Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-06-05
INTERNATIONAL.
LEEDS, ENGLAND.


Hyndman's Lecture on the Mission of
International Social Democracy.
Fl. NJ. Hyndman of the Social Democratic
Federation recently delivered the following
lecture on 'Social Democracy and the Fu-
ture of England at the Peoples Hall in
this city.
The speaker prefaced his remarks by Civ
ing a short definition of Socialism (Which
he admitted did not cover the whole
ground). Socialism was conscious en-
deavor to substitute for the anarchical COM
petition of to-day organized cooperation
for existence to morrow 1t was certain,
whether they wished it or not, that So
cialism would come, and what concerned
them was whether it should come con-
sciously, and therefore peaceably, or
anarchically and with bloodshed. What
did we see ON both sides? On one side the
Tories were resting contentedly with their
majority of 152. So far as he could see,
their only programme was to subsidize the
landlords, to susidize the church schools,
to bride Ireland and to possess big name !;
their children would gain absolutely moth
ing from these proposals. We had had a
little f1utter in foreign affairs. He pre-
ferred this to apathy among the people,
because he thought if the people at home
had been stirred up with foreign affairs,
they would be more likely to turn to their
own domestic affairs and ask themselves
whether or not, in the condition of their
wives and children, they, too, had some
thing to fight for. Applause.
1t was necessary that this country should
uphold its naval supremacy, but if the
Government could spend five millions on
the Navy, surely a few millions might also
be spent on the people themselves. Hear,
hear.) The position of their other enemies
(the Liberals) was contemplate. During
the three years they were in Office they had
proposed no single thing that would really
benefit the mass of the people, and they
had now neither programme, nor were
they able to provide a leader-they were
all too incompetent to lead and all con
ceited to follow. (Laughter.) Whilst this
insensibilty was shown on both sides,
economic matters were going from bad to
worse. All over the world we were meet
ing competition, and competition was get
ting more and more deadly. England not
only did not dominate the foreign markets,
but she did not even govern her own.
There was practically no revival in trade
in this country, but simply gold gambling.
Referring to the great amount Of distress
amongst us, the speaker averred that it
was not man S power over nature that was
at fault. We were producing more with a
less expenditure of labor than ever before
in our history-not only in manufactures,
but also in agriculture, for to-day in West
ern America four men were BILE to produce
sufficient wheat for 900 persons.
1t was not increased population, nor del
pge, nor famine, but positively our great
power of producing wealth that caused our
distress-(hear, hear)-and because our la
Dor (socialized labor went into the hands
of individual Capitalists. The shareholders
of the past did not take out Of the slaves the
same proportion that was taken out of the
workers to- day The workers got only one
third or one fourth of the results of their
labor; the rest, being philanthropists,
gave away to the Capitalists. daughter.
1t was high time we looked facts in the face.
The workers of this country lived, on the
average. twenty seven years; the middle
classes fifty -four years. Over % per cent of
the producing classes died either in the
workhouse, asylum or hospital; aud since
tbs queen came to the throne there had