Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-25
SOCIALISM.

In another column appears an article
signed with the initials, u. w. W.
and bearing the caption, Liberty or
ostracism." 1t expresses in rather
forcible language views regarding the
ownership Of land, and the distribution
Of wealth, which are rapidly gaining
ground now-a- days, but would have
been condemned as soclalistic few
years ago. Ideas similar to or iden-
tical with those of the writer, are be-
ing advocated by n great many publ
cations and public speakers. although
to put them in practice would involve
the most radical revolutions imaglna-
BILE In existing conditions that relate to
the control and ownership Of property.
The News" accepts the proposition
that infinite injustice is being inflicted
upon the human race by the unequal
distribution of wealth, and of the OPP
portunities to acquire. possess and en-
Joy Il. What the human family has
suffered, and Is still suffering, from
this cause, cannot be comprehended,
much less exaggerated, by any writer
or reasoner in the world. The descrip-
tive powers OF the most imaginative
and eloquent of men would be made
quate to fully and justly portray the
evils that flow from II.
To this extent, the premises of the
most radical of socialists are granted.
But what follows? The socialist-not
necessarily the rampant nor radical.
but the thoughtful and conservative
exponent of the school-replies, in sub
stance: Effect new distribution of
TEN for acquiring, owning and enjoy
ing II, by means OF legislation. The
remedy Is impossible for two reasons.
First. no set of Legislators could, by
any possibility. or by any process,
known to human law or continuance,
be assembled whose combined wisdom
would be in the smallest degree ade-
quate for the difficulties. perplexities.
intricacies and complications that go to
make up the problem sought to be
solved. When a new planet is launched
In space, Its position. its speed and its
orbit must bear an exact relation to its
bulk, Its weight and it's distance from
every other planetary body In the whole
universe. Could any set of mortal
mathematician be collected together
whose combined wisdom would be suni-
Client to adjust all these elements of an
achievement in astronomy? No; as
well say that body of men could be
assembled whose combined knowledge
and power would enable them to
create and launch the planet. The
intelligence that places and con-
trolls the planets corresponds with the
power that created them; both are in
finite. The same intelligence and power
that effected and still maintains the or
ganizatlon of the stellar universe.
must be exercised in placing and con-
trolling human beings. and In adjusting
the relations OF each separate member
of the human family to all the others,
and to his own deserts. capacity and
requirements. and until this intelligence
and this power are so exercised. and
until mankind yield to them. wrong in
Justice and misery must prevail.
Second, even were 1t possible to col
leet body OF law-makers wise enough
to frame legislation that would solve
the problem of the distribution of
wealth. the great mass OF mankind
would utterly refuse to yield obedience
to their laws II the laws were unjust,
they would not, II obeyed, accomplish
the object sought; and II they We're
inst they would he denounced almost
II not quite, universally among man
kind, as being the opposite; because
the average man has such crude and
imperfect conception of what justice Is
that when It is presented to him in the
form OF perfect law. he is almost GER
tain to rebel.
The reforms which sociallstic philoso-
must begin with the Individual, He
must be made willing to conform to
truth and justice. This means that he
must be born again. His selnshness
must be swallowed up in love for his
fellow beings, which is only another
way OF saying that he must become
converted to the Gospel OF the Lord
of heaven in relation to the use, own
ership and distribution of property, for
from no other source than heaven can
come laws whose wisdom and justice
are adequate for the relief of the human
race from the evils that are associated
with wealth, the control and the lack
Of 1t.