The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-01-15
SOCIALISM
Address of Chancellor Andrews Bcfor
Nebraska State Bar Association


Chancellor Andrews of the University
of Nebraska last Friday afternoon de-
| livered an address before the Nebraska
State Bar association on the subject
of socialism. 1t will be Interesting
reading for everybody, but especially
instructive to these populists who be-
lieye that present-day socialism Is
simply an advanced step from popul-
ism. The collective ownership OF all
the means of production and distri-
button is essentially different from
the public ownership of railroads and
other services of that nature. The
chancellor's address in full Is as fol-
lows:
If I have any special qualification
for discussing socialism it is that Of
sympathetic opposition. | was once as
near being a disciple of Rodbertus as
| could come without baptism into the
church. | thought | saw in Rodber-
tian socialism, socialism scientifically
wrought out and applied, remedy for
the most glaring social evils.
In time and upon study, however,
the system which had seemed to me
so desirable grew to look quite other
wise, the difficulties connected with it
assuming vaster and vaster proper
tions, until in my thought they tow
cred above and outnumbered those
necessarily bound up with the present
order. I Was thus converted to the
opinion that society has greater hope
of reform on the general basis of in
divilualism tEan by flying to the un-
known thoug.. inevitable ills accom-
panying a socialistic regime.
None the less | retain for the man
ner of thinking which SO long engaged
me respect which most of it's oppo-
nenrs do not have. | cannot condemn
socialists as is commonly done. Not
only are the majority Of them true
philanthropists at heart, but their
ideas and ideals are worthy the most
careful thought. Indeed one not
versed in Marks reasonings can hard
ly be called fit to discuss any leading
social theme. rejoice in socialist stu
dy and agitation; vast net good must
issue from it.
Few can help going far with the So
cialists in their indictment of present
industry; much wealth without merit,
much poverty without demerit, cross
purposes in production, inducing glut,
scarcity, waste and injustice; idle
wealth that might be supporting in
dustry but is not; enforced idleness
and poverty; fraud in trade, and the
tyranny and menace of corporate pow
er These and such evils exist and
they are grave Usually socialists do
not oyermagnifys them. If such dis
tresses are durable, all wish to know
how.
Nest wise people whatever their
style of social thinking sympathize
with socialism in wishing the public
power when necessary, to extend more
or less its economic function. Now
and then of course some one still de-
nounces as dangerous, per Sc, regard
less of place or circumstance, e. g., the
municipal ownership of street rail-
ways. 1t is hard to see why this is
more a peril than the owning of
schools or of water or gas works by
cities. There is nothing alarming,
either, in the proposal that govern
HleHL SHoulu PURCHASE anu WOTh miHeS.
Public ownership of mines is in con-
tinental Europe the regular thing, as
is the public ownership of railways.
If the question were merely wheth-
er or not it is desirable for govern
ment to possess and administer cer-
tain indispensable public utilities il
would not be worth discussion. The
thoughtful people are few, however
opposed to socialism, who do not be
lieve that government will in time
take over great many of the pro-
ductiye agencies now in private hands.
Government might go a long way in
this without even an approach to So .
cialism. Socialism would not be
reached until all material instrument
talities for the production of wealth
had passed into the states hands,
or at least so many of them that indi-
vidual initiative in it's present and
historic form had ceased to function.
Nor need anti-socialists have any
radical quarrel with socialists over
Fabianism. Call the Fabians social
lists, if you will, they are of very
innocuous stripe. The three great ten
cts of orthodox socialism, that econ