The Worcester spy., 1899-01-22
OF the Socialist Ex-
plotted.
GIBBS ON QUINCY,
Former Scores Boston Mayor
on Municipal Ideas.


socialist labor party to run the organiz-
alton, the social democrats of the city
are very much alive. and no better evil
deEce of this is needed than that af-
fsrded Tuesday evening, when a large
number assembled at 20 Pearl street
and discussed the economic and indus
trial problems of the day.
The paper read was by DR.. H. A
Gibbs, upon Municipal socialism, the
address being in part as follows:
My attention was called a few days
since to an article in the Boston Globe
by Mayor Quincy of Boston under the
head of Municipal socialism" I shall
quote from this article later on, for in
many respects it is a remarkable docu-
ment and states much truth.
1t is hardly necessary for me to as
sure you, however. that his ideas of
socialism fall far short of the genuine
article. Nowhere in them do we find
any recognition of the fact that the
process of social development which we
call socialism is radically and inherent
ly an economic problem. The true So
cfalist believes this. 1t is the Alpha if
not the Omega of his creed, and I ven
ture nothing in saying that he will not
be sweryed from his high purpose by
any prospect of a free public bath or
free municipal soup.
The socialist also recognizes the fact
that between even the moderate social
ism of Mayor Quincy and the capital
asto system upon which & is grated
there is a radical and irreconeila BILE
conflict; that there can be no such thing
as municipal socialism under a COM
petitive system whose god is profit and
whose motto is Every man for him
self, and deeil take the hindermost."
He recognizes the fact that there can
be no such thing as state socialism or
national socialism until its tap-root
strikes down to the very lowest strata
of economic conditions and it draws its
sustenance and strength from economic
justice. He recognizes the fact that
there can be no such thing as socialism
until the products of labor are distrf-
buted on some other basis than that
which prevails among swine: in short,
till the whole machinery of the produc-
tion and distribution of wealth is in the
hands of the whole people When this
is accomplished all else will be easy:
until it is accomplished such attempts
as these of Mayor Quincy can never
reach their full fruition. NO stream
can rise above its source" and so long
as our stream of municipal life finds It's
source in a capitalistic system, munich
pal socialism can never rise to any
great height
l have said all this purely as a mat
ter of self-defence. l hasten TO assure
You that there is no immediate danger
that Josiah Quincy, the ardent expan-
slonlst, the heir to several generations
Of, Boston's bluest blood, the wealthy
promoter of various capitalistic schemes
and the bosom friend of that great
statesman who is now enjoying a
period of ''innocuous desuetude" amid
the classic shades of Princeton College,
there is no immediate danger that this
man Will become a radical socialist.
=. Whatever else we may think of Mayor
Quincy. however, we must acknowledge
that he is a long-headed and a level
headed politician. He is a man who
Keeps his ear to the ground, and he has
evidently heard something drop Hp in
HaverhilL His ears have caught the
rustling of the wind through the tops
OF the mulberry trees, and he is trim
ming his sails to catch the coming So
eialistic breezes. Like Oakes Ames
With his Credit Mobilier stock, he is
planting his political seed where it
VII, hC the IlUSt good.
In the symposium to which l have re-
ferred, Mayor Quincy draws a clear line
OF demarkation between state socialism
and municipal socialism. The former
ne dlsmisses with the statement that
ut frightens the great majority of the
community and excites the apprehen-
sion OF owners of property To the lat
Ter. however, he gives his approval in
the following words THE time for
TalRinP nhiaptinrg fa
ism upon grounds of logic or theory
has passed by Every great city has
already gone SO far in the direction of
caring for the social interests OF its
people that the issue of principle can
40 longer be raised, and the question
becomes purely one of what is desirable
and practicable in given city at a Civ
en- time. This line, however between
municipal functions and state functions
as applied TO social problems is purely
imaginary IN principle and is fast be-
coming obsolete in practice
. SOCIALISM, as we understand it, is in
heFently and fundamentally an eco
nomic problem. AS such. Boston has no
interest in it separate and distinct from
other cities of the state or nation. Ex-
actiy the same economic conditions pre-
vail here in Worcester The same eco
nomic injustice is perpetrated, and the
same economic wrongs must be righted
here as there.
But more than all this. this line be-
Tween state socialism and municipal So
eialism is contrary to the law of social
development. Evolution along the lines
of social unity and co-operation is +be
universal and Interchangeable law of hu-
man progress. 1t is law where opera
lions cannot be circumscribed by any
aftlhclal limits of municipalities or of
states. No peIr-up Utica can contract
its powers" 1t is law whose onera :
tons began when the world was 1rst
evolved out of primeval chaos, and The
morning stars sang together in cooper
ative unison. 1t is law whose
operations will continue till The
universal brotherhood OF man becomes
NOT, merely an ethical theory, but an
fact. F0''''o al
1t will be interesting to trace the de-
Velopment of some of Bostons public
utilities, showing how the municinaI
functions are expanding into those of
the state and thus rendering obsolete
this line between state and municinal
functions. 1t has come about SO nat
urally in the process of social deyelon
nent that 1t has been barely recoe-
nized.
Take her system Of water supply If
may be said to be almost co-existent
WIN the place itself, for when William
Blackstone fixed the first habitation in
tne slope of Beacon Hill, a bountifuI
spring OF water gushing forth at the
spot was the strongest inducement for
him TO locate there. Other settlers
coming in. the original spring was
soon found to be Inadequate, and wells
were dug, each settler owning his own
we'll and bucket. The town In process
OF time outgrew this primitive method.
aud the water of one of the smaller
ponds near by was brought in BY
means or logs which had been bored
for the purpose. This system has been
AlLa cnal AlA 90. l.l III Ll....L....