The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-03-08
SOCIALISM.
Rev. D. kiely in
Salt Lake Tribune.


bat these evils new methods are an
nually discovered, political associa-
tons are formed. yet all renewed eff
forts are in part a failure. \ French
writer tells that in France they have
singular mania for constantly seek
ing universal panacea. and for prom
istng mass of chimerical benefits
which would result from this or that
system" What is true of France ap-
plies to Germany. England and Amer
lea. In all these countries, TO mitigate
tie evils arising, sometimes the al
tered conditions of trade, and more
frequently from the selfishness OF the
opulent, associations are formed
These associations, whether commu-
ni3m. socialism or anarchism, whist
wrong in principle, present by 1helr
special pleading, a plausible appear
ance TO the masses of the people. ser
| preservation is law of nature, ana
! when the toiling masses are persuade
ed that their trials, sufferlngS ana
woes are the result of the misuse OF
property, the avarice of the rich, TO-
gether with their Indifference TO the
, suffering of humanity, a hostile spirit
/ may claim France as its parent, finds
! but few supporters in our country.
| Love of justice tells that a government
which would appropriate ones private
! property would itself be a greater rob
Der than our worst thieves. Anar-
chism, an imported plant, and the re-
! suit of hatred of the governing pow
| ers, or central control is seif-cOndem-
natory. Yet communism and anar-
! Oh; n.JIra
! as organized systems of hostility to
constitutional governments, are in the
DRY ancient. In the Island of Crete.
! Lycurgus, in his proposed Spartan
constitution. attempted communism as
an ideal measure This was 1900 years
before the Christian era. Plato, in his
republic not only recommended, but
commanded, community of goods, and
community of education. Aristotle,
with his logical acumen, studied both
systems, which he condemned. Social
ism, which has able defenders. is the
popular cry of the age. It's theories
have been reduced to a science. It's
great and able defender, Karl ROdber-
tus Ga GERMANY maintained that all
goods, considered from an industrial
standpoint, are only the product of la
Dor, and cost nothing but labor" Karl
Marx went a step further, claiming
that "a part of the produce of labor
should be employed for new produce
ton, the rest should be for use and be
distributed as became private prop
erty.'' The great agitator (Ferdinand
Lasalle), who originated the phrase,
"the iron law of wages" adopts Karl
Marks theory
One plank taken from the platform
of the "Gotha programme" GS75) |
shows the aspirations of modern So |
cialists Labor is the source of all
wealth and culture. and since univer-
sally efficient labor is possible only |
through society, it follows that-the |
universal duty of labor being supposed |
the entire product of labor belongs |
with equal right to the entire body of |
society; that is. to it's individual mem
bers, each according to his individual |
wants. The Socialist congress held in |
Baltimore 1883 declared that Labor |
being the creator of wealth and civil |
ization. it rightfully follows that those |
who labor and create ali wealth should !
enjoy the full result of their toll"
Pleading their own cause founded on |
the facts CD that labor saving ma /
chimes have not diminished labor; nor
~ benefited financially the laboring
classes, but serve to Increase the colos- |
sal wealth of the capitalist, they say,
and justly too, that organized capital
and money lenders live sumptuously
on their dividends and interest, whilst
the poor servants of seanstresses exc
out a miserable existence on from SIS |
to $50 month. Liberty, political and
social, they, say, are mere words
Laws, they assure us. are enacted to
coerce the working classes, that they
may not disturb the peace of the cap
ltallst, and as a menace to their lib
ertles and aspirations military posts
are established adjoining large cities.
They further allege that they are
tainted by the capitalist for want of
thrift, because they do not LAY by"
for the rainy days part of their hard
earnings, and are upbraided for spend
ing too freely their money in saloons
and low dives" But they defend
themselves by saying that it is a part
Of human nature to seek solacee even. in
misery, and that want and poverty
may find momentary happiness in de-
graded haunts; that they are as moral
and thrifty as the fine gentlemen and
Wei dressed ladies who frequent the
club and ball room. and have more
for suffering humanity than
their millionaire lords and masters
How save or lay by they ask.
from the scanty earnings of nine dol
ars week and buy food and raiment
or five or six babies, with fuel and rent
added on?" You gentlemen" they
enjoying big salaries (
lursed and raised on the treasury !
pap capnot save for the rainy day.
1ut depend on government pensions to
1uy bread. Your preaching is unreal
md hypocritical.''
The grievances. as represented by the
Socialists are, in measure, just Their
'rgan. the Social Democratic Herald |
'ecently said; i
You may sheer at the Socialist and {
Socialism. without knowing $
'nything about it, but the class which {
controls machinery and land controls
our present and your children's flu i
ure., The measure of happiness which i
our children will enjoy is determined 7
beforehand by private property in the +
means of production and distribution. 7
f you don't help to abolish that, you :
viii help to consign your offspring to 7
laveTy. ID
How remedy the evils? Their argu- +
nentS summarized are: % To produce +
nything capital and labor are essen
ial ~ Capital is three fold money, ,
and and labor. 80 The first being SUI !
RENE is the despotic master Money. G
hey argue. though originally owned :
Y the possessor. is increased by labor.
nd should be shared equally by both.
o share in the product of labor saw
lg machinery they say the machine
annot create work, but takes the q
lace of the laborer, to whom belongs [
part of the proprietorship. that is. r
ne money saved through machinery is Z
imply the product of labor which T
,orks the machine and should Justly e
e shared by them equally as the cap e
-alist. To attain this end their So o
Ition of the problem is cooperation.
'hich, they allege, must be the pri-
larry state maxim, regarding possess n
ion of property, it's distribution and n
1ualization. Why, they ask, should v