Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-03-28
SOCIALISM AND LYING.

war. He claimed to be socialist, and he
stated that there are eight million socialists III
the world, all pledged to oppose war. Jesus,
the author of Christianity, expressed strong
adherence of war. Jesus and socialists are
agreed on the war question. Now read the
utterance of Rev. Talmage in sermon recent
ly preached and widely published
"Then there is what in America we call So
cialism; in France, communism, and in Russia,
uihilism-the three names for one and the same
thing-and having but two doctrines in its
creed: First, there is no God; second, there
shall be no rights of property. One OF their
chief journals printed this sentiment: 'Dyna-
mite can be made of the dead bodies of capt.
talists as we'll as out of hogs
"Socialism, communism and nihilisin mean,
TOO wicked to acknowledge God and too lazy
to earn living, and among the mightiest OBJ
stacles to be overcome are these organized ele-
ments of domestic, social and political ruin.
Who is the Christian-the preacher who
preached against war, or the preacher who
made false statement? There is not single
word of truth in the two sentences quoted from
Talmage, and he is too well informed to be ig-
norant as to the aims or principles of socialists.
The foundation principle of socialism is ''each
for all and all for EACH" So far as it goes, our
republic is founded upon the same principle.
Every citizen agrees with every other citizen
to perform certain duties in return for similar
service The farmer secures the merchant in
the possession of chattels in return for security
in the possession of lands.
Socialism goes no further than to say that all
men are entitled to the opportunity OF gaining
living by the exercise of brain and muscle
There is not an idler in its ranks, and religion
is altogether left with the individual. Some of
the most earnest and pious ministers in the
United States are socialists Socialism does
not seek to interfere with any good thing, but
it does seek an enlargement of opportunity ard
building up of greater happiness for the toll
ING millions of the human race. 1t opposes
war. because war is the scourge of the masses,
and because war is inhuman. 1t opposes the
erasping of all wealth by few men, because,
in the great wealth of the few there IS poverty
and suffering for the many.
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself
whatsoever We would that men should do unto
YOU, do We even so unto them" So said Jesus.
So says socialism.
In the same sermon, Taimage argued that
great wealth is blessing. Blessing to whom!
Not to the masses; not even to the possessors.
The man who has not enough to eat and wear
IS cursed-in hell-had better not have been
Hoe, 1,oc
use is either worried over his possessions or
spends them in beasty lusts. Is he blessed?
Verify, no! Overlapping fortunes bless no
one. On the contrary, all history shows that
the masses have been oppressed and destroyed
through some overshadowing power conferred
either through wealth or armies. And further,
when men obtain an ascendancy over their fell
lows, every effort, fair and foul, is made to
maintain that predominance.
Talmage is not a minister of the gospel. He
don't stand for the Man who had not where
TO Law His head" He is a minister OF plutoc-
racv. and lies to serve his master.
THE action of recent legislative bodies in
amending whole term in futile efforts to elect
United States senators is fast preparing the
neople for the election of senators by popular
vote. which will cure goodly number of ills
Of the body polite Under the present plan,
corrupt practices prevail, from the primaries
until the banker or railroad magnate has paid
the money bargained for his seat.
NEXT week, we shall publish extracts from
Mrs. Leases lecture, tChrist or Cesar"