Hutchinson gazette., 1901-01-24
SELFISHNESS MUST GO
OR CIVILIZATION WILL BE
CRUSHED FROM EARTH.

Ihe bhtuo Hetweon Socialism and In
divldunlism Radicals on both Sides
Arc Wrong--rhero Is n Golden Mean
Public Ownership and Private Rights,
The root Of the present day polltI-
cal and social evils IL selAshness,
Greed, lust, hatred, murder, injustice,
pride and all uncharitableness are ltB
childron Our industrial system 10
rounded upon II and our political sys-
TEN has II for cornerstone, writes
James A, Edgerton, secretary Of the
Popullst National Committee in the
George Weekly,
Selilshness is not all bad. 1t Is an
instinct given the individual to In
sure his self-protecton and to stimu-
late him to better his condition, But
In our age II has become abnormally
developed
The only way to make for real pro-
gress and genuine reform is to strike
at this root-evil, We must cease our
cannaballsm In business. We must
come more truly to recognize the
brotherhood OF man,
Christ struck the keynote to the
new civilization when he gave the
commandment, Love thy neighbor az
thyself," We must let the spirit OF
that commandment enter into our So
clal, political and industrial life
The radical socialist and the radical
indivldualist wage incessant warfare;
and both are wrong, The truth lies be-
tween them.
Government Ownership,
The indiyidualist Is wrong in that
he does not recognize that society Is
an organism; and that unto 1t belong
those functions which are public In
the nature, He fails to see that those
things which are used by all In com
mon should be operated by society for
the common interest and common
veal.
On the other hand the radical social
list makes mistake in carrying this
principle too far. He wants all things
owned by the public, failing to recog-
nize that many things are purely pri-
vate in their character, A mans home
and all things pertaining thereto are
essentially private Each man has an
lnalienable right to that which he pro-
duces by his own labor.
There Is a clear line Of demarkatlon
between that which pertains to the
community and that which pertains to
the indiyldual; and the rights Of the
former are as sacred as the rights OF
the latter. The two are interdepen-
dent. The radical socialist fails to
recognize the very basic principle of
human nature, and that Is individual
freedom. Although the misapplica-
ton of the principle has brought 80
much injustice and unhappiness into
the world It yet remains true that the
individual self-rellance Of this age Is
the crowning glory Of our civilization.
Tho Golden hoap.
There is always a golden mean.
There is always a practical, common
sense way Of dealing with all ques-
tions. Extremes are never true, Men
often see only one phase of the truth
and mistake 1t for the whole truth.
The coming civilization will be a
blending Of the principles of socialism
and enlightened individualism. 1t will
recognize the brotherhood Of man
and the freedom of each unit Of that
brotherhood In It the public will own
and operate those things which are
public; but in no way will 1t trench
on the rights of the individual There
will be neither a community Of prop
erty nor community Of wages. There
will simply be a communal operation
of those utilities which are used by all
alike. Each man will have a right to
that which he produces or its exact
equivalent. Individual liberty will be
increased, rather than abridged; and
the private home and the family will
still remain the cornerstone Of the So
cial structure,
Extremists Never Win.
This Is the new and practical system
which the present thought Is formulat-
Ing. 1t is not socialism as that term
Is usually understood. Neither Is 1t |
1t is an intermngling
1f the two. 1t is not an ultimate con-
lition. There Is no such thing. 1t Is
/ condition which meets the demands
If this age,
Sooner or later the radicals of both
schools of thought will be forced to
,ome to this neutral ground. 1t Is the
oglcal and inevitable course. You
overturn the world in minute
You must go by natural stages. The
lext step in social progress will be In
he direction Of Capitalization and CO.
and this will lead in the end
o the public ownership Of public utili-
ies,-J. A. Il.