, 1906-05-25
SOCIALISM.

aHEn ~ 'AA~
my No. 1 on Socialism" to which l
was to reply when business would
permit, and which / nave just reached,
1 nave 10 say:
1. Objection is made to my article,
that as the government, under social
ism, would own and control all the
means of production and distribution,
this would compel the government to
choose the men to do all the different
classes of work and to say just what
they should receive for it, and as there
would be no incentive to earn more
than one could use up from day to
day, the government making all pro-
vision for the future, there would be
no struggle for perfection, no compe-
tition to attain excellence in the per
Torrance of the work. 1t is also
claimed that favorites of the men in
power. who were inferior workmen,
might be placed over those of skill and
greater ability. In answer to this, |
have to say hat socialism insists that
the workers themselves shall operate
the different industries, that is to say,
the farmers will run the farms, the
railroad men the railroads, the miners
the mines, the fishermen the fisheries,
and so on, and these will always hold
the right of recall in case of the in
competency or oppression of he over
seer or foreman or superintendent
socialism being merely industrial de-
mocracy. The congress of the future
will not consist of senators ana repre-
sentatives from the different states,
but will be composed of representa-
tives of the different industries or
trades, whose business will be to see
that no injustice or overreaching is
perpetrated. AS We have been com
PEELED to adopt civil service to keep
out incompetent ward-workers and po-
litical heelers, whose only recommen-
dation has been the faculty of securing
and holding votes for the party in
power, so, under socialism, a man will
be compelled to stand an examination
as to his proficiency for place and
power, even before he shall be select
ed for the coveted position. There will
be no danger OF bosses or leaders or
overlords, when the right to recall can
be exercised to get rid of a stupid,
oppressive or inefficient foreman. The
illustrations given by The Republican
are most unfortunate, as Brigham
Young was annually elected at the
conference of the Mormon church as
prophet. seer and reyelator" and pres
ident of the church, and there is no
doubt that he was well qualified by
experience and ability to act in those
capacities. The secret of the success
of the Mormon church is not due to
its religion, but to its cooperative
features and largely to the belief that
their God lis n business God" AS for
Noyes, the founder of Oneida commun-
ity, he was by no means a despot, and
the success financially of that institu,
ton was owing to its democratic man.
agement, as all important matters of
business were discussed and decided
in meetings OF the entire community.
1t is true that DIR. Dowie has been a
despot, but his reign has euded and
the sceptre has departed from him.
| Socialists do not submit to bossism,
and all important party questions are
submitted to a referendum of the party
vote. Doubtless mistakes may be
made by the popular control of in
dustries, but the tendency of the times,
particularly in the management of in
surance companies, is to mutualize the
operations and to extend the respon-
sibility to the membership. The old
Bible doctrine applies in such cases:
In the multitude of counselors there
is safety"
2. As to dress, there appears to be
no socialistic declaration on that sub
ject. Bellamy, in his Equality" has
pointed out that there will be no alb
surd fashions, one unvarying and Pro
crustean method of the same style of
clothing for the short and the tall. the
fat and the lean, the old and the young,
the straight and the bent, but that
each person would be clad Ia tasteful
and becoming attire in the New Or
der. We are weary of disputing the
foolish charge that under socialism ev.
erybody shall look like everybody else
and eat with a spoon out of a common
pot. Surely this worldwide movement,
so fraught with blessings for human.
ity, ought to be more seriously treated
What We shall eat, and w~herewithal
we shall be clothed will be left far
less hampered Than at present, where
hideous fashion does make everybody
look like everybody else, or attempts
to do so. 1t is all bosh to say that
under socialism men will be known
by numbers, and that all of the hor-
rible things predicted by The Repub-
lican editorial will happen, where peo-
pie vote on such matters, and where
women with infinite taste and discre-
ton will have their rightful place in