, 1906-06-01
SOCIALISM M.

" " nv hAAD - s@N 1
ever, an important step in that direc-
ton and will lead finally to the adop-
ton of the entire program of socialism.
My purpose was to prove that partial
government ownership was a success,
and that the complete ownership of all
the means of producing the means of
life, would be n still greater success.
Half a loaf is better thar no bread,
but is not so good as the entire loaf.
2. Under the system as now prac-
ticed," this is, under capitalism, 1t is
claimed that constant incentive" is
given to employees to bring out the best
that is in them. This is not true. The
mass of mankind are doomed to ''elev-
en- hours for SITS" and this is hardly
an incentive. The labor market Is
drugged with foreign and home labor,
and it is impossible for he ordinary
run of people to rise. The rise of la
boring men in these fine days of ma
chinery, is almost a fiction. Oppor-
tunity is no longer open and the young
man of today is without the opportuni-
ties of the past. We have no longer an
expanding frontier. 1t has been well
said that If Andrew Carnegie had been
born fifty years later, he would have
been president of his union. If he had
never been born at all, the steel trust
would nave arrived Just the same.
3. Socialism will not tolerate the
vicious or the ne'er do well, nor the in
dolent. 1t will deal with them scien-
tifically and correct, if possible, their
faults or misfortunes, but the inexor-
able law of no working, no eating, will
be strictly enforced. Drones and vag-
abonds will not flourish under social
ism, as all of working age must work,
and this is right. The old will be pro-
have done, while the young will be nur-
tured and trained for the work that
they will do.
4. 1t is true that socialism is world
wide and embraces within its fold the
people of all races. 1t will not tolerate
race distinction in the economic field,
no more than 1t is now tolerate. in the
religious or, indeed, the political field.
"God hath made of one blood all the
nations of the earth
5. Socialism has not been tried yet.
The nearest approach to it was the
wise government of the meas of Peru
at the time of the conquest of that
country by Spain, as well detailed by
Prescott, the historian. In the evolu-
|tion of the race, socialism is TO be the
successor of capitalism and public
wealth is to take the place Of private
capital. We insist that the successful
Ipublic ownership of public utilities to
which l have heretofore referred set
ties the question as to the success OF
the enlargement of our horizon of pub
lie ownership.
6. 1t may be that Christ and His dis
ciples, whom 1 nev asserted were so
cialists, made "abject failure of their
financial affairs" as The Republican
says The banker, Judas, who bare
the bag" was the promoter of the
group and he came to a sad end
Through accepted brides. 1t is sad
from The Republicans point of view
that the only business man" of the
outfit" was a traitor and had the
sense to hang himself after having sold
his Master. Really, now, the world is
quite as well off, because these fisher
folk and publicans did not accumulate
a few dirty shekels. We AVE one
thing to be thankful for in the early
Christian church, and that is, tina
money and position were properly rated
and that it was announced: "Wha
shall it profit a man if he gain the
whole world and lose his own soul?'
We need a recurrence to those golden
days, when the heavens and the earth
seemed to meet, n when the gospel
was preached to the poor.
Z. l have already discussed social
listic colonies. They are mere expert
ments and while many of them have
succeeded, numbers of them have
failed, it is true. Their percentage OF
failure is undoubtedly smaller than the
rate of failures in the world of bust
mess. True, American Indians in theil
savage state, had property in common
but surely they were better off with
their lands held in common than, as
lnow, in severalty, where they nave be
come the prey of INSCRIPTIONS whites,
thus compelling the government to en-
\ act laws to prevent the alienation of
lands by the Indians for stated periods,
the favorite time being twenty-five
years.
s. 1t is but recently that France has
taken steps to own her railroads, as
am informed. Surely, it can not be
denied that while not socialism in it's
grandeur and beauty, yet government
Ownership of transportation lines, is a
great step toward the cooperative
commonwealth.
8. The rule of law is the survival
of the ittest at present, but it will give
way to making all the ittest to sur
vive. Nature is not interested at all
in tho individual hut che mako. graat