The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-04-17
sENATOK CHANnLEK,s ELL.

What we call Socialism" is the propen-
sity Of a great part Of the population to
turn government into a foster mother for
the people. one theory Of life is that the
individual Is 10 work out his own des-
tiny by his own efforts. and that govern
ments' whole business is TO exercise the
whole power Of all, If that be necessary
TO prevent one citizen trespassing upon
the rights Of another and to make de-
fensive or offensive war against foreign
Powers when such becomes necessary
and that government begins and ends
there. This is the Democratic theory
or. at least, was the Democratic theory
until the Chicago Convention was held.
The opposing theory IS that government
shall, in addition, watch over each citi-
zen and nurse him as if it were a parent
1t is to help him in his daily avocations,
TO look into his contracts and see that
he makes no bad bargains and is not
cheated and generally 10 take the same
charge Of his interests as a parent takes
of those Of a minor child This is the Re-
IuD-ANel AhN'-9 Va 6'f'A -+A4lA4N anu ~ 10
also the Socialists. There is no evil
that a people should more earnestly pray
to be delivered from than this. When
1t comes TO be understood that govern
ment is the reservoir from which the
citizen is to obtain whatever is enjoyable
in this life. the key to that reservoir be-
ing the votes of the populace. thus the
game Of life becomes one Of thimble rig
ging. in which the cleverest swindler wins
most Politics become the science OF fraud,
rottonness and corruption spread out into
every department of life and every
healthy. honorable and high sentiment in
man dies and is forgotten.
The records Of old Rome are not per-
feet enough 10 enable us to trace with
certainty the successive stages by which
socialism converted the purity Of her
Republican institutions into Caesarsm.
and Caesarism led US 10 the dark ages.
But We know enough Of the habits and
customs OF the people 10 know that So
cialism was the dreadful canker that ate
into the vitals Of public life and finally
led to the extinguishmcnt almost Of civil
ization amongst men.
In the last volume OF his great life
work, just published. Herbert Spencer
tells US that the result Of his study and
observations is that mankind has set it.
self definitely and certainly towards So
oialism. OF course II this is the direc-
ton that our evolution has taken, those
who put themselves In IT'S way will be
simply run over and blotted out Of ox-
istcnce. But We are one OF those who
are not prepared to consider the case a
hopeless one yet Socialism may be the
tendency OF our evolution because social
ism is not resisted with sufficient vigor.
II we contonded against il with all our
might. We might yet be able 10 direct the
current Of our lives into other channels.
We arc ted into this course Of reflection
BY the bin which Senator Chandler has
offered In the United States Senate, en-
powering the United States Government
10 seize the manufacturing establishments
OF the Bethlehem company and OF the
Carnegie company and hold and operate
them until II shall have produced as much
armor plate for war-ships as 1t may think
its needs call FOR. These are private cs-
adjustments. constructed and operated al
together from the resources OF the pri-
vate citizens who own them. They have
been furnishing armor plates 10 the gov
eminent al 500 per ten, but the skilled
artisans like Senators Tillman and Chan
dler have concluded that they would
make as much profit as Is fair II they