The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-04
AN EXPERIMENT IN SOCIALISM.

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So much is said about socialism at the
present time by it's advocates. some of
respect for their character and their learn
ing. and SO very little is done to put their
theories into practice that whenever there
is an attempt to put socialism to the test
much interest is aroused in the result, or,
rather, in what takes place before results
are realized. The city of Roubaix, in
France. has been managed under social
istic theories for a year. 1t is a thriving
manufacturing city Of 10000 inhabitants.
In 1892 its people elected a Mayor and Mu-
nicipal Council upon a socialistic platform.
The pledge Of this socialistic municipal
party consisted Of fourteen declarations.
An etght-hour day, with a minimum wage,
was guaranteed, medical advice was to be
free and medicines provided without cost,
and city officials were to receive no higher
pay than expert workmen. One of the most
peculiar pledges is to furnish school chill
dren one meal a day and two suits of cloth
ing a year. Such was the programme.
The Council began it's work with enthu-
siasm. but after a few weeks experience
learned so much that 1t concluded it would
promised reforms until the times were
ripper" In their theories and pledges the
members of the Council had not taken into
consideration the ESSENTIAL feature of rev.
enues. Marble streets, free street trans
~portation. labor for all, children fed and
clothed as a reward for attending school
are most desirable, but who will find the
money to pay for them? 1t seems not to
have occurred to these excellent officials
and those who elected them that money
could be needed. The Council undertook the
school children. 1t began with twelve
schools having 1900 pupils. The cost was
$4,000. and for the whole city it would be
5000, 00. The Council found that no citizen,
to furnish food and clothing for school chill
dren without pay in the money of the gov
eminent. Whatever his ideals were in the
public meeting, in the counting room he did
business on a substantial cash basis. Need
less to say that the pledge of one meal a
day and two suits of clothes has been bro
ken. The expenses of the city have been in
creased, and the attempt to tax the rich
and not tax the wage Garner failed. The
Council itself seems to have lost sight of
its high ideals in a short time. Twenty-six
of the thirty-six were saloon keepers, and
they so far forgot themselves that they
looked out for that industry. DESTROYS of
acquiring information regarding socialistic
experiments elsewhere. the Council made
excursions to other cities. In one instance
each member turned in a bill of $50 where
his disbursements were So. The Mayor, who
pledged himself 20 accept the compensa-
ton of an expert workman, had his salary
raised from $3.50 to $2,7O0.
1t seems that a few experiments like this
should serve to show such conscientious
ditu llllclllScnl dlNOCdlcS VI iiluuSlBldi 81
cialism as Professor Ely, of Johns Hopkins
University, that all their theories are ITO
plan until they can in some manner adj
vance the average intelligence to a condi-
ton where their application may be posi-
bic. Such preparation, it should be added,
involves the changing of the instincts of
the human race. 1t may be we'll TO hold up
such ideals if the reservation is made that
there must be a revolution in human ma
ture and a general intelligence much above
that of the most intelligent at the present
time. Otherwise, to advocate a socialism
which leads selfish people TO advocate it
because they are both selfish and ignorant
cannOt be otherwise than mischievous.