The Advocate and news., 1898-04-13
Silver and Socialism.
LINUS s. WEBB.

In the Mail and Breeze Of March 18th
Mr.. g. O.. Clemens Is quoted as saying that
'if the fusion forces want the socialist
vote they will have to sidetrack free silver
as one Of the minor issues" and that
while there will be a socialist ticket In
any event in the next election to count
the socialist vote Of the State, 1t will not
be an independent one unless the fusion
forces set up free silver as the principal
ISSUE"
Socialism is not plant Of modern origin.
1t is said to have preceded the Christian
era, and while Christ was something or
socialist himself and gave expression to
some soclalistic sentiments in his immor-
tai Sermon on the Mount, yet the doctrines
OF socialism, many OF them essentially
Christian in character, have met the stub
born resistance Of civilization, and have
been practically repudiated wherever has
been raised the standard OF the cross.
The physical world bears evidence that
1t Is the growth Of ages unnumbered. The
superstructure Of modern civilization has
been reared by slow processes and degrees
through the lapse of centuries. Private
ownership Of property Is sanctioned by law
long established and such ownership Is
guaranteed by our written constitutions
These things cannot be abolished In day,
except by q revolution of force which would
roll the tide OF civilization backward into
the darkness OF the past. Nearly every
body seems to admit that there are evils
in our modern social and political systems
which ought to be removed or remedied,
but nobody will admit that 1t can be done
in one campaign, nor in two, nor perhaps
in three The unfinished work Of one gen.
Grafton must be left to posterity.
Men OF all parties admit that our cities
ought to own their waterworks, gas or
electric light plants and other public utili-
ties; many concede that the general gov
ernment ought to own and operate the rail-
ways and the telegraph lines; and there
are few men who deny that the coinage
and issuance Of money Is of right a public
function and proper subject Of civil gov
ernment. The federal government owns
the mints, strikes and issues the coins
and fixes their value. 1t also issues Its own
notes, declares them to be a legal tender,
and circulates them among the people.
The coinage power Is established in eX-
press terms by the constitution, and so Is
the power to borrow money, to issue bills
Of credit and declare them legal tender.
The Supreme court so decided, and rightly,
and no one denies It except English ana
American bond brokers and money-dealers.
Money Is a public utility, and therefore
the general government ought to declare
what shall be money, and to make such
money, and to issue 1t in the first instance
and to declare II legal tender; and the
government ought to own all the means
for making It's own money, and to operate
the machinery by which 1t Is made. This
is good socialist doctrine; 1t Is constitu-
tional doctrine; 1t is Supreme court doc
trine; and brother Clemens, as one who ts
safeguards, ought to accept it-siXteen to
one. This world Of sin and sorrow, with
It's fleeting pleasures and vices, cannot be
transformed into an ideal paradise, by hu-
man agencies, in the twinkling Of an eye.
Grard, Kas.