Willmar tribune., 1903-02-21
POSITION OF SOCIALISM

a Correspondent Asks THE TRIBUNE
10 Explain It's Attitude To.
wards Socialism.
Ada, Mimi, Feb. II, 1908. c
Editor Willmar Tribune,
Willmar, MINI.
Dear Sir:-Is Emperor William of
Germany in favor of socialism and is
that the reason why he so bitterly
fights the socialists? Please answer
this In your paper and explain where
In the position of American capitalists
Is different from the European capi-
talists. Yours truly,
81. P. HUsoM.
The above is probably intended as
an answer to the article from the Mis-.
souri, World published in last Satur-
days edition of the Tribune, regard
ing the plot Of the plutocrats to force
socialifm m to the front as An issue.
We have had no confidential letter
from the Emperor OF Germany and
are therefore not in position to speak
authoritatively regarding the position
he takes on the subject. From what
we have heard OF the gentleman we
are inclined to think that his views
have no bearing on American poll
tics. William is monomaniac on
the subject of divine rights of kings
or emperors. He believes that what
ever is is right, if it has been estab-
lished under monarchy, and that
any man who seeks to make change
in any respect is either lunatic or a
traitor. The views of such a man
cannot be taken into consideration in
discussing any public question.
The capitalists of Germany fight the
socialists openly, because they have
no more dangerous element to con-
tend with. Here the situation is diff
ferent. We have an organization
that believes in nationalizipg monop-
olies in order to free the individual.
Late Developments in the Industrial
world have convinced most of the
people that some such step must be
taken soon in order to preserve in
dustrial freed cm for the masses. Dur
ing the last three months this idea
has gained ground so rapidly that the
p]utocrats have taken alarm. They
felt that something must be done to
split the forces oppo*ed to them.
They seem to have decided on social
ism as the means of accomplishing
this end. 1t is a significant fact that
for some time after the election last
fall the plutocratic papers said very
little of the big vote polled by the
socialist parties in the country.
But all at once, when the coal stu
alton became apparent to the people
and when the discussion of nationliz-
ing the monopolies even forced itself
into congress, the plutocratic press
discovered that socialism was grow
ing tremendously. Knowing how
strongly those papers are opposed to
any step towards aurbing private
monopoly or putting it in the hands of
the government, it certainly looked
suspicious to see them discussing this
growth OF socialism without bitterly
attacking the tenets of that party.
There can be only one explanation of
it: they want to separate the home
owners from the renters who have no
property bonds tying them to individ-
ualism.
The growth of socialism is in the
manufacturing districts or in the big
cities, where few of the workingmen
own homes. Those men have no
prejudices against nationalizing every
thing. These men have never been
populists. They have belonged to
one or the other of TIE two old part
les. AS plutocracy expects to control
both of those parties in the next cam
paign they are not afraid to have
some men taken out of the ranks of
either party, feeling certain that there
are enough property owners in those
states to prevent the socialists from
getting a majority there. In the
states where populism has foothold
they expect, not without reason, to