Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-07-14
WHAT OE DEBS?
Will His Experiment Attract q World-WI
Interest In the Socialistic Theory:

The locomotive like that so wearisome-
ly thought out by Stephenson, nor the
like the one designed by
Morse.
So it will be with socialism.
Let Debs and 100, 900 socialists settle |
in Washington during the next five |
years
They cannot starve because there is |
plenty of good land there.
1t is entirely probable that Wash
ington will adopt single tax next year,
without the aid of another vote.
With this adopted, speculation in
land is everlastingly done for.
OF course single tax is not socialism
it is the highest ideal of individual
ism.
Neither is the common ownership of
public utilities socialism-it is but the
protection of the individual against
the encroachments of capitalism.
Real socialism will probably begin
in the schools.
The functions of the existing free
school will be enlarged.
The income which the state will de-
rive from land values and public utili-
ties, will at first most likely be used in
improving the schools
A state educational system will be
completed-fromt the primary school 10
the university.
In the primary schools, books will be
free.
In the county high school, or gram
mar school, or academy or whatever it
may be called, the students will begin
| course of training in the industrial
arts. One meal will be furnished to
all pupils. Those from distance will
be boarded and lodged. They will
wear uniforms. The entire expense
will be borne by the state. AS there
may be and should be a good farm
with each grammer school where the
elements of agriculture, horticulture,
fruit culture, poultry culture and the
rest will be taught, it is clear the pu-
pills will. pretty nearly raise all their
own. food.
From there they will pass to the col
leges of various kinds and finally to
the state university, where they viii
continue their studies and practice o.
the arts, in the great workshops ant
laboratories, more particularly in th'
vocation for which they feel bes
adapted-all the way being fed
clothed and in every way provided fo
by the state, while, as matter of fact
each one of them has more than earne,
his expenses as farmer or mechanic
while going through his course.
When he has completed his studie
he will be thoroughly practical man
and will be able to find employment
for himself on the land, or on the nu
merous gigantic enterprises carried o.
by the state.
Honors and privileges will b
awarded successful engineers, invent
! ors, artizans, architects, artists, farm
ers, mechanics and scientists who di.
tinguish themselves in doing things fo
the benefit of their fellows.
The opponents of socialism make tn
mistake of supposing that dire nece
sity or desire to accumulate wealth
the only incentive for men to labor {
I engage in arduous pursuits and unde
, take great enterprises.
: AS rule, man loves glory, homo
t recognition and privilege more tina
mere wealth.
Indeed, those who now become ric
gladly part with their wealth for
title, or ribbon of admission to
privileged order.
:, And socialists, of whom Broth'
" Wayland, the talented editor of IL
Appeal to Reason, is a sample, wou
:, do away with all distinctions, with a
II privileges and reduce all men to IL
same level.
In the new socialized state of Was
:, ington, it is quite likely that Debs al
, those who are guiding the movemel
% will find it necessary to make distin
l. tions and grant privileges.
y The master mechanic should have
badge of honor, button, a ribbon,
'e epaulette, stripe, a feather or son
thing else to show that he is pro
cient
a. And so of all the callings, vocatio
lie and complex pursuits men engage in
x To gain the distinction of wearil
Of an honored emblem will be nobl
" and perhaps greater incentive to
dustry, to excellence, to deeds of hel
ism for the good of man than the {
at sire to pile up all the millions of
n Rockefeller even now inspires.
y But all these things will regula
,n themselves.
n. The cooperative commonwealth w
surely come, but not probably
planned by any individual
W If Debs gets his people to Washin
W. ton, and they all. start in single t
on land to preserve individualism, a
TX the common ownership of public ut
Ut tiles to head off capitalism, social:
will fill the gap in natural and I
&c derly way by evolution.
lie All hail to the Debs movement.
Pittsburg Kansan.
as Briefly commenting upon the fol
On going very admirable production,
,c wish to say that the single tax is t
very essence of socialism so far as t
ny land question is concerned Practit
es- socialism. as differentiated from id,
OF socialism, or communism. gives to I
as social compact, or government, II
which belongs to the entire people,
'rt society, and preserves for. and accol
to to the individual all that is his
20 right. This the single tax does, SO
ed as the land is concerned Going
yond the land question, practical
en- cialism would give to the people.
he humanity, all the net results of cent
lid les of human invention and progre
ull be it the form of improved machine
or what not OF course, all pub
Ith utilities. or functions operated
it public use, would be owned and OF