The Worcester spy., 1899-02-01
VIGOROUSLY MET.
Inconsistencies Pointed Out
By Men Who Know.

The meeting Of the social democrats
last night, at - Pearl street. was de-
voted chiefly to q discussion Of an ar
ticle By Frederick II Cox, on ~Prac-
tical defects Of socialism, . which ao-
peared in the January number Of Gum
tons magazine The article was read
by c. w. Saunders. ard was answered
by G. w Barr.
The article deals with The impractic-
ability Of socialism, and shows the
dangers which might result from i.s
adoption. In he reply. Mr. Barr said
In part.
had the pleasure NJ hearing Mr..
Burk Sunday in his speech against So
ciasisTn, and / must say thaL l never
Defofe heard such 4 Dracticed sophist
lie is second TO none and NJ. Cox comes
nexi after him. In the first place. Mr.
Cox called socialism q dangerous ex-
pertinent
II would be dangerous for Ir. Cox or
&r. Burk or 10 any one who did not
wish IT. t6st a. the organization Of a
police force is dangerous 10 the thieves
and rauTderers
He makes the ridiculous proposition
that real property would have to be
removed to some other stAte before il
could be taken. Socialism implies not
local socialism. II must hold in more
than cne-half Of the world or it Is not
socialism. Otherwise II would De SIM
Ply local communism. He speaks Of
the selection Of those unable 10 work
through Some inarnity. How are they
selected nov? II would be possible that
the board Of health be ordered to re-
port on all cases Of destitution, and
the aid necessary could be given By the
Eta.e.
He wants 10 know how We are to
meet the ezigencies Of food, famine or
war. These things now come under
the scope Of the Red Cross Society. and
that Is in an imperfect form Of the
working OF socialism. When the So
ctety does not help, the state takes a
hand. as In the cage Of the Johnztoyyr.
food and renders assistance to thoge
IN need. This is happening now. and
1t can be made perfect by socialism.
ne speaks Of the Inequality that
would be the result of an attempt to
distribute pay according to the work
done. Right here. sm going to give
you trade secret The scientific So
cialist is g. foxy individual. He laws
down some points that cannot be ar
gued. The point Is this. The p.oduc-
tfvity Of the United States on tha mes
ent basis and at present rates, is sz25o
per year for the individual. This in
cluoes all grades Of work Methods
OF production are easy, even AZ g2.51
year. and they are growing easier
al the time. 1t will further stimulata
INDUSTRY and Invention, because the
EASIER thing Is to produce. the mora
WIN be produced and the larger will be-
come the per capita.
de says the French commune showed
tnat socialism was a failure. The
French commune wes but 2 premature
SSIscharge. The people were not ripe
Tor It, and l do not claim that we are
ready for IL now It wifi onrna ror-
sible with the working out OF the pres-
ciit system. The trust or syndicate is
an evidence Of the working cut of the
system. Competition Is a war II
Dscomes so herce as TO be no longer
possible. and the trust ls the result
Mr. Cox says that a ruling authority
an autGcrat, 10 to be feared. Mr.. Cox
ana ar. Burk both impress me as be-
ing either insincere or ignorant Of the
subject about which they are talking.
IL is easy TO tell when a person is not
sincere about their subject II their
statements do not hang together well.
they are not consecutive. then he
Goes not believe what he is saying.
NJ. =. Freeman sp3ke in part as fol-
lows on the article which appeared In
one Of the papers last Sunday:
Ny notice has been called to certain
reference to socialism from a cores
Telegram).
Mr. Hall. for that is the name Of the
correspondent, starts off with SAYING
tnat ne had only recently learned bv
thance that duck had no crop. and
that presumably other ducks were sim
narly destitute. And proceeding SAYS
that he didn't know Hnat Was implied
by being a socialist" He did not say.
however, that he had found out, and
from the context ] in1cr that he Ia as
yoL as nisinformed Upon the subject as
those many other intelligent people"
10 whom he refers. Now tho fact con-
cerning the duck was az much correct
before as after his discovery. and so
with socialism, II being II, Itself correct
~ unchanged by the gentlemsn's opin-
ion.
His previous Impressions concerning
ducks did not cause them to have crops
nor does his present opinion Of social
ism make It anarchy. He further says
tnat II he understood the doctrine he
might be q red hot socialist which, to
admit his honesty Of purpose, Is ex-
trenely probable.
In looking for examples II ig well to
remember that there are socialists and
Eocislists, but that the object itself
socialism, is definite quantity and
the seaTcher after information should
examine the object itself rather than
Its advocates. If among those advo-
Gates there are found any who object
10 paying taxes, remember that there
are others who do not. Nor is il mar
Velous that there are such, when such