The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-04-01
THE QUESTION OF SOCIALISM,

THE QUESTION OF SOCIAL ISM.
DON'T BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU
CAN CHEW"
We have received the following let
ter:
HON. IGNATIUs DONNELLY:
Dear Sir:-Your paper THE REPRE-
SENTATIVE, is doing noble work,
Keep it up, Brother! Permit me how
ever to make one criticism: Don't be-
little the Socialists and the Single
Takers. In your edition of March IL,
you state that Charley PilIsbury, gave
his check to the Single Takers of
Delaware, for the purpose of splitting
up the Peoples Party" This may or
may not be unfair to Pllsbury. |
know that it is unfair to the cause of
Reform as advocated by the Single
Takers. The same source states that
the MINNEAPOLIS Tribune ignores Peo-
pies Party meetings, but notices So
cialists meetings for the same pur-
pose. This is also unfair to the So
cialists-better friends and more de-
voted the Reform cause does not have.
Let us stand shoulder to shoulder
in the conflict which is upon us and
let us not kick our more radical COM
rades.
In Kansas the Peoples Party is So
cialistic 1t also believes in national
izing the land. 1t adheres to the
Omaha platform, and works in har
mony with Single Takers and Social
lists. Hope to have the pleasure OF
meeting you at ST. Louis. Fraternal-
ly yours, c. p. HOFFMAN.
Enterprise, Kansas, March II.
We are glad to hear from Mr. Hoff-
man, and we publish his letter with
pleasure.
We are not hostile to Socialism,
within certain proper limits. In fact
all Peoples Party men are, in
some sense, Socialists. We all believe,
for instance, that it is better that
the cities and towns should own their
own water-works, electric lights, gas
works, street-cars, ETC., and run them
at actual cost, rather than permit in
dividuals to step between the people
and these great government tai neceS-
stiles, and, by excessive charges, build
up colossal fort unes at the expense
of the taxpayers. Millionaires are
oduSClOuS OlCCu w 1dISC OuuOI duy QuN
all circumstances. They corrupt our
courts, iuries, newspapers. and politi-
cal parties; and are advancing rapidly
to the overthrow of Republican insti-
tutions and constitutional liberty.
And it is a dreadful thing that these
destructive powers should be created
by the people, at the expense of the
nooY>1o tn do 10 10 hi ~,
the people can better do for them
selves, for onehalf or one-quarter the
cost.
So far we are all agreed; and we
hope to see a declaration in our ma
tional platform this year, for this kind
Of reform.
But there are some men-goOd. hon
stand up and demand more than this.
They ask for plank num- Der TO-" of
the Chicago local platform, in favor
of the government owning all the
instrumentalities of production"
Whether they mean it or not our enc
mics will interpret this to signify the
doctrine set forth in Bellamy's "Look
ing Backward, "-to-wit: that tine
government shall be universal en-
: ployer-that it shall hire all the citi-
Zens, and pay them salaries-own ell
the mills, factories. shops, mines, and
machinery, down to the SAW of the
carpenter and the "last'' of the shoe
maker. 1t may be that, years from
now, mankind may come to this con-
difi0n. h,rf iv,lu tho world iC n nf
prepared to accept it now; and any at
tempt to force it upon the masses
would simply ruin the party which at
tempted it. To assert any such creed
in the Peoples Party platform is in
effect to say to Plutocracy-"Rule for
ever" If, on the other hand, we can
carry the country this fall the advo-
Gates of Mr.. Bellamy's views will have
chance to argue them out in pri-
maries. in conventions, on the floor of
Congress; and if they can convert the
nation to their views we'll and good.
The majority will rule.
We note that even our worthy cor
respondent is tainted with these
ideas. He speaks of 1.-The nationalist
UlOQ OIL Ulo lduQ. L Tic IcOplc L dTUy
> is in favor. we believe, OF reserving
F.. the land for the people; driving of
the foreign princes who now hold mil
lions of our territory; requiring Oc-
cupancy to accompany ownership: and
possibly, of fixing limit, say Of a
thousand or two thousand acres, as
may be thought best, to the amount
of cultivable soil any one individual
can own. Ii they succeed they will,
we think, do all in their power tt
force the great corporations to sell
their lands, SO that the poor and
struggling may obtain homes; and in
every way in their power plant the
people on mother earth, as owners of
the soil.
But when you talk of Matchmaking
the land you again enter upon Mr.
: Bellamy's domain; and every farmer
would at once say:-"What. You pro.
pose to take my home from me, and
give it to the nation; and make me a
tenant, under conditions | cannot
foresee. No; l will fight tirst!''
Even if the theory is right it in
wolves fundamental reconstruction