The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-07
Rev. Bliss on Current Con-
ceptions of That Sys-
tenn of Government.
His Address Be lore the Socialist
Labor Party Last
Night.
Socialism Means Practical and Peace.
full northumberland and
Marx Compared.

Rev. Med. P. Bliss was the guest OF the
Socialist Labor party last night, under
whose auspices he delivered an address at
the Turk-street Temple. The Rev. ]. E.
Scott presided by special request and the
Rev. William Hall Moreland of ST. Luke's
Church also occupied seat upon the
platform.
Rev. Mr.. Bliss, on rising, was accorded
a most cordial reception. brothers and
sisters and comrades of the Socialist Labor
party" he said, "if am here as an Epis-
copal minister, / am also here as political
socialist, and | desire to tell you freely
and frankly what think We should do N
order to realize socialism. am not sure
that 1 agree with all of you. Socialism,
you know, stands for free thought. free
manhood, and each man has right 10
think his own thoughts, and on the broaq
platform of the Socialist Labor party L
have the right to differ from you. To-
night, however, l wish to tell you what
mean by Christian socialism,.
" True socialism is OF the whole body
OF the mead, of the heart, and when 1t
comes to vote, of the hand. Christian So
cialism emphasizes the socialism of the
heart. It is not opposed to political So
cialism or to Fabian socialism, or to any
of socialism we must have the socialism
of the heart. The phrase Christian social
ism has two faclors-that of Christ and
Christianity and of straight socialism. BY
Christian socialism l do not mean milk
and water socialism, but rather the Social
ist Labor party in the true spirit OF Jesus
Christ.
1.-The purely economic part of socialism
is not anarchy, with all due respect TO the
| Republican and Democratic papers, but
the foe OF anarchy, while plutocracy is the
friend of anarchy. In those countries of
Europe where there is most socialism there
is least anarchy. Germany, Belgium,
England and Switzerland are leading in
socialism, and they are not the countries
in which men are throwing bombs and
making dynamite. In the same ratio as
you develop socialism you prevent
anarchy, and just SO far as you down
socialism you develop anarchy. At the
same time socialism is revolutionary, but
it is practical revolution, and therefore of
the head and not OF force.
Mr.. Bliss traced the rise and growth OF
socialism during the last half century.
He drew a parallel between the destruc-
tive propaganda of Bakurin and the
theories of Karl Marx. The latter, though
quite as revolutionary as those pro-
pounded uy the Russian anarchist, pro-
posed radically different method, viz,
recognized that Bakurin's theories were
not practical, and that anarchy could not
create the cooperative commonwealth.
To-day, therefore, anarchistic commun-
ism was dead. Marx, on the other hand,
turned the socialistic wave into a law
abiding channel, and his name was hon.
ored by hundreds while Bakurin's was
honored by only one.
Socialism" said the lecturer sis the
foe of paternalism. 1t is not the expan-
sion OF the State as some people think
Nor are National railroads, nor municipal
local transit necessarily socialism. Social
ism rather depends upon who Uncle Sam
is. In Toronto, for example, was told
that they preferred an Albert Edward
limited to an Andrew Carnegie IN
limited
All true socialists, such as Owen,
Fourier, st. Simon, Engels, Lassalle,
Bebel, William Morris, Marx, Maurice,
Charles Hughes and Kingsley were, he
insisted, essentially democrats and foes of
paternalism, and the socialists of France
opposed land naturalization, because
they were not satisfied that the Govern
ment was really the people. Socialis m
was essentially fraternal. He drew care
full distinction between a nominal and a
genuine democracy, and stated his convic-
ton that nowhere in Europe, except per-
haps in Russia, would Debs have been so
of modern history were a contrad iction of
the everyday assertion that socialism was
an impractical ole dream.
In Germany 100000 persons voted for
the party and the present position sug-
gested game of chess between the people
and the Kaiser, in which, Mr.. Bliss added,
the people had checkmate. Both in Bel
GUM and England the outlook was equally
promising.
Socialism then" continued Mr.. Bliss,
SIS the CO. operative commonwealth, the
ownership and operation of land and capt.
tai by the people united collectively"
He admitted that its complete realiza-
ton must be gradual, ana in different
countries its evolution would assume diff
ferent forms. It would be necessary TO
educate. agitate and organize, and this
agitation, organization and education
must have as wide a scope as possible.
Socialism meant the true triumph of indi-
viduality, and it was because he believed
in the freedom of the individual that he
was a socialist.