, 1901-10-25

A MISFIT IN THE UNITED STATES,
SAYS EDITOR
SLACK.
Imported to This County from Europe,
and American Advocates Must Re.
sort to Foreign Arguments to Sup
port their Doctrines-The Founda-
ton Of the Cult.

Editor E. A. Slack of the Cheyenne
Leader had the following in his paper
of Thursday afternoon:
Socialism is imported to this coun
try from Europe, where the conditions
that prevail form some justification
for its existence. In many of the pro-
vlnces of Germany, for instance, there
is great poverty and little opportunity
for a workingman to rise. They have
no voice in the government, are com
PEELED to serve in the army, and those
who become skilled mechanics re-
ceive ~niggardly wages. In this coun-
try the wage Garner is protected by a
tariff; he receives good wages, he is
a sovereign, comparatively independ-
ent. and there are no restrictions to
his progress.
Hence it is that the American advo-
cate of socialism must resort to for
eign arguments to support his doc
trines. He cites a condition Of affairs
that does not prevail here. To illus
tIate. a defender of the faith who has
acquired great notoriety in Wyoming
as an explorer Of its doctrines. recent
ly published an article in which he
said:
Under the present method of civil
ization of what use are the labor saw
ing inventions and machinery to
those who create the wealth OF the
country. With them the farmer and
mechanic a produce many times
more food and wealth thar his grand
sires, yet there are more cases Of star
walton and a great proportion are half
or badly fed and clothed, and more
than ever are begging from door to
door for bread. A few beggars in the
first quarter Of the nineteenth century
went or foot, now they steal rides on
an hour, and still they are not gaining
an inch Of poverty"
This declaration is the foundation
Of socialism and while TO some extent
il is true Of foreign lands. it is not
r Of this country. The statement
that the farmer and mechanic are the
sole producers of wealth is false. also
the statement that they derive no ben
eft from the use of the i~1rsotive tai
cit which is busily employed in this
country.
These vnEr .rl ~ 1870 .,,s-
Of industry who exercise their ability
in organizing labor. work just as
many hours as the mechanic.
Nor will history justify the asse--
ton that there are 0 cases OF
starvation and a greater proportion
are half OF badly fed and clothed and
more than ever are begging from door
10 door for bread" Aid the sentence
which closes the paragraph above
quoted gives a false impression.
Socialism, like many other import
ed articles. has its admirers. OF ii
might be said what Lincoln once re
marked about some rhyme: To
those who like that sort Of thing. ii
was just the o. of thing they like"
In all ages there have been two
classes Of minds. One that was fairly
well satisfied with existing conditions
or prospects, and those who were con-
stitutionally dissatisfied. In the ecou-
omy of nature this is q wise arrange
nent. But what we object N is
the Importation Of ideas Of govern
ment which have no relation TO the
condition Of affairs in this country.
Some people admire anything that is
imported" from Europe, but the Amer
lean system Of government is good
enough for US. Not but what there is
room for reform, but such reforms
should have reference 10 the evils that
exist in this country and not to those
which prevail abroad
Otherwise the imported article
would be q misfit.