The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1895-10-19

WEEKLY


Kansas City Star: The great short
coming Of the socialistic agitation lies
in its failure to provide means 1t is
devoted largely to the denunciation Of
the present order and TO the praising
OF certain high ideal conditions which
might exist in the world II the abuses
and defects Of civilization could be
abolished and cured. But the Social
lists Of today fail utterly TO show how
the transition is to be made from one
condition to another They affect to
do 1t, and probably, in the enthusiasm
aroused by the Utopian pictures of So
cialistic society which they set up be-
fore their imaginations, they deceive
themselves into the belief that they
really have found a way to pass with
out serinus obstacles from one state to
another. But they have never pro
posed any plan which satisfies the
Judgment OF the world In all Social
istic plans there is the one fatal defect,
shat they fail to provide sufficient in
ducemeut for the men Of real force and
power who direct ti affairs OF this
world, and who would have 10 direct
the operation of soeialistic societyif
1t were TO thrive and be a success. Great
Industries and great mercantile estab-
liahmenis do not run themselveg The
economical production and distribu-
ton of food and clothing depends npon
forces which do not enter into the
schemes for SoeiaHstic living, aud the
vast trade OF tue world, which con.
sists Of taking the excess OF products
from the places whore it is produced
10 the places where it as needed, would
languish until ships would rot in port
and railroads would rust into dust
without these forces
z 1t IS a mistake OF the Socialists 10
suppose that the strong opposition to
their plans IS due to any dislike OF the
social condition which they desire to
bring into existence Every body
would like 10 see human society so
constructed that there would bc no
strife and bitterness between indi
viduals and classes; 10 incq palities
Of condition except snch ns differences
of taste and habit wonld make; no
poverty and hunger and helplcasness.
no brutal and arrogant wealth; No
lack Of opportunity for all men TO and
the place they want in life. The OPP
position o Socialism does not rest on
objections to all this II rests on the
hrm conviction that this ideal state OF
society would not result from the
adoption OF the schemes proposed 10y
the Socialists. II is founded ON the
belief which has been confirmed time
aud again by isolated experiments,
that the reorganization OF commun-
tiles and industries on Sociallstic lines
means, inevitably, retrogression and
ultimate collapse.
II ii did not mean that, and il II did
mean all which is claimed for il, it
would not today have among its sup
porters only the rank and file of the
worlds workers: only those who take
no part Ia increasing the worlds
wealth except us they DO it under the
direction OF superior talent n the
world is ever 10 be reorganlzed upon
the Socialistic lines, the work will be
done by those captains Of industry
who today are organizing great bust
ness enterprises, and directing great
mercantile aud manufacturing estab-
.lishments, and great transportation
systems Theirs is the talent which
YIELDS men into solid masses for efTee.
tive work and without that talent
communities Of men would be but seat.
tered and lmpotent units OF power
wasting half their energy and making
no Industrial progress.