The San Francisco call., 1903-12-23
JORDAN ON SOCIALISM.

IT. HERE is a socialist propaganda in this country
that is not called socialism Herbert Spencer
characterized socialism as a form of slavery sys-
tenn in which finally many would be subjected to the
will and control of the few 1t system that differs
widely from condition of civil liberty No man has
liberty when he is compelled submit willingly sub
rits to the arbitrary will of another. If he work under
that arbitrary direction quits work when it orders
him. not himself knowing why except that he is Or
dered, he is deprived of civil liberty. If he do this
willingly he is voluntary slave matter what high
sounding name be given his condition.
Socialism proceeds by various propaganda, of
its arguments being that what it calls capitalism has
produced all of the existing inequalities of condition In
harangue the striking miners in Colorado leader
of them said: Those mines belong you, and do
every house in this city, and every stock of goods and
every dollar in the banks. 1t your right seize ALL
and that you do is due entirely to your modera-
ton"
Against this is the brief statement made by President
Jordan in his recent THE Call of the Twen-
tieth Century" He said THE greatest discovery of
the twentieth century will be that straight line is the
shortest distance between two points This means de-
mocracy. The century calls for the who kick
the goal, build the road, write the book Democracy
means equality of start the best education for ALL fair
chance the of the poor 1t does not mean
equality of achievement Horse races start even but
the horses do finish except where you hand-
cap the best animals America country of perpetual
inequalities because it gives start to ALL
That statement supplements Spencer and is needfully
explanatory Civil liberty is that condition in which all
start even, which equality of opportunity,
but equality of achievement since achievement is
equal the individuals unequal in capacity, indus
try thrift and temperance. When the benefit of his
skill strength and capacity is denied to any man. he is
deprived of his civil rights he is handicapped in the
order reduce him the level of those who in
feror in skill strength and capacity. This leveing pro-
finally conquers the desire of men to excel and
ciety stands still. and then retrogrades.
1t argument against the views of Spencer Jor
dan say that open socialism spreads and that its col
lateral lines in which the handcappng is already prac
ced strong that in this country the individual is
beginning doubt whether the law is powerful enough
to protect his rights. Time that chattel slavery
gained such headway that existed under the ursdic
ton of all the powerful governments. and republics,
Kingdoms empires and prncpaities ndorsed the chat
telhood of It entrenched in theology and sup
ported by religion but is denounced by the
powers as crime and is forbidden everywhere the
earth 1t only natural that the human tendency
that canonzed chatte slavery should and plague
mankind by again renewing men some form of ar
bitrary control but against it stands the belief of the
people in Lincon's saying that mo good
enough to govern another man"