Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-03-25
10 McDILL'S MUSINGS.

The Chicago Chronicle, after eulogzing the
Salvation Army, rails at socialists, asserting
that the Army believes in work on business rln-
cples, and that the socialist stands for oahng
Nothing can be more untrue than that So
cialism tavors idleness All the good things
said of the Salvation Army by the Chronicle
are true, but why it should have gone out OF
the range of the article referred to in order to
traduce another class of men, who, i'll part,
aim at the same thing as the Army is one OF
the hidden inconsistencies of newspaper writer's.
The Chronicle lauded the work of the army IN
planting cooperative colonies Why could it
not laud socialism in its broader efforts 10 bring
about general cooperation? Or, if it is good
thing to improve the condition of the few why
not a good thing to improve the condition OF
all? The truth seems to be that the Chronicle
took its text with a view to giving kindred
principles knite-thrust in vital part. 1t
would misrepresent.
If the Chronicle aud other papers owned by
capitalists can make the people believe that
socialism aims at destroying industry and en-
terprse, they cannot fail to make socialism so
unpopular as to render its efforts aborive.
The Chronicle lied when it claimed that social
lists are opposed to the active production OF
wealth We cannot believe that the editor of
great paper is SO stupidity ignorant as to be-
leve that the aim of socialists is 10 bring about
a condition OF society that would cause re-
lapse into barbarism.
A re-statement of the socialist creed here
ought not be necessary, and would not were
there not so much lying. Briefly, socialists
aim at lettering the condition OF the masses
We cannot fully determine upon methods until
we have resolved to act. Probably there will
he much experiment before the best methods
have been attained. Just now, the socialist
can only claim hearing upon the plea that,
under competition, the wealth produced by all
is absorbed by the few.
1t is not only humane, but business,
proposition that where there is enough, and
more than enough, of all the necessities of life,
there should be such distribution of neces.
stiles as to furnish all full supply. civil
ization must be stigmatised as part barbarous
that starves part of its population in the midst
Of plenty.
large number of extremely poor people
are burden upon the taxpayers in that ex-
treme poverty produces paupers and criminals.
No man has more feeling than wolf who can
view the miseries Of the poor with Indifference,
and no taxpayer is caiefully guarding his
purse who does not seek to remove the causes
of crime and pauperism
The socialist is animated with both the
spirit of broad humanity and the safety of
the state The socialist not only believes, but
is sure, that the advance of civilization depends
upon the condition of the masses If the mass
of the people are sunk in ignorance and vice,
the eff. .ct will be to drag down the whole. So.
ciety loses, as whole, the sum total of all that
is lost in the imperfect development of the in
dividual; or, what is lost in the individual is
lost to socialists.
TO elevate each individual and develop to
the fullest extent morally, mentally, and phys
ically, is task worthy of the noblest and best
intellect OF the human race. Even God so
loved the world, i. e., the people, that He sent
His sou to earth to act as ambassador, mediator
and savior.