The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-12-04
THE GROWTH OF SOCIALISM.

AN ABLE AN INSTRUCTIVE LETTER.
Editor Representatives:
For a month past, the Pioneer Press
has been the foremost champion of social
ism in the United States, and what is
more strange it talks just like-not the
Popuists-but those long-hared reuters
who would tear all government to pieces
and turn the world over to anarchism,
while the new system was being con-
structed.
Early in October, noticed very strong
article on the ST. Paul water system which
Mayor Smith wishes to return to private
ownership. The Pioneer took up the cud-
gels for the city and showed that. in the
eight or ten years since it fell into the
city's hands, six or seven million dollar
debt has been reduced to $1,000. 900; with
a set off in the sinking fund Of $360,000 and
the whole of this vast reduction of 100000
annually, besides interest, has been paid
out of the sales of water privileges, and
had not cost the city cent in the way
of direct taxes, besides improving it's plant
until worth twice it's original value.
We wondered why the article so untime-
ly apparently should appear when nobody
was kicking against water, for it was
socialism pure ana smple,-such as Cic-
ero taught 1900 years ago. "Those things
should belong to the public which all the
people use, and to the individual which
he alone uses. The great JurlSt mas 1t
down fine in history.
The untimely article however, like the
career of Charles the XII, of Sweden,
served as Addison says, ITO point a moral
and adorn a tale" for Immediately follow
ing it the Pioneer Press demands that the
city of st. Paul should do it's own street.
lighting, in a series Of very able and in
structive articles, in which he shows that
the Populist Mayor Pingree of Detroit,
Michigan, by bringing about such re-
form saved the very first month of it's
trial, over $1,000, and, for the year, over
500, 900 proba bly,. Of course the Pioneer
Press doesn't give the Populists credit for
this, but they did not steal the Detroit
city plant, nobody cares. We are perfect
ly willing that lofty site the Pioneer Press
building of St. Paul should Keep on re-
echoing our thunder till dooms-day.
The Pioneer Press proves conclusively
that it will save $4,000 to the city in light
ing it's streets and city buildings alone.
1t also published list Of nearly hundred
cities which did their own lighting, and
the average saving was over forty per
cent The ''anarchism'' of the Pioneer
Press comes in here The gasoline CON
tract expires Dec. LIST, and so Jealous is
this new convert to socialism. that it
wants the Council to refrain from making
a new contract, thus leaving the people
to shift for themselves until the city gets
it's lights to running; and when the gas
contract expires April list, it wants the
same "anarchistic'' policy to follow, if the
city don't get it's plant to work by that
time.
Since the 18th century the growth of the
CiceroniaI idea has been rapid. At that
time travel was unsafe because of high
way robbers and letters were sent from
friend to friend when possible. by the
kings messengers from one military post
to another. Parliament iI1~ Elizabeth s
day fixed by law the fee these messengers
should charge, and James l., compelled
these carriers to turn them into the public
exchequer; and hence the present post-of-
flee system. which today is so popular and
complete. Next came the common school
first recognized by law in the Plymouth
colony, and shortly after. 1912. by the
much more powerful one of Massachusetts
Bay. Like tic vine brought up out of
Egypt and planted in Israel, it has grown
until it fills the land.
Our highways are also socialstic. for
they are free to everybody: nor will we
have equitable rates of transportations I'M
til railroads. quasi-public highways are ex-
cIusively under public contract.
Now water supply, lighting, and street
cars are being added. because the private
companies controlling them have become
so greedy, that tax payers are forced to
seek relief somewhere.
A few object lessons like the ST. Paul
water works and the Detroit lighting,
| with so able an advocate as the Pioneer
Press and this sort of socialism will soon
| see the reforms of the Omaha platform,
| and go them one better''-it will adopt
! municipal banking whereby st. Paul will
| turn over $500, 900 to the national govern
ment as revenue, and put twice the sum