The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-09-19
Is This Socialism?

The following is from the pen Of Mr..
John D. Connolly, United States con-
sui at Auckland, New Zealand:
"The land laws of this country are
unique, having no parallel in the mod
ern world, that am aware of. OF the
| extension of the franchise to women l
can only say that the experiment has
| proved eminently successful, even be-
yond the most sanguine expectations OF
it's most enthusiastic advocates. Her
| first effort has raised the moral tone
and purified to large extent the NOR
al atmosphere of politics. Woman has
demons trated here that she is disin-
| terested, unselfish and fully worthy of
political confidence reposed in her. AS
TO the country having drifted into So
| clallsm, as you seem to think, it is
only fair to say that there is very lit
| tie need of apprehension in that re-
| spect, at least for the present At the
same time it can not be denied that
the tendency of legislation appears to
| be pointing that way. II it be social
| ism to relieve the poor, the working
man, the artisan and the struggling
small farmer and the mechanic from
| the burdens of taxation as much as
possible, and compel the monopolist.
| The land-grabber, the purse proud and
| the affiuent members of society to
bear the weight and expense of govern
ment, then socialism is certainly in
full swing here. If it be socialism to
shorten the hours of the laborer to
eight per day, and give him half
holiday in every week, besides at least
a half dozen full holidays in the year
under full pay, thus affording him
more time for rest, recreation and in
tellectual development than is en-
| joyed by his fellow workers in any
part of the world, then indeed it is I'M
deniable that socialism is rampant in
New Zealand. If it be socialism to
compel the admission of more pure air
and genial sunshine into the work
room and factory, under government
| supervision. to teach the ladies their
rights and how to lawfully and peace
ably obtain them, to force the earth
grabber to either sell, sub-divide or
improve his land so it will produce
what nature intended it should, there
by administering to the wants of the
people, or place the land within the
| reach of those who desire hOmes-if
this be socialism, then indeed are the
people of this country blessed beyond
all others, for all | have enumerated.
and more, are they enjoying to the
fullest extent today. There is gen.
eral diffusion of wealth, no great pow
erty and not single millionaire so
far as know. Although legislation
does not directly interfere with lauda-
BILE accumulation, thrift and industry,
yet there is no denying that the gen
eral tendency is toward checking if
not absolutely preventing the acquisi-
! tlOn of vast estates in the hands 0f in
dividuals or companies, to the detri-
ment of the people. This cannot in
| any sense be called socialism. The
men who have inaugurated these hon
est, Christian reforms are not animat-
ed by any spirit of socialism, but by
sincere desire to promote the universal
welfare, to resist the aggression of the
strong and lend helping hand to the
weak and lowly. You may call these
principles by any name you chose, but
the facts are as herein related"