Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1893-02-22
WHAT IS SOCIALISM.
It Is Neither Anarchy or Revolutionary
piled h hristianity.


piled hristianity.
The following brief extracts are taken
from an excellent article on socialism
written by a contributor to the Los
Angeles Express:
Probably no word in the English
language has been SO persistently
abused, slandered and misused as the
word socialism. Derived from socius-
a friend-it distinctly refers to social
system founded upon the friendly feel
ings OF humanity, justice, fraternity,
and a common equality of opportuni-
ties A division of existing
wealth would be ethically unjust and
practically impossible. The socialist
does not propose to share the fruits or
labor with the idler and the non-pro-
ducer; he believes in the old adage: IF
he work not, neither shall he eat;' he
only adds: He that works must also
eat
No socialistic authority teaches rev.
olution or advises violent uprising
against existing conditions
Hyndam spoke the sentiment of all in
saying: AN attempt at mob violence
would put, back the cause for at least
one generation. Socialism is a growth
not revolution; it can only come as a
result of education, and the masses are
not yet ready for its application
But probably the most common error
is the prevalent idea that socialism is
an attempt to make all men socially
equal, and to repress the intelligence
and genius to the dead level of medioc-
r1ty. This is wrong and erroneous
conception of the aim of the socialist
Industrial and economic equality does
not demand social equality. y
Nature makes difference intellectual
ly and morally, but nature itself makes
all men equal on the plane of material
wants-the fool and the idiot require
the same amount of the actual necessi-
ties of life as the philosopher and
genius. Socialism only claims men
should be equal on that plane of ami
NAL wants where nature has set her
seal
THE theories of socialism rest upon
the application-to our social life-of
three ethical propositions, and any at
tempt to apply them or to reduce them
to actual practice may be called social
ism.
''First-There should be no vested
right or title to real estate. Land is
the heritage of humanity and should
be used for the common good, occu-
pancy and use, furnishing the title to
the produce.
"Second-Every man is entitled to
the full value of what is produced by
his own labor. One is especially apt to
overlook the force of this proposition
Most men will say at once: This is Just;
it is self-evident truth; no man is enti-
tied to take from another the result of
individual labor Reader, do you con-
fess as much? Beware lest such con-
fession should prove you socialist
In no other theory of social life could
this claim be put to actual practice; un-
der the wage system it would be i'm
possible. Will one man employ another
unless he can retain part of what is pro-
duced--in other words, unless he can
make aprofit by doing so?
Third. No personal payment for in
dividual services, and the means (money)
whereby this is now done should be
abolished by the state.
'"These are the fundamental prin-
ciples of modern socialism. The first
may be called the land plank, the sec
ond is the labor plank, the third is the
financial plank; and any one that ac-
cepts them and would apply them to
practice should call himself socialist
''The differences between the varinus
schools of socialists are only the nat
ural differences that must arise be-
tween the various plans of various men
who would found social system on
these foundations. 1t is moth
ing more and nothing less than prac-
tical Christianity direct application
to social life of the Sermon on the
Mount ''-Nonconformist.