The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-04
PATTERSON SENIOR SCOFFS.
No FAITH IN SOCIALISM, m HIS
...c son rs A CONVERT.
Sowing His Political wild Oats Is the
Chicago Editors Explanation Mu-
nIcipaI Ownership rs PractIsed In the
western city a Dismal Failure. He says.

Chicago Socialist, il attending the CON
ference at the home Of j. @. Phelps
Stokes. young Patterson's father, Il, W.
Patterson. the editor OF the Chicago
Tribune, is on his way Tome for the purpose
Of laying out a more than usually vigorous
campaign against the political doctrines ad-
vocated by his son.
The conservative father and the radical
son were bothat the Holland House yesterday
for q while. They are on the friendliest o!
terms, but the father seems more amused
than annoyed at the sons socialism. Each
in turn took the floor at the Holland House
yesterday and aired his views. X. W..
Patterson, the father, has a home In Wash
ington and spends most of his time at the
national, capital. The son has been spend
ing a week with his father and mother in
Washington. He reached this city Friday
afternoon and tayed up so late that night
that he was not up when his father and
sister arrived at 8 o'clock yesterday morn
ing from Washington,
1t was ii o'clock when Patterson, Jr,
appeared in the lobby of the hotel and in
quired for his father and sister. Patterson.
Sr., sent word for Joe to call breakfast
luncheon and join him in the dining room.
While waiting young Patterson told some
more views on socialism.
THE Government, I think" said he.
should own all the sources Of wealth.
Every man should have the same natural
opportunities of making a living. Now he
doesn't. Everybody who works nowadays
contributes to the wealth Of the country,
but only a comparatively few reap the bene-
fits Of their industry. What Phelps Stokes
and we other follows are going 10 do Ii to
get our heads together and study out Some
scheme by which everybody will get what
he earns. Now the man is very lucky who
gets ell that's comm to him"
"Do you believe with most Of the Social
lists that the best way to start in to equaliZe
things would be to lump all the wealth
In the world and divide it pro rata?"
mo. That / think would he imprao-
ticable. And under the existing laws
even If the rich were to divide up with the
Door it would not be long before the fellows
like John d. Rockefeller. who owns all the
oil wells, would have It nearly all gobbled
up again. The best way is TO chant e our
laws so that the Government will own
and operate all the sources Of wealth.
Then there will be Jobs for everybody and
no competition to cut down wages"
How would that affect the young men
| like yourself who inherit large fortunes9"
Under true socialism there would be no
wealth inherited individually. All the peo-
pie would rave a common inheritance,
but there would be no large fortunes to
transmit from one generation to another
to develop an idle rich class"
will you ask your father and mother
to leave you out OF their wills 80 that you
and your ideas won't be tainted by the
present unjust methodist
We'll, not exactly. You see 1t wouldn't
do any good il the principle Of not trans
hitting wealth were exercised only in
individual cases. Unless the principle were
universally observed it would be f~ruitless
Of good results"
How did you happen to become a
Socialist"
1T was through listening to two or three
men who understood the subject explain
It TO me. 1t has been said that | read a
book and that that made me a Socialist.
That il not the fact. = The only book ! ever
read was Jack London's War of the Classes,
and that was after / had become a Socialist y
did you ever try the single tax? AS a
poverty abolisher that is said to be the
boss remedy" was suggested.
Il read Henry George S Progress and
Poverty a long time ago but it didn't seem
TO make any impression on me-. 1t isn't
good for municipal ownership, Is it, asked
the young Socialist.
tom johnson says it is not only fine for
municipal ownership but that II taken in
large doses everybody will be worth five
or six million dollars like he is, " was said by
one of the listeners. ,
We'll, the single tax ought to be a good
thing to the extent that it favors municipal
ownership"
Commission of Public Works in ChicagoH"
1T was like this: There was another
campaign coming on and as am now an
out and out Socialist | didn't think | could
might want to advocate the election OF a
straight Socialistic ticket. You know mu-
nicipal ownership, although a step in the
right direction, is only skin deep
When Patterson senior arrived to take
luncheon while his son breakfasted he was
asked what he thought of his boys career
as a Socialist.
My boy is of age and quite competent to
think for himself" said he. Il myself am
very tolerant of the opinions of others.
II the public is interested in the opinions Of
my son it is welcome to listen to him, II
won't do a bit of harm. Let the young TEL
lows have a good time. They've got to
SOW their political wild oats.
L. Dul WIdl arc yOul w ''"S "" '"S
subject of socialism,"
AN l care to say is that Joe and / are on
the most friendly terms. He has served
one term in the Illinois Legislature and has
lust resigned as Commissioner of Public
Works in Chicago. That shows that he has
reached the age of discretion and that he
is entitled to his opinions. As long as he
continues to love his father and mother
and to visit the family as much as ever we
don't care what kline Of views he e%ntertains
in a political way" ,
But that isn't saying what you think OF
Socialism. For instance, would the thl-
cago Tribune support your son Joe II he
should nun for Mayor at the next election.
Not by a long shot, said the elder Pat
terson. 1.-THE Chicago Tribune is a con-
sentative independent Republican news
paper and it wouldn't support any Social
ist, not aver a municipal ownership con;
didate. We opposed Dunno and we would
oppose any Socialist ticket, no matter for
what office my boy was running or course
in Chicago they kno M views.
Il don't mind saying that believe
socialism is the widest hGnd OF fanaticism.
Even municipal ownership as practised in
Chicago IL a dismal failure and municipal
ownership is only a kind of socialism on
! the instalment plan.