The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-05-07

would it be under robber govern.
ment such as contemplated by Social
ism, whose act of Inauguration i'll
wolves the wholesale contiscation of all
private property, of all wealth and all
means Of production. A government
composed of professional atheists, de-
void of all fear of God and dread of
hell; Il lot of corrupt and ruined poll
| ticianS, whose lives have been spent
in saloons and club-rooms, making poll
teal speeches, organizing Socialistic
clubs and workingmen's associations,
melting ignorant and willing dupes to
arson and bloodshed; what we ask, is
to become of a country ruled by such
elements as these?
Socialism says: Cali our crimes
proceed from misery; let there be no
more misery and there will be no more
crime" And again: "Sin is misery;
remove misery and there will be no
more sin. There lies the redemption
of the world. Let him come, the de-
stroyer of our misery (Socialism), he
will be our true savior"
That extreme misery may and does
beget great crimes cannot be denied
but if excessive misery may create
great crimes, far greater crimes can
be laid at the door of wealth. We
have already pointed out some Of these
in the recent past. Numerous as those
isolated cases may be, they are moth
ing compared with what they would
be under Socialistic regime which
idolizes wealth and makes the NAM
mon of Iniquity" the savior of the
world. Our own age can furnish us
the best illustration of what the I'M
bridled passion of wealth is capable
of on the score of crime. And, bear
in mind, that Socialism, which points
to wealth as the savior of the world
from sin and crime, must, of necessity,
increase this evil Il thousandfold, since
it roots i'll the very nature of man and
finds in wealth the most effective
means to crafty his passions.
1t is appalling to think of the pre-
varications, public and private, per-
petratcd every day by this passion for
acquiring riches in the shortest pos.
sible time. Think of the enormous
iniquities consummatcd every day in
the pursuit of fortune. Think of our
stock exchange, where mad gamblers
hourly suspend themselves recklessly
with their families and their friends
over an abyss of poverty and misery,
committing themselves and all they
hold most dear in the world to this
god of chance, which alone they adore.
Penetrate into these dens of iniuuity
with the reports of the daily press and
see these frenzied worshippers of the
golden calf throwing out in cold blood
Il million at a time to rake in another
million or more, Which by turn in
fortune, they hope to win, never for a
moment stopping to think of the con-
sequences; see them pale, haggard and
wild with excitement, presenting the
perfect picture of mailman; see them,
and say if this is not the climax of
human degradation into which the love
Of wealth is plunging this country of
ours.
We can trace this same spirit of
prevarication under the inspiration of
this spirit Of NIammon, into every
branch of commerce. where lying,
cheating, cunning, the most barefaced
Misrepresentation, forgery and even
bankruptcy are resorted to as an Or
binary means of making money. We
find it even in the field Of literature,
where sensational writer's prostitute
their talents to satisfy the morbid
craving for immortality, simply because
it pays. We find it in the home circles,
where marriages are contracted for the
sake of wealth, where the number of
children are limited to prevent it's dis
tribution and procure greater license
for the guilty couples. Yea, we trace
it even into the very sanctuary of re-
ligion, where so-called ministers Of the
gospel are wont to preach, not the Cos
pei of Christ, which is calculated to
terribly sinners and recall them from
their wanderings, but namby-pamby
gospel of their own, carefully calculat-
ed, not to arouse their audiences to
sense of duty for fear of being dis
charged, but to tickle their ears and
chloroform their conscences beyond
all hope of resuscitation.
Now, think of Socialism, with it's
gospel Of enjoyment, it's paradise on
earth, attempting to change the face
of the world by resorting to wealth
and its debauching luxury, which have
actually created this deplorable con-
dition of modern society, and by means
of universal wealth and rounds of
sensual pleasure to regenerate the
world!
Can we conceive anything more alb
surd, more glaringly contradictory!
Woe unto society if ever it will allow
itself to be allured by this siren of So
cialism. Here it. is we'll to bear in
mind the words Of st. Paul. quoted
above: 'For they that will become
rich, fall into temptation, and into the