New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-09
FRENCH SOCIALISTS.
THEIR LATEST DISCUSSION.
BLAMING MAcIIINEs-soME oNE-sIDED VIEWS
THE CoILECTIvIsT THEORY.

THE COLLECTIvIsT THEORY.
Paris November 81.
Tuesday OF last week was the first feld-day OF
the Socialist Deputies since their entrance into the
French Parliament strong. weli-discipineh
wing of the Opposition The Republican majority
Of the Chamber Is overwhelmingly bourgeois with
as great anG religious a worship OF property as
Tennyson's Northern Farmer. and thorough adj
mration of all successful capitalists. But the forty
and more declared Socialists Of various shades, the
120 Radicals who have adopted some Socialist tag
however spurious. In order to form serious con-
centraton Of the Opposition forces. and a certain
number OF the Catholic Right. who seem to ana
Christian Socialism in the uttcrances OF Pope
Leo XIII, trouble not "A little the bourgeois con-
science. People the most sanguine In their beiief
that the French Revolution with its Rights Of Man
has settled finally the constitution OF society are
beginning to ask: lis II possible that this ever
Increasing agitation of the wagcearners Is leading
up a revolution which. by might or by
right. shall again change the whole order Of
things"
on the occasion of conflict. trivial in itself, be-
tween the Socialist Municipal Council OF the large
Northern manufacturing town OF Roubax and the
National Government. the Chamber OF Deputies
by general consent took days session to listen
Ing TO authoritative statements of the case for and
against Collectivism. VI. jules Gucsde led or on
the Socialist side He is the true political leader
of all French Socialists % whatever denomna-
AIRY and international. In other words. he aims
at an essential change in the constitution or so
ccty. and not AT a mere accidental development
into which society as it is might grow The latter
would be evolution. to which even the most mod
crate rcformcrs of humanity look forward. This
side of the IN the interest of bourgeois prop
or;y holders and the lndividualism introduced by
the French Revolution. advocated by NJ. Paul
Deschanel. a moderate Republican.
NJ. Guesde. who is just forty-nine years OF age,
began his public career translator in that pecu-
liar division of the Minister OF Interiors office
known as the direction OF the press lie Ia "A
Partisan by birth. of commercial and not univer-
sitv education, and Is a fervent disciple OF Karl
Marx. His long hair pushed careessly back from
his forehead. his eyeglasses awry. and his long
dishevellcd beard. with his earnestness OF d"ma-
gogue give him something Of the air Of a popu-
lar evangelist he is a clear thinker along mar
row lines being unembarrassed by side knowledge,
and his worn face and broken health show the
Industry with which nc has climbed TO his present
position II was only in the last general election
OsaN that he was elected TO Office for the first
tine from Lille. another Socialist manufacturing
stronghold OF the North. His rcvolutionism com
norris parliamentary action and universal suffrage
in general. jusufying violence only when IT be-
comes a necessity Of human nature from the dam
ming ND Of an inevitable stream Of popular feeling.
In this he differs from the extreme Communisuc
school. which shades off into Anarchy. These
have no trust IN the ballot. either Tor evolution
or revolution Yet even these. II ought In justice
TO he said do not appeal directly or solely to vio-
lence They rely rather conversion OF public
orinion Ike that obtained by the carly Christians
on the other hand. orthodox Socialists Ike "ueSde
are not without saving reverence FOR violent rev
olutons But 50 IL every French Repub'ic"h' as
will be seen from " Deschanefs profession or
faith In fact. both these speeches. 10 thought
ful minds will seem to have much tn" sam" merits
and defccts-peculiar. perhaps. to all those who
look intently AT some narrow neld OF vision.
II Guosde began 10y saying that the Collecilvist
idea groups together to-day. In Franc" ana IN
tn. entire world more than seven millions ~
uorlcrs This he declared. was considerable"
fraction not only OF the European. but OF M"
",ia,otarv' society When the Deputies laug1ed
AZ this expression ne rctoried; 1T seems that
the United states and Australia DO not form part
Of planet"
couoc,,v,sts he wen, on believe that tho solu-
ton OF the social problem. social peace can
come only from the organization OF society
In which there shall longer be classes; whcrf.
in place Of capitalist class. which IL master OF
the means of production. and Of prole'ary 'hSr'
which has possession or them Hhhll Dc seen
the great family OF man reconciicd. The reason
~ this faith is that modern production, as II re-
suits from the use OF machinery. makes this social
Transformation matter Of absolute necessity
There WAS a time when small property holding
CORRESPONDING to the small farm, tn" small Sh"p
and Workshop suppressed the social problem. Ih'n
there was no struggle OF one class with another
no battle for the share OF each In the products.
Individual property was then the guarantee" "i
i,dividual liberty a stimulus to individual pro
duction Is II We who have made to disappear
this state Of things which existed IN the past
No The day when machines appeared, inhiFiauhi
property gave way To another order OF property
which IL IL wrong 10 confound with H. Ihs ~
caui.alist property which has constituted itseH
~
loom has been replaced by the nachine-loom IN"
same transformation has been wrought IN SPIN
ming and IN forgcs which have been replaced py
hI.s,furnaces And then NJ Guesde Inquired
in what Is tho capitalist form Of property as
tingushed from the individual form? In TINS. that
nroneriv ls in the hands OF those who do not WORK
~ the fabrication Of the product. In weaving ana
spinning the workshops and factories peIohs To
proprletors that regularly substitute foreinen IN
their own place or TO shareholders ana D"ndho'efS
who are utter strangers to the work OF me shops
and factories rms capltallst p.ppenS ~, n o
spring Of the extension given to the u-" 81 ma.
mesticated by science. II has put labor on on, s,
and property on the other II - ,hS btni tb
problem dates back neither one nor t"3 crn' VIZ
it j. the problem Of the century IN M"is s"mcwhat
different He is an elegant man 81 university ruIt
@ ,t,. son ~ n university professor who suffered
exile under NAPOLEON for his republican conVict io's
He Is also "A polished orator. whlch NJ n uesue ~
NOT and he carries about with him "a unique AR
nov Inc fashonable salons Like all the advocates
OF the bourgeosie. he does not seem 10 zee n' .,''
sr,rkl. Of Doints scored against an adversary can
never make up for the absence 81 solu anu r''ai
sounding blows OF argument In a frneiSi "ass ~,
dos on the real nature OF the social problem frs"l-
HE those of Mr. W ii. Mallock although N" Is
quite without the latters cieaf-sbnl'n's 'a'o ~,
esscntinl faiacy OF All Socialist arguments against
capital. ., ,,,.,o, 10 onl,. IN.
Property according to VI. Dcschanel ~ onIy one
Of me forms OF liberty. Tn" real problem ~ TO"
"a couciliatc this with social justice LIKE. Hr.
Nallock ne does believe that caplthl ana iap"'
stand over against each other. lie mas ms 'suifS
to Iroye that, In France AT least STOCKS anu pois
are coming 10 be held more ana more ny sinh
holders Will, there are four millaihs urpoS'r.'u
in The French savings banks II Is rue ,hhl w
Socialists say all this fractional capal p'loHsS
mo nctite bourgcOisle and To house servants. iu'
This is not a necessity of the situation an" w nu.
MANY the WOrkingmcn also invest theH sd'i"t9
Moreover there has been going on Eons STAT, ,,
crease of the wages and comfort or Inc ,idpoIihs
classes and this not only absolutely. but also wnal