Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-03-08
SOCIALISM CONSIDERED.

Hons Of the day are those bearing on
social reforms In various directions
They ate aglialod among the hbofing
classes In every civilized country aud
discussed iu tho leading magazines and
newspapers Of the world. Tbs dlaouH'
sion Of theological subiletles, Ia which
former ages were 20 deeply inlcreslcii
has In the main been abandoned as
proHtless, from material point Of
view, or LETT to the learned occupants
Of the pulplis. Long established forms
OF the social structure arc losing the
sanciiiy with which they were once re-
gnrdod and people demand reforms
with no uncertain sound.
Asyel the difficulty Ia in finding
something practical, some feasible
plan upon which TO effect the desired
change. The cool fact Il that society
ne Il Il Organized today 10 the natural
growth Of preceding conditions. 10
Il not the creation Of some onu with
tho view Of expressing one class and
favorlng others. Tynntf, II IL true,
the world has had, aud still has, but
their exploits among the nations have
always been Of comparatively bfloi
duration. History teaches plainly that
even the most oppressed people will
some time rls5 In ia majesty and crush
the usutpeTs IN the dust, and M iar a.
possible right the wrongs inflicted. Tho
existing defects, whatever they may
be, can therefore not be looked upon
OF treated ua mere lnoldentals, AZ easy
to remove M grain Of saud from the
eye or splinter from a finger. They
are rather constitutional, and require
treatment accordingly.
Tho various theories OF socialism,
communism, anarohism and nihilism
propose remedies whereby an ideal
society may be formed. Socialists In
general aim AT what they call a just
distribution Of tho wealth Of the
earth among It, inhabitants. The
slate, they think, ought To control
all tho means whereby n country
IL supported and soc that none acoumu.
laies an undue proportion thereof
while others are suffering. They roH.
son from the superstition that wealth 10
the product Of "labor," leaving out Of
consideration the element Of liability"
which others regard as even more
essential I'm the development Of the
natural resources. They disolaim any
revolutionary tendencies aud insist
that their social ideas arc tho natural
consequence Of tho doctrines Of do.
mocracy.
The anarchists fnd the reforms tug.
gesied by the socialists inadequate.
They do not ascribe the Ills OF which
they complain to any particular form
Of society, but to society itself. Their
Idea Ia 10 annihilate all social stfuc-
lures and TO sot each man iTeo-iron az
the beasts Of the field, who know Of no
government, no social relations. Tho
means whereby this Is 10 bo effected 10
the brutal force. Many OF them openly
advocate the destruction Of acoumu.
lated wealth and the assassination Of
all who attempt to guard the lives and
properly Of their iclloWmon. 10 takes
only moments reflection upon what
the condition Of the world would
bo without laws, without sa.
cIely, without government Of any
hind, to rouse just Indignation nj
tue bare suggestion OF such an idea In
this age Of boasted advancement The
clamor to reduce society TO level be-
low that Of the humblest savage canuot
be considered anything but the rayiugs
Of maniaos, very dangerous specimens
Of that unfortunate class. Anarchlsm
Is the opposite Of socialism.
The fundamental error in the reason.
ing Of all these reiormeTs To- that they
leave out of consideration the moral
condition OF man as an individual and
dlTeot all their attention to the social
structure. They forget that Whatever
defects and ills may bp found in that
aITuolure are primarily due TO the
moral condition " the individuals vt
which the society consists. Reform.
at9ry Efforts not dealing with inui-
yiluuls In the inst instance must
always prove failure. IL s. nol
possible To rear a solid arch 0fw0Ttulyss
material,
a L. "a. s.Hs o O.