The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1901-10-17
THE AIM OF SOCIALISM

For forms OF governments let tools
contest,
That which is best administered is best.
Pope.
Socialism does not mean a change in
the form of this government, but would
extend the principles on which it, is
founded so that the vote of the major
ity will bear directly upon the subject
matter and include all industry in its
scope. 1t means that the principle
which is expressed in the adoption of
constitutional amendment shall apply to
the absolute control of the means of life
and neutrality-suspicious. and dis
tribution 1t would not leave in the
hands of the few the great power of con-
trolling the industries of the nation in
which all are vitality interested, which is
contrary to the spirit of this govern
ment which prohibits the monopoly of
its politics by. any ownership. This
country cannot develop along any other
line than the extension of the power of
the whole people over the affairs of the
| whole nation, and the industries of the
nation are certainly the most important
affairs of the nation Fer the few to
control the many by any means is the
principle of monarchy-for the majority
to control is the spirit of democracy or
republicanism, which, when carried to
their logical end, is Socialism,
There is nothing in this form of gov
eminent that would prevent the nation
from buying or building a system of
railroads, telegraph, shipyards, mining,
manufacturing or farming. Nor is there
anything in the form of government that
prevents the right of the people to vote
on the men who shall be put at the head
of such industries and regulate their sal
aries. Nor is there anything in this
form of government against permitting
the employees in those industries from
being organized into divisions of labor
and making their own officers and regu-
lations regarding the operation of these
industries. Nor is there anything in
this form of government to prevent the
introduction of time price for articles
instead of a dollar price, or of selling
products for cost instead of prout by
the government or even at loss, as is
done in the postal system, or making the
thing without price, as is done in the
school system. A change in the consti-
tuition does not change the form of gov
eminent, for we have changed that six
teen times. There is nothing in the
form of this government that prevents
the national, state, county, city or COM
munal governments from owning any
species of property, for they now own
some of every form of property, and
operate some of every form of industry.
There is nothing in this form of gov
eminent that prevents the recruiting,
drilling and equipping an army of men
and women for industrial pursuits any
more than there is in recruiting, drilling
and equipping an army for war.
Socialism seeks to impress on the
minds of the people that it is better for
them to own and operate and control the
industries than to permit few of them
to do it. That they are much more in
terested in the industries that occupy
their lives and without which they could
not live, than they are in the politics of
the nation by which only few live, but
which they are taught is of the greatest
Importance they should have a voice.
The vote on political Offices is of no
value to the people except as it con-
trolls industries. Then why not control
the industries directly by your vote, and
under our present form of government
we can nationalize every industry and
control it, and when we die leave the
nation intact as an inalienable heritage
to our children.-Appeal to Reason.