The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-04-16
SOCIALISM DEFINED
BY GAIL D. THOMPSON
DULUTH SECTION OF SOCIALIST
PARTY HOLDS SERIES OF
MEETINGS.
Odd Fellows Hall Is Scene Of Socalis.
tic Gatherings for Three Nights
This Week-Carl D. Thompson Of
Lincoln, Nebraska, Is the Speaker.
Socialism, First o. All, Is a Philos-
ophy Of History Says the Speaker.


The Socialist party hel 'da series
of meetings this week at Odd Fellows
Hall. The speaker, Carl D. Thompson
Of Lincoln, Nebraska, is an exception
ally fine speaker, and he handled his
subject with care. He defined social
| ism in it's several forms. On Wednes-
lows:
'Socialism is first of all philosophy
of history. 1t starts out, a study Of the
history of human society and it dis
cevers that the social order is and al
ways has been In process of progress
sive change. That history began with
the mass of mankind in chattel slavery,
When economic conditions changed,
serfdom arose and then as the inven-
ton of machinery came another social
revolution resulted and capitalism, the
present form Of society arose. And
now we discover in the present situa-
ton the beginning of a still farther
change. The present tendencies in So
ciety are bearing us on to another, a
different and better social order.
"This fact Of social evolution is the
last, best word of science. 1t is the
first word Of socialism.
I'm the second place, socialism is an
analysis Of social facts and forces, and
the one allimportant fact, the one
that underlies all other social facts to-
day, is that all over the world the peo-
pie who labor are bling despiored Of
a large part Of the product Of their
toll.
The exploitation of labor is the one
supreme fact for the social student.
Out of this arises poverty and want
the child labor, the degradation Of
womanhood and manhood, the political
corruption Of our municipal cities and
states, and finally the brutal class
struggle Of the present time.
In the third place, socialism is an
alignment of forces for the peaceful
solution of the present difficulties We
note that there is in society a class
struggle. The Socialists do not make
it, they do not like it, but it is on. We
seek to interpret it, to point out it's goal
and give it a true method. The strate-
gic point In the struggle is the owner
ship Of the sources Of life. To make
that ownership common instead OF pri-
vate must be the goal of the class
struggle, and for the working class to
use their political power instead Of
violence Or force must be the method.
"Thus it is that socialism sets forth
as its object the organization of the
working class and those in sympathy
with into an independent political
party and to capture the powers Of
governments IN order to 1inangurate the
collective ownership Of r. the greater
material means of production and dis
tribution. We seek also to establish
at the same time the democratic con-
troll OF industry, giving the people a
voice in the management of their eco
nOmic affairs.
tive community commonwealth by tn
tive commonwealth in which men may
earn living by working together, in
stead of against each other. and we
shall guarantee to everyone private
property in the full products of his la
Dor. This is justice to all. To secure
it is the supreme issue OF the hour, and
already 100000 men have voted the
ticket of the political party which
stands for this the world over-viz.:
the Socialist party.'''
Mr. Thompson, who is a Congrega-
tional minister is close student of So
GEOLOGY and economics, holding mas
ter's degree from the Chicago uniVer-
Sity.