The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-23
The Growth Of Socialism.

III
The Growth of Socialism.
Before sa,ing for England the other
day Fl. Rider Haggard, who has been
studying the political situation In this
country, noted growing socialistio
tendency smong the American masses.
Mr. Hassard is right in his obscrva-
ton. There Is such n tendency among
the masses in the United States and
there Is good reason for It. We have beer,
Importing socialists from abroad We have
been bringing in men and women who
are accustomed to the socallstic Ideas
and practices Of foreign lands and and they
have been spreading abroad their doc
8trine and they have more or less com
terminated many who are native born.
n There Is, another reason: street car
companies. have managed by bribery and
other doubtful means to grab valuable
franchises in the cities and although re-
ceiving such privileges, at small cost
and using them for their own enrich
ment have failed TO give the public
satisfactory service. Railroad corpora!
lions have too frequently disrcsarded the;
public interest and Disseminated, against
some sections and some business con-
Germs in the interest Of other sections
and other business concerns.
Industrial corporations have too FREE,
ouently endeavored to monopollze cer-s
tain branches OF business, crowdins
out competition and employing their ad.
vantage to the hurt OF the general pub
lie. 81
manner and method OF carrying on the
insurance business BY giant corporations
have aroused alarmed and incensed the
people
In view Of all this it is not strange
| that even conservative men in the United
states should be inclined to pu THESE
States should be inclined to put these
Government In control. But in the name
4 OF Democracy let the people think well
before they resort to such extreme meas
ures. Let them consider whether the
last condition will not DO worse than
! the first let them be careful how they
! disregard the traditions, how they turn
away from the principles upon which
this Republic was founded and the
policies which have made it the great-
est Republic the world ever saw. Let
| them think long and well, carefully and
prayerfully before ever they turn from
Democracy to Socialism. It would be a
revolutionary step..and revolutions are
the last resort OF a conservative people.
We have O genius for enlightenment.
We have been able thug far to keep
the functions Of government we'll
separated IRON the Functions Of in
dustry and commercialism,i land the
American people still have the sense and
genius to continue the separation. It
would be nothing less than, abject sur-
render to allow the corporations TO
| overthrow our form of government.
Some of the corporations have been AFRO
CANT and oppressive and others have
been corrupt; but Is there any arrogance
like that OF government, and have we
| ANY guarantee that the corporations
! under government control and opera
! ton would be free from corruption? Re-
member the postal scandals Remember
| the scandalous charges against members
of the United States Senate. Remember
repeated exposures OF corruption In mu-
| and outrageous betrayal OF the people,
1 Interest IT Is estimated that Mt least
10000 persons are employed by tho
1 railroads alone ". the United States.
Think OF such an army OF officcholders
looking to the government for sup
port. taking orders from the party in
| power. Consider the enormous political
| influences even now Of the large number
\ OF government employees, Consider the
i Influence OF the great army OF pensioners
1 With two or three million employees OF
the government It would be almost i'm
possible for the party already In power
10 be retired. A political oligarchy would
be created and It's overthrow would be
almost impossible
II We are men ana Democrats. Let us
assert ourselves and not surrender to
the corporations. Let us prove to the
world that we are capable OF sclf-gov.
eminent. that our form of government
! is the best the world ever knew. that WI
I. can control ana regulate the corpora
,ions and make them behave withou
putting them out Of business and haylnl
, their operations carried on by The COY
: eminent Let Ms show that we have no
lost our cunning At least lei us max
every promising experiment before w
! resort 10 revolution.
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