The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-06
WHAT THE SOCIALISTS WOULD HAVE

Everybody does not know it. but it is q
fact nevertheless, that there is regular
ticket put up by the Socialist party OF
virginia for the Offices Of Governor and
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. The
candidate for Governor is Mr. John j.
Quantz, OF Highland Springs, and for
Lieutenant Governor. Mr.. r. T. Maycum-
Der, OF Fredericksburg These gentlemen
nave no expectation of being elected, OF
course, but they no doubt think that by
running for these offices they will attract
attention to the principles of their party
which, in our opinion, will be the most in
curious service they could possibly render
those principles. tt
We have been shown an address that
Mr.. Quantz has made to the people and
we have read It with very great interest
Its principal theme is war upon what Mr.
Quantz and other Socialists call Capital
ISM" He and his party believe that no
man should be allowed TO acquire any
property at all, but that all property
should be owned by the government. and
it. We take. at randem. the following
passage from Mr.. Quantz's address. He
says:
"Murmurings and tbreatenings fiji the
air, and crimes Of all kInds-robbery, muir
der, prostitution, theft and suicide. with
the leprosy OF political corruption eating
away the vitaIs OF our goyernment-are
increasing on every hand, all springing
from the fertile ground of greed, whence
they come like noxious weeds from bfok-
en- soil untitled, nurtured by the abomina-
Bile system of private ownership OF the
means OF production and distribution"
Now we ask Mr.. Quantz, in all serious
ness, II he finds this condition existing
now, what should he reasonably expect
II the Socialist doctrines came TO be the
prevailing doctrines Of the country. In
der them all property would belong to the
government and those who would have to
administer that property and dole out TO
each individual citizen what he was 10 be
allowed TO have, as well as to appoint
each citizen 20 the public service that he
was to perform, would be elected by the
votes Of the people. Does not MIR. Quantz
suppose that each person Offering himself
as a candidate for this place would tell
the voters that IL they would vote for him,
ne would pay them for their
votes, after he was elected, with liberal
share Of the public property or with an
appointment TO an office with good sal
arv? m there is so much corruption now,
when each candidate for office must find
his own means for hribing electors, what
would be the state Of things II all the
property should belong 10 the government
and candidate for once had uninterrupt-
ed control OF that property as soon as he
was elected 10 Office? is It not obvious
that elections would become nothing more
than auctions of fraud and corruption?
The Socialist seems 70 think that the
vast mass OF valuable property which We
see In this country Is a natural product
placed here by the Almighty for the use
OF man ana that It would all remain Just
as Il Is II the government should take pos
the session OF H. But the merest fraction
OF the property we have is a natural pro-
Duct When America was discovered
there was but little property here. but the
forests. the stresms. the minerals. and
the herbage Of the country. all the rest is
the creation OF mans hard labor. Now
Aa4t tnhk> Labor ana hasA iahog- Ia sSSa.e