Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-23
THE SOCIALIST IDEAL.
A. Explained by Mr. Gronlund II 10 Of .
Very High Order.

THE SOCIALIST IDEAL
A Explained by ME-. Gronlund IL 10 Of .
Very High Order.
Lawrence Gronlund's lecture to the First
Nationalist Club on Wednesday evening last
was somewhat IN the nature Of an admonition
TO his fellow socialists knd nationalist, but
was no less interesting on that account TO the
general public. He commenced by urging the
importance to socialists Of being clear as 10
their ideal-what IL 10 at which they aim-so
that they can take the right position in regard
to questions - they come up and events %
they transpire; also that they may be true in
terpreters Of coming eventa Especially 3d."
he said, 'ff am right in holding that the way
Tor us in carrying il out 10 first to persuade the
people to embrace this idesl-to adopt social
!. ism in principle-and thereafter, step BY step.
Mr.. Gronlund continued: 'what then, 10 in
its Essence, the socialist commonwealth at
which we aim2 1t seems to me that many good
socialists have notions about that which are
purely anarchistic, and on the other hand that
the true socialist idea il SO high that all good
TIC for socialism. Once I asked . socialist Of
twenty years standing about it and he an
swered, NY ideal is o society where 1 can have
all my wants satisfied without taking thought
Of anybody else.' That is also the ideal Of
Oscar Wilde when he says that socialism will
lead to individualism. Isay no, no, this is all
wrong. a. definition, and il il fearfully
egoistic. But the altruistic definition is no
better, that the socialist commonwealth is that
In which the lowly, the miserable, the ignorant
are raised up The definition in fact. that
identities socialism with the labor movement
hold that all this at bottom is disguised an
archism. / of course do not deny these claims
i affirm them as much as anybody, but l say
that as definitions they lay stress on what they
should not and ignore on purpose what should
De emphasized. The true ideal must be much
higher, something new. and embrace both egoism
adm altruism. This is the contrast: Anarchism
makes the individual the center. Socialism
will make society the center.
A WEAKNESS OF THE ANARCHIST VIEW.
Before proceed to show why the socialist
ideal is the true one let me show the inherent
weakness Of the anarchist view. I will only
mention the fearful loss which the egoist would
cause. for he discards determination and, to
great extent. sympathy. But both the egoist
and the altruist want to make the individual
more and more perfect. Yet the ideal must be
In the future, not in the past. 1t must be
something grander than has ever appeared or
even could have been imagined in former times.
ls 1t not fact that the ideals Of individual
perfection lie behind us? Jesus and Buddha,
morally; Socrates and Aristotle, intellectually;
Homer and Shakespeare, artistically, are not
ideals, but patterns. types, which We can only
try to initiate at a distance. / shall but touch
upon another thing: To make myself more and
more perfect involves making comparisons and
inevitably leads to the accursed Pharisaism that
thanks God it is better than others. Again, with
human nature, weak it is, it sometimes, when
convenient, will make the individual develop
himself at the cost of others.
while anarchism would develop the indi-
vldual socialism would make society perfect.
II considers q perfect humanity or, 30 long rs
that Is yet impracticable perfect nation, as
the summum bonum. This difference has to
do with the opposing intellectual views Of
society. The anarchist-socislist looks upon
socialist looks upon it as an organism. There
10 vast difference between the two concep-
tons and the difference in results is tremendous,
indeed. 1t is on the one hand we, coming into
the world each for the sake of himself, really
unconnected with others, and on the other
hand, we, as integral parts of society, whose
welfare is the prerequisite Of our well-being as
the cells are dependent for life on my living
body. Which now is the true ideal? Evidently
that OF the socialist. Furthermore it is the
only view that will truly moralize that regard
for self which a man can crush out as little as
he can jump clear of his own shadow. It is
more than his right, it is his duty to care for
sell, il the self is an integral part Of humanity
He cannot love his neighbor as himself without
caring for self. 'Selfness then becomes q
necessary element Of morality
THE ITALIAN INCIDENT.
Mr.. Gronlund, by way OF illustrating his
argument, referred briefly to the present diff
Guilty Of our national government with that Of
Italy, arising out Of the state sovereignty of
louisiana, which prevents the nation from full
filling its treaty obligations. 1t is his idea
that Congress, for very shame will have to
pass an act providing for proper settlement. of
the case, or at least for similar cases that
may arise in the future. And such an act to
protect foreigners against local riots would be
illogical and unfair If it did not at the same
time protect our own citizens in the event of
state governments failing to protect them in
their legal rights. He referred especially to
the oppression Of colored citizens in the south.
The lecture was followed by a general discus
sion for the most part in sympathy with the
views Of the speaker, though there we're some
dissentient voices belonging to pretty thor
oughgoing socialists, too.