Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-06-07
THE REIGN OF THE MOB
What the Triumph Of Socialism
Would Bring.
HOW 1T DIFFERS FROM DEMOCRACY

There Can Be No Permanent Alliance
Between Thcm-ItepubIican Princf-
pies and Policies Responsible For
the Outgrovvth of Socinlism-Gov-
eminent Means Force.
The Socialists of this country are I'M
doubtedly dissatisfied with present eco
nomic and political conditions, and so
are the Democrats. But there is no
common ground between Socialism and
Democracy, and hence there can be no
permanent alliance bot wecn Socialists
and Democrats. Socialism is a rcli-
gious principle or, if you please, an IL
religious principle, While Democracy is
purely political, because it is founded
upon tie system established for civil
government in this country at the time
of the American Revolution, a system
which reprobates all compacts between
religion and the state.
Socialism, tempered by Christianity
as that system of religion was taught
by it's Founder and his apostles, is
based upon the ideas of peace and
charity, While civil government, our
wv as we'll as every other, present OF
past, is founded On organized physical
force. Socialists a organize only in
voluntary associations, because peace
and charity and good will imply the
full and free assent of each individual
conscience to the principles and acts of
the society, whereas Democrats may
and do organize in civil governments,
in whose acts not each individual con
science, but the will of the majority,
rules by means of physical force ap-
piled by means of courts, armies and
navies.
Christ had neither an army nor a
navy. His early followers refused to
become soldiers. Three hundred years
Christians to abandon their creed be-
cause the effect Of that creed was to
deprive the state of armed defenders
against barbarians. Franklin appealed
to the Quakers Of Pennsylvania during
the Revolution to abandon their doc
trine Of nonresistance on the same
ground.
When Christian socialists compro-
missed with the state and accepted
physical force as a means Of govern
ment the dark ages We're the immedi-
ate result. The doctrine of nonresist-
ance was used to keep the people in
vassalage to an impious and blood
thirsty military aristocracy. With these
lessons from history in their minds,
our American ancestors sought by the
political institutions which they estab-
lished to escape the fate of Europe and
Asia by disassociating religion and the
state, because the mixture of contrary
principles in government was known
to produce deplorable effects. They
which Christianity and socialism re-
pudiated. They gave to congress, for
instance, the power "to lay and collect
taxes" a power implying force. They
gave it the power ito provide for the
| common Defense" for the punishment
Of co%unterfeiting the coin, the power to
define and punish piracies, to declare
war, to grant letters of marque and
reprisal, to raise and support armies.
to provide and maintain a navy, to call
out the militia, to suppress inSurrec-
lions and repel invasions. We do not
find any such powers as these enumer-
| ated in the New Testament. The war
power is not Of divine origin, but it is
the power that lies back of every civil
government-the ultima ratio regum.
Socialists therefore cannot support
their political theories by appealing to
Christianity. No political power on
earth can be supported by such an
appeal. Democratic institutions are
supported by appeals to the taxpayers
torate, and a majority of the electors
Is sufficient to rule, whatever the mi
nority may think about it. Men may
be Christian socialists-they may be-
long to voluntary associations for re-
ligious, charitable and educational pur-
poses and may at the same time be
Democrats. But no man can be Chris
tian Democrat or Socialist Democrat.
because Christ's kingdom is not of
this world, and democracy is entirely
a human institution, having its root
and kernel in the natural rights of
man and not in the divine rights of
kings or anybody else. Madison said
in his last message to congress, "Our
system is an equal interdict against
encroachments and compacts between
religion and the state.'
Socialism, being merely the economic
side Of voluntary Christian organiza-
tons, is clearly included in this inter
dict. That form of socialism which is
not Christian is pure anarchy and is
still further removed from democra-
cy. 1t is ochlocracy, the rule of the
unorganized mob. A democracy may
consistently W and operate its pub
lie utilities instead Of licensing corpora
tons to do so, but ~ochlocracy can nei-
Their own nor operate anything.
~ShanEhaiing and '~'Protection."