Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-12-01
The Observer.

upon one or two points in connection
with it.
In the first place, the Observer
wishes to say that he has no intention
of accusing the Independent of holding
anarchistic doctrines. 1t is a common
error to coufound socialism with
anarchism. This mistake arises in
part, no doubt, from the fact that rev.
olutionary socialists display an immed-
late attitude towards existing institu-
tions that is practically the same as
| that of the evolutionary anarchists.
Both advocate the use of violence, and
| they are often associated in their rev.
olutionary efforts.
| But socialism and anarchism, as alb
| stract systems, are as wide apart as the
poles. The theory underlying anarch.
ism is that human society is better off
without any kind of government or
! fixed institutions. 1t assumes that the
law of nature implanted in each in
dividual will prove an unerring guide
to all that is right and good, provided
that mischievous influence or external
! government be removed. The theory
underlying socialism is that the whole
| people should constitute an organized
! government, and that the functions of
! government should embrace every
possible sphere and detail of human
activity. Anarchism means no gov
| 80 ~. -
every form of human activity should
be administered as government
| function. 1t is hard to see how two
theories could be more widely or
diametrically opposed than those of
socialism and anarchisn. 1t is to-
wards the ideal of socialism that the
Independent has now betrayed learn
ing, but by the same token we must
acquit it of the charge of leaning to-
wards anarchism. The Observer
would add that he has no thought of
charging the Independent with being
affiliated to revolutionary socialism.
The Observer, however, does feel
constrained to point out that the In.
dependent is apparently unaware of
the great inconsistency of protesting
to be an adherent of the principles of
Thomas Jefferson and at the same
time standing forth as a champion of
the present socialistic movement in
politics of which Mr.. Bryan and Mr..
Watson are representatives. The
| n,
to these gentlemen, for each of them
processes to be a true representative OF
the principles of Jefferson. 1t is real.
ly surprising that man of Mr.. Wat
should persistently overlook the fact
that Thomas jefferson stood for politi-
cal principles and ideals the very op.
posite OF those of the socialistic demo
cracy.
1t was Jefferson's doctrine that the
functions of government should be
kept down to the lowest possible
notch AS a theorist-no. as practi-
approach to anarchism. So repugnant
to his speculative view was the very
idea of government, that he could
scarcely be brought to assert that
was entirely due to the efforts of such
federalists as Hamilton, Adams, Frank
lin and Washington that any real
functions were secured to the feder al
government when the Constitution
was framed.
If Mr.. Bryan and Mr.. Watson stand
for anything, it is for great increase
in the strength and in the extent of
the powers of the general government.
In this particular they would go much
farther that even Washington or
Hamilton ever dreamed of going, and
yet Washington and Hamilton went
much too far in this direction to please
jefferson. How Thomas Jefferson can
be claimed as a sponsor for the pres.
ent socialistic tendencies of Messrs.
Bryan and Watson and the Indepen-
dent, is an exceedingly hard matter to
understand. The Observer suspects
that the Independent, at least, has
gone into this movement unadvisedly
and lightly. The Observer has said
nothing thus far about the merits or
demerits ofthe program of the social
istic democracy as outlined by the In
dependent, at present he is merely call
ing attention to the fact that the In
dependent, perhaps without being
aware of it. has in reality cut loose
from its old moorings, and is now sail.
ing in political seas at the anticodes to
Jeffersonianism.
Without wishing to be officious, the
Observer ventures to think that it is
up to the Independent either to haul
down the Jeffersonian flag or else to