The Saint Paul globe., 1904-10-24
LETTERS FROM THEPEoPLE
Is Socialism Based on Ignorance and on
the Assertion of Class Hatred
To the Editor of The Globe:


To the Editor of The Globe:
In your issue of last Friday, Oct. A.
appears an editorial on the lecture Of
Eugene Y. Debs entitled BASED on Ig
norance."
In this article you assert that the So
cialist movement and the socialist appeal
depends for its growth upon ignorance.
In this, it seems to US, you grievously mis-
represent and wrong the members and
friends and workers who are giving their
hearts and hands and talents to the
cause of socialism in your midst This
wrong is, We doubt not. unintentonal and
due to mIsapprehensions. VIII you be
kind enough to give space in your paper
to the consideration Of the following
facts:
Socialism, instead of depending upon ig-
norance, depends entirely upon intelii-
gence and enlightenment, and the greatest
thing in the way Of our cause every
where is ignorance. Socialism as a mat
ter Of fact is the product of the richest
Karl Marx. the founder of scientific So
clalism. was a graduate of three of the
best universities of Germany. OF him
Prof. Ely, who Is not socialist. says:
Karl Marx is regarded even by many
who are not socialists, as one of the great
est thinkers of the century,. Socialism
and Social Reform. page 97.} Alfred Rus
sell Wallace, co-discovererr with Charles
has become the basis of modern scientific
thought, is socialist. Enrico Ferri, CO.
lahorer with Lomboreso, the worlds
greatest criminologiSt is leader of the
socialist movement in Italy. He is a sci
enlist of the highest standing J. Jaures.
one of the leaders of France, has been for
many years at the head of one of the de-
partmentS of one Of the greatest French
universities. Liebknecllt, Bebel, Kaut-
sky and. other German leaders, and Van
dervelde in Belgium, are men whose words
attention of the scholars of the world
IN America the leadership of the So
cialtst movement is no less intelligent
a. NJ. Simons, editor of the International
Wisconsin state university Algernon Lee
editor Of the New York Worker, is a
graduate of the Minnesota university.
Victor l. Berger. who is national COM
most prominent. Western socialists. was
for years head OF the German department
of the public schools of Milwaukee. w.
r. Gaylord. state organizer, is minister,
graduate of the Chicago Theological
seminary Both of the. state organizers
of Minnesota hold the masters degree
from the best universities IN the country.
At the Chicago convention sixteen Of the
delegates on the floor were minister's and
a surprisingly large number were univer-
sity men. The first to take up socialism
were the best educated men in the coun-
try So much for the leadership
And when it comes TO the following of
the socialist movement it Is a matter of
fact that in every case it is the best paid
of workers that come out fer socialism
first. The first labor organization to de-
clare for socialism in America was the
Western Federation of Miners. whose low
est wages are IS so per day. and who
have the best and strongest organization
in the country. Our next greatest follow
ing is in the machinists' union containing
the highest grade Of skilled labor And
finally it can be tfuthfully said that the
one most difficult class for US to reach
the class least susceptible 10 the socialist
appeal is the SlIim and the sweat shop and
foreign workers who are so degraded with
over work and under pay that their igno-
rance makes them entirely incapable of
grasping our philosophy.
Your attention should also be called to
the fact that the socialists do not cause
or stir up or appeal to class ignorance It
is the present capitaliStic system that
causes the class struggle. The brutal
reatment Of the people by the monopoly
and trust the arrogant action of the
masters of COAL meat. -four and all the
necessities and the fight on the working
class-it is this that causes the class
struggle and causes class hatred. Social
ism is in every sense Of the word the
harbinger of peace. Il is everywhere urg-
ing the peaceful method of the ballot
rather than the strike. boycott, bludgeon
or the military power as the means of
solution. It's victory would mean peace by
peaceful methods 1t Is in no sense an
appeal to class hatred. Sincerely yours,
Carl ID. Thompson. A. NJ
State Organizer Public Ownership Party.
% South Fourth street Minneapolis,
MfffE