The Advocate and news., 1898-06-08
sOclallstlc SOphlsms.
LINUS S. wEnR.

In the Appeal to Reason published at
Garnett, Kas), the following appeals
to reason" appear under the title, up
to-Date Definitions"
/. LAVA rule OF inhuman action prescribed by
the supreme selAshness Of ruling Classes in q state,
proscytbdnO what Is right and perpetuatng what 10
wrong.
2. Civil lava rule Of un-clvi conduct.
y, Ancient Common Law. - law based on lm-
whereof the befOgged mind Of man runReth NOT 10
the contrary.
These so-Called appeals to reason"
are simply appeals to passion and preju-
dice. Instead of having the effect Of
commanding the attention and respect
Of reasoning men, these "up-tO-date"
definitions elicit nothing but contempt
and aversion for the socialists who give
them, and for the doctrines of modern
socialism. The socialists advocate some
measures and reforms which meet the
approval OF men generally, but the
sweeping denunciatiOn Of all law and
existing institutions, arouses the indig-
nation of men who see and know that
there is much good in our system OF
government as 1t is, even admitting that
there are evils which should be reme-
died.
Our fOrefathers builded according to
their light in their day and generation.
The Declaration OF Independence was
protest against the injustice Of the
crown. The constitution was designed
to guarantee the people Of the United
States freedom from tyranny and op-
preston. The compromises with slav-
cry were abolished by and as a result
Of the war Of the rebellion. The fugitive
slave law was wiped out, and the repub-
lie had new birth OF freedom. Civil
and religious liberty was guaranteed;
the right to bear arms established, and
also the right Of the people to peaceably
assemble and petition the government
for redress of their grievances; free
dom Of the speech and of the press, and
the right Of the people to be secure
against unreasonable searches and seiz-
ures were also guaranteed by the con-
stitutiOn which was ordained by the
people. These and other inalienable
rights were made secure, so far as the
law can secure the rights Of the people,
by the Federal constitution, under
which, In the course Of hundred years,
a mighty republic arose to astonlsh the
world by its example of self-gOvern-
ment, It's intelligence, its power, and it's
political and moral grandeur.
Must we shut our eyes to all the good
that has been accomplished since the
landing Of the pilgrim fathers? Shall
we admit that there is nothing good In
our political and social system as 1t now
exists? Shall we shut our eyes and
blindly strike at existing order, before
we have evolved and agreed upon some
new system whereby greater good may
come to our countrymen? The Appeal
to Reason asks why do people oppose
theory they know nothing about?"
A fit answer to that question Is In an
other, Why should people support the
ory they know nothing about? Besides.
mere theory, improved by practical
tests, is open to debate You cannot
force your theory upon the minds of
thinking men by abusing them, and by
attacking all political and social theo-
ries and institutions to which the people
have become accustomed through many
years Of practice. You must, in fact, APP
Continued on pass lS.j