The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-04-21
The Voice of
The People
SOCIALISM AND ROBBERY

| Editor Providence News:
| read Mr.. Hewitt's letter on socialism
In Thursdays paper and send this reply
! to it
Socialists always maintain that labor
! or brain and hand produces all wealth
| and TO the producers belong the product
| In the case Of the man who ias saved for
n lifetime and bought few shares I'm a
manufacturing enterprise, first OF all that
man has been wage slave and slowly
saved portion OF the scanty wage his
capitalist master has allowed him.
In many cases the holders OF a control
ing interest in the business freeze out
such small men as he and rob them OF
their savings. But In case they do not he
draws dividends from his few shares of
stock Those dividends represent the ac-
cumulated labor which has been paid for
In the factory. That Is TO say wage work
ers, men women and children, chained to
machines which they operate produce
goods which are sold. A portion OF the
money received IL paid to the workers I'm
wages, another portion Is used to repair
the machines and the remainder Is paid
TO the stockholders OF which our friend
with the few shares OF stock is one.
His income then represents the sweat
and blood OF the outraged working class
his own class who have been robbed OF Il
In those private penitentiaries labelled
workshops, mill and mine. conducted for
the sole object OF obtaining profit from
the workers
Socialism says that the greatest good to
the greatest number demands that the
land from and the tools with which TO
produce wealth shall In future be collec-
| lively owned, not individually as at pres
ent. We have socialism at present In pro-
duction the workers producing co-opera-
! lively. a certain number performing one
operation others another until the article
| is comuletsd
But we have individual ownership Of
! the machinery OF production, transporta-
4 tion. distribution and exchange, and
/ with them ownership OF the product
which with competition and pront social
ism would abolish.
/ In other words society would say to the
small stockholders, I'VE are going TO
make tho industry I'm which your hard
| earned savings are invested public In
stead OF private property. and we shall
not pay any indemnity 20 the stockhold-
ers because the most OF the money which
the stock represents has been stolen from
society through rent. interest and profit.
To those small holders who earned the
! money invested we give this guarantee
| In the future for the frst time In the
worlds history the class you belong 10.
the wage working class, shall obtain It's
own
SAYS Marx. "the proietariat must raise
itself to the position OF ruling class 10
win the battle OF Democracy. You shall
have equality OF opportunity and the
/ equivalent OF the full product OF your la
\ Dor Is assured TO you. You need no longer
\ be subject 90 the WILL whim or caprice OF
\ another individual as you have been al
ways I'm the past No longer must you 60
| to owners OF the tools of production and
ask for an opportunity 10 work. they die
tatlnx the terms under which you will be
! allowed 10 produce wealth"
/ The small stockholdcr would have a
/ vote I'm the selection OF the superintend-
| ent and foremen he worked under In the
/ factory or other places OF employment
He would not be obliged 10 work under
n tyrant called the boss as he N almost
invariably today, nor bulldorer select
Cd by the owners OF the plant 10 Get oil
the work possible out Of the men. women
aud children employed, and which the
arm style the superintendent
Society has undergone change, no
lonaar Il there capitnlism with its band
OF brigands, n master class who as a rule
do no manner of useful work OF either
brain or hands: "they toll not neither do
they spin" for In IL not true that Indus
try today. both brain and Drawn work is
performed by wage slaves well or poorly
paid as may he from the superintendent
getting n good salary To the child work
ing twelve hours for nine cents7 II not
such society as socialism proposes suf
hcient compensation 60 tle small holder
OF stock for the loss OF that stock remov-