The Fort Worth gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-189?, 1891-04-02
TO CHRiSTlANlZE SOCIALISM
Justice, Not Charity, the Need OF the Hour.
Moro Equality without
Communism.
Correspondence Of the Gazette,


WAsuINGTo.S, March 2i.-Mr. John Bris-
bin Walker, editor Of the Cosmopolitan
Marazine, mas delivered at the Catholic
university N Washin ston which IS attract
ing much attention. The address was an
argument Tor JLgis-iauiaIHg the svciG2is-!c
movement most prominently typlA5d II the
moment BY the tdTp.ers' Alliance. Tho
suo'tt,, as vel Is lis exponent, WaS chosen
b. Bishop EaaIe, The rector OF tle :rlE2"-
sit. The audience consisted Of the faculty
of h" university sud Of the priests, repre-
se.,ic.' IL parts of the Union, = attend
aHrc upon the advanced courses in theo.-
ogy.
.SIr. Walker censure6 the church in plain,
bold language for its 700 exclusive gttcation
10 the rich ana cultured classes, It's evasion
of the clcar duty to speak out against the
unjust and dishonest modes of a3cumuIa-
ton that rear up the gigantic fortunes OF
the day and It's tolerance o! corruption in
politics that eXpels Christianity from the
organic life Of society.
A proper organization of society, he said,
would result IN materially reducing the
burden of toll to the multitude, and, by al
terng the present unjust distribution of
wealth, would lift the masses TO comfort
while tightening their labors. Justice, not
charity, was the need OF the hour. Speak
ing to the company Of priests before MIN,
he said.
you to determine how far the laws and ex-
isting social conditions bear upon this pow
erty on the one hand and surplusaGe OF
wealth upon the other, and if Convinced
that this system IS iniQuitous and the laws
unjust, aid in bringing the strength Of the
united congregation to bear upon the enact
meut of legislation which, while not in
equitable to those in possession, will clear
the highways of all legal tollgates exacting
unfair tributes from labor
Combination, not competition. he held 10
be the true economic policy. Competition
was at war with ChriStiaHity-thc policy OF
unrestrained gIced and selfishness. The
great corporations, b. consolidation and
absorption, were teaching the people how
best to conduct their industrial operations,
but the end must be the good Of all and not
of one or a few He proposed, as o national
motto: From every man according to his
ability; to every one according to his
needs That, lived up to rs q nation and n
community. meant Christian people.
The lecturer took hopeful view of the
prospects CT Christian socialism. The
masses were being educated to the situa-
ton and educated fast:
Out in Kansas there came about a
change OF 100000 votes from the Ole parties,
after q campaign OF discussion scarcely
covering Sin months"
The postOflicc, he alleged, was great
and convincing SOcialistic example:
Ii the government can handle the mails
so safely and efficiently, and at such a
minimum expense, why not express pack
ageSl And If it can ship tho mails and eX
press packages over p railway, why should
il not take cure of the passenger and his
telegram, and his telephone messenger"
Mr.. Walker was emphatic IN advocacy
of the state operation of railways. He
thought that even the owners OF that now
imperilled kind Of property might welcome
the change. Said he:
The president OF one of the great lines
OF railway, vic was in my office recently,
in the course of conversation about railway
matters said that ne was then engaged in
watching the legislatures of thirteen states
and territories through which his line
passed. Legislation in any one OF them
might cost his road millions of dollars. He
did not say so, but from sIca task q
ceaSeless anxiety he might turn with
! thoughts of relief TO a conversion of his
fortune into government bonds-an annual
interest which would be paid regularly
without any worry upon the part OF the
| holder of the bondS-a percentage contrib
uteG chcerfully by the farmers and owners
of moving crops, because they would 10
longer feel that what they paid was merely
going TO enrich men already overloaded with
wealth."
one passage in the address commanded
special attention by its touch of novelty and
from suspected personal allusion. II IS as
follows:
1t is not the unfortunate alone who are
taking an interest in social problems to-day.
All classes of men realize that no matter
how comfortable themselves, their grand
children or great-grandchildrSG OK
isting laws, are liable to be &ndid ties for
charitable institutions"
Mr. Walker is the possessor6f G fortune
not incopsiderable even in these Gays Of
multiplied figures, and the pseSge was
assumed to express his owAIsars that in
the not distant hereaftsxoeAs accummulas
tons might go to swslkzes6se OF some oSsS
billionaires.
State socialism, as an instrument of
Christianity, is generally said to have
taken great hold upon the imagination Of
many of the Catholic clergy. Its exploita-
ton at the Catholic University Of America,
under the auspices Of the rector of that ma
tional institution, has not only excited the
liveliest interest, but the first reports Of
the address were widely received with in
Credulity. All doubts, however, were set
a. rest by statement Of Bishop Keane
that the published summary of the ad-
dress was accurate and the address itself
had his approval.