The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-01-05
A DOUBTFUL SHIELD
"FHOlGHTFlL" MEN "TRENlBIE'' &T
THE ADVANCE OF SOCIALISM.
Nnrk Hanna to the Rescuc-I.ook~
Upon the Roman Catholic Church
as IL Prop for CapitnliSm-Iic May
lie Mistnl<en-The Church Has
Passed Through Several EcUMONnic
>tnEcs-Will Drop Cnpitnii~m Too.

At times it would seem that some
members OF the possessing classes are
by no means certain in their own minds
as to the perlnanency Of capitalist class
rule. and do not hesitate to say 50. But
Mr. Mark Hanna is evidently little
troubled by these gloomy fOrebOdingS.
Here is his own account taken from the
Time Herald of December LIST, Of now
he treasured Il timorous gentleman who
gave. ii as his opinion that {, struggle
With socialism was unavoida bic in the
Near future. TO this end Mr.. Hanna
particularly mentions two factors
which he considers stable bulwarks of
the present economic system:
"When was in New York; says MI
Hanna just after election. a thoughtful
man said to me-
"Well, we've saved the country again.
but lremblc for tho future. Sooner o.
later we're going to have a tremendous
struggle in this country between the
forces of conservatism on one side and
socialism on the other, and am afraid
socialism may carry the day
II am not a bit afraid of that" re-
piled Mr. Hanna. land I'll tell you why.
There are two things that will prevent
it. One is the American school system;
the uthel is the Roman Catholic church.
That great church is just as much
against socialism rs the Protestant
churches, as | happen to know, and in
las ION, Is t.l., <
hatred were frownrd upon Ivy the nigh
est dignitaries and most influential men
of the Catholic organizations. AS long
as this restraining force continues to
operate you need have fear Of So
cialism dominating American
If the party to which this assurance
was addressed really deserves the APP
pellation of "thOughtful it is not clear
how he is to derive much comfort from
Hanna's view of the situation. 1t may
be conceded that in the control of the
public school system capitalism pos
sesses a strong bulWark but the press
and pulpit are no less valuable for the
same purpose. All these have been and
still are equally opposed to socialism,
and vet the latter has, in spite of such
opposition grown to the extent that it
makes "thoughtful.s men .tremble. II
Mr.. Hanna could designate The point
sslt Whieh ssaai ism wi N Ia et az
Stacps which cannot Be OVERCOME and
explain just why, his assurance might
he worth something. The Socialist rec
ngnizes that the powers which Mr.
Hanna mentions. us we'll as all other
i.t II. II i,,JoS E.l\' Of
still az" being used for the ptrp.tuatiun
OF things as they are. out he also sees
that in spite of this the movement has
made steady and rapid progress. and
has no reason for surprising that the
obstacles which have been puWerless to
stop it's advance in the past will be any
more potent to lr So in tn" future.
In claiming tn" Roman catholic
church as an ally in the continued plum
dt.i' Of tn" working class, Mr.. Hanna
stands even upon more doubtful
ground. The,r are It few institutions
still in existence, which anttdatc capt.
lulism, and IF these by far the greatest
amt most important. is the very church
which tIr. Hanna relies upon as an
auxiliary against socialism. 1t has tN-
listed through various economic stages
of human suri-ty. and has been en-
abeu to Ito so by Il know ledge of the
law by which all organisms alone can
continue. to rXiSt-the law IF adoption
to environment. It's history comprises
TIL" stages of slavery. strfdum and cap
itaIiSnl. In tn" transition periods be
tween thrs" stages it has survived
+,
given. AS it did not disappear with the