Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-04-24
COMING To HCEt1SE.
bus. Ohio. was presented by Presi-
dent Slauson.

The address of Rev. Washin gton
GLADDEN., on "The True Social
ism" was q scholarly discus.
son of . deep-rooted question. and i,
was greatly enjoyed BY all who had
the pleasure of hearing the distin.
guished gentleman. He said that
his theme assumed that there is q
true socialism-that in the various
discordant and incoherent move
ments of opinion and feelings and
activities which 20 by the name
of socialism, there are mingled
wholesome sentiments and reasonable
aims. I'VE are safe, think" con-
tinued the speaker, '.in making this
assumption. The spread of beliefs
that are more or less correctly de-
scribed as socialistic has been very
rapid. both on this continent and
on the other during tho last % years.
Not merely among workingmen, but
the students. the thinkers, have been
profoundly affected by it; . great
multitude, some Of them blindly,
noisily, observation-disclosures of them
with their eyes open and others with
them shut-are travelling in the di-
rection pointed cut by the socialistic
theories. 1t is perfectly certain that
such q movement cannot be wholly
the product of unreason and
unequity. 1t is not wise to denounce
socialism and socialists, hotly and
by wholesale, % SO many do; it is
much better to try to understand
what they have to say, and to dis
cover the germs of truth that are
mingled with their errors and exag.
gerations. When speak Of socialism
and socialists no intelligent person
will understand me as referring to
anarchism and anarchists. The two
are often confounded, and in the
streets ignorant devotees from
either side run together and
lift up the same cries; but logically
they are as far apart as the east and
the west. Their only agreement il
in dislike of the existing social dis
order. When they begin to talk OF
what shall take its place they are
antipodes. The anarchist denounces
government as essentially evil; he
proposes to abolish governmental re-
straint and direction; he insists tina,
every man be allowed to do tina,
which is right in his own eyes. So
cial associations for domestic or in
dustrial purposes as men choose to
makc-such as spring up spontane-
ously after the existing order is de.
stroyed, are the only forms of social
order that he will tolerate.
The Socialist.
The socialist, on his part, prope ses
to extend the power of the state in
every direction. Government, with
him, instead Of being an evil and a
curse, is the medium and minister of
all social good; the custodian tina,
guards mems rights, the providence
that guides their steps and secures
their welfare. The socialist pro.
poses to enlarge the sphere of gov.
eminent until it covers almost the
whole of human life" Rev. Glad.
den then went on to show that the
anarchists are philosophically m UGH
more closely allied to the old school,
Of political economists than they are
to the socialists. He said he did not
propose to take sides with either OF
these antagonists, but If he were
FOL ced TO . confession he said he
would be found standing q little
nearer to the socialists. 1--WE may
not all of us, like the outlook in the
direction Of socialism," continued
Rev. GLADDEN., but we are BY NJ
means content with the unsoc ial
tempers and tenden cies that find
constant expression among us. AT
ter all, it is the tempers and the ten
denotes OF social lie that are Of mos,
consequence to us. When these ars
right the methods and the institu
lions will quickly adjust themselve.
to the needs Of men. That some i'm
provement can be made, and mus
be made, in the form OF industrial
and social organization do believe
that these improvements will take
the direction Of what is known az
known 40 scientific socialism have u,
doubt: nevertheless, the deepest need
is not change of form. but chang,
of aims and purposes and tempers
The society in which you Mve-th'
customs, institutions, sentiments o
the people among whom you live
these are your environments. An,
is it not . well known truth that lif'
depends on the harmony between tn
organism and the environment
Can q man live healthy and happy il
. bad environment? Must he no
have good air to breath, pure waite
to drink, safe shelter from the cold
nourishipg food within reachs 1
it Of no consequences to q man wha
his environment Is, or how he !
fitted to itp W. have found out tha
the physical environment can be i'm
proved by vigilance on the part Q
the community. Then is it prepoa
ferrous to suppose that the social en-
vironment may. BY patience an
intelligence, be improved? Nigh
no: the social atmosphere be mad
more wholesome and more vital
THE ntimenta tenn Dara Tendencies