus against Social |
is.n2 IL Ia eaiI that Socialists would |
take away all choice OF professions or
occupations from the people; that the
State would d,cIds what each cit zen
must do, would place him, arbitrarily,
here or there, ~ a worker without auy
regard 10 his natural aptitude. This Is
not true OF Socialism. But 1t Is very
nearly true of the chaotic system under |
which we now live. Very lew persons /
OF to-day decide for themselves what |
place they will take In the industrial |
army. The fear OF starvation generally
drives them into the frst Place that
opens, before they are old enough to
know what their bent or capabilities are.
One reason why we have 30 many poor
is that there are so many who
were forced into occupations for which
they arc not suited and have no love
II a boy or girl 10 permitted to go to
school now adays until lie or abe is 10 or
Is yesrs old, IL 10 rare and fortunate
Most children have to go
to work now before they are 10 years old,
to help support the family. But u child |
does not know what he is best fitted to |
do, and under the present industrial sys-
TEN Is not permitted to choose his avoca-
lon, II he did know. He 10 obliged TO |
work at anything he can get to do, and
be thankiu II he car get anything to do,
although 1t must be con iessed, the indus
trial openings for women aud children
are more plentiful than for men. Women
and children are rapi lily driving men out
of employment. Capitalists are more
willing to employ women and children
instead OF men, because they are cheaper
and not so easily organized for resist
ancs against the system attic encroach-
ments Of capital upon labor. 1t used to
be that women and children were de-
pendent upon men for support; but it is
last becoming 80 that men are dependent
upon women and children. 1t 10 bad
when women and children are de pendent
upon men, but 1t will be worse when the
case shall have been reversed.