Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1890-01-11

80 VI NAA Wa N'iAS N-N'NNN''NN' '''A>'f
these readers see, might be made SO
easily life of refined comfort for all
who were willing to devote reasonable
share of individual time for the COM
mon benefit. So we may truly claim
that the modern masters in the art of
writing popular novels have done "A
mighty work in moving obdurate hearts
and educating undisciplined brains to-
ward better ways of organized life. We
all know what an impetus has been
given to tie popular thought in this
country by Edward Bellamy's Looking
Backward" The term Socialist, which
such a short time ago, in this country,
was-and among the ignorant still is
such a word of reproach and disgrace,
is really now becoming one of pride and
credit.
1t came to pass. therefore, that when
this leaven of social doctrine began to
work in the minds Of few thinkers in
our puritan New England, and the
movement called Nationalism was inau-
gurated here in Boston, adherents to
the new party sprung up as if by magic
from all parts of the country; and we see
to-day that the American Democratic
State Socialist, under the name of
Nationalist, gets no harder titles flung
at his head than the harmless ones of
Dreamer" "Idealist," or "Social
Crank" What has become of all the
vile epithets which, less than two years
ago, were hurled at the Socialist of the
labor sections? This ought to be very
encouraging to all of us, whether Social
lists or Nationalists, for it shows plainly
that the abuse of old days was prompted
entirely by ignorance and that it is only
necessary to spread the proper informa-
tion to make converts to our righteous
chlse.
And this brings me to the point at
which may properly express some per-
sonal views regarding the attitude
which should be taken by the members
of the Socialist Labor Sections of
America toward their brothers in the
Nationalist party. Let us begin with
the sound assumption that the present
work of Socialists and Nationaiists alike
is chiefly one of education. No sensi-
bic man or woman of either party can
believe that the time is ripe for gen.
eral political movement; and no one
who has his proper share of common
sense can believe in this silly talk, which
we sometimes hear, of q raaort TO physl-
cal force in order to obtain long delayed
justice. The attempt to put the agita-
ton for equality and redress of wrong
full social relations into American poll
tics too soon will only endanger the
quick success we hope for. We should
wait until the wave of popular feeling
throughout the country is so over
whelming in favor of a change, that it
shall sweep away all minor political
issues in the great tidal uplifting of the
whole Nation to the high ground of
cooperative commonwealth, with
equal rights and equal opportunities for
all; at last reaching the goal of the Free
Republic dreamed of by Plato, More,
Bacon and Thomas jefferson. Any at
tempt to gain, by premature intimida-
tion or violence, rights that have been
labor's due since chattel or wage slav-
cry first took root on mortal soil, will
only end in terrible disaster and a worse
form of oppression. When the time
comes that the peaceful revolution fails;
and the will Of the majority, as ex-
pressed by vote, is disputed and denied,
by a capitalist minority-then will
dawn the day for something more than
theatrical rawlings about seizing the mus
ket and the dynamite bomb. But even
at that day-which we pray may never
come-when an obstinate minority shall
refuse to yield peacefully to the public
wishf or social and industrial readjust
ments, there must be thorough organ
ization, perfect discipline, and trust
worthy leaders, in order to warrant any
resort to arms,
With these palpable facts before us,
can we not see what gain it is for the
cause of American Socialism that class
of men which has had better opportuni-
ties in life for book education, and
which has better chances now for in
huencing public opinion (though we may
see the full shame that it be so) has so
openly espoused the just cause of scien-
tiiic Socialism!
This finishes little sketch of social
evolution in which have attempted to
show Nationalism as the necessary and
natural outcome, in this country, of the
sOcialistic doctrines which have come
down the ages from generation to gen.
Grafton, and which, we believe, are
destined to conquer, before very many
years, the opposing opinions Of selfish
individualism.
Before closing, few words of per-
sonal belief respecting the wisest meth
DDS for practical work in the cause of
American Socialism may not be useless.
Socialism is really broader term than
Nationalism, as its objective plans are
more enlarged in scope, Socialists de-
sire a revolution of existing society in
every country; they wish the social
organism to follow the example of the
smaller living physical organisms, in
unity of the whole and harmony of the
related parts. This is a noble sentiment,
hut nro not Tho N..ti..r, nIi.-t- ..,..-.. r.rnr