The herald., 1897-08-02
A Practical Socialist Talks

"A 1IdcClcal SOCIALIST talks
To the Editor of the Los Angeles
Herald: An article over the signature
OF w. c. Bowman, in these columns OF
July %, ie somewhat foggy upon the
economic as we'll as the tactics of the
socialists.
The old adage that a drunken man
thinks every one else is drunken Illus
trates Mr. Bowman's case very aptly
Being an idealist, he thinks every one
else ie an idealist; and after examining
his own ideals as best he can and satis-
flying himself that they are wholly "im-
practicable" he concludes that his
dreams are identical with socialism and
that socialists are all impractical like
himself. He says that socialism is an
ideal and the very fact of it's being ideal
insures its defeat as practical measure
Of reform" Therefore worthy COM
radee in REFORM" let US delude ourselves
by insisting that we are "Populists" and
join the more practical reform democ-
racy," more practical because it COM
mands following"
Unless our language "takes abnormal
strides by the violence of cataclysms
and revolutions and sudden and violent
transformations" and Kilkenny cats,
we are afraid it will be long time before
the proper indignities can be expressed
concerning such advice.
Fortunately, however, socialism Is not
an ideal; 1t is necessity. There are but
very few practical men who, in the face
Of the present depression, the strikes,
the business failures, the mortgage fore
closures and the general social disorder,
who would dare say that the present
method upon which society conducts its
business is all practica BILE, even though
it commands following"
The fact is the present system is fail
ure. This fact is the cause of the pre-
vailing universal discomfort. The great
corporations and syndicates and COM
bnes arising out of the ruins of this
system are but the prophetic forecast
ings of the new republic These COM
binations of capital are the natural
products of our present wages and COM
mercial systems They represent but
the margin of profits left after the labor
Of production is performed.
To indorse the eystem which produces
these profits and at the same time to
oppose their accumulation is worse than
madness on the part of those informed
of the conditions; and very much like the
old woman with her broom endeavoring
to sweep back the incoming tides of the
sea, and yet this is the policy of the re-
form democracy which represents Mr..
Bowman's practical views! Alas, poor
Yorick!
These combinations being the natural
fruits of the present system will continue
to ripen so long as the tree stands. All
our protests against the fruit will not
avail, while we continue to till the soil
of capitalism, namely to work for wages
and to buy and sell for profits.
These combinations springing out of
the present business methods will go on
irresistibly until the great middle class
will have disappeared, and the unheard
of fortunes of the few on the one hand
will stand opposed in interest to the
multitudes of poor on the other. Then
in the power of their might will this
great mass of people organize joint
stock company of the whole, each sub
scribing for an equal share of stock, and
assume control of all the industries and
operate them for the benefit of the stock
holders. And we insist that in the light
of modern machinery it is the only
practical method of solving the problem.
Mr.. Bowman will not say that large cor
porations cannot produce goods cheaper
than can individuals. For the same rea-
son he will not say that the people can
not collectively produce with greater
economy to themselves than can private
Yet he insists that socialiste
are impractical because they will not
join a party which opposes this method
of conducting public affairs.
E JOB HARTMAN.