The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-03-30

to the wisdom Of public ownership
where competition can have free play.
Much OF the strength developed by
socialism u Sue to the fact that soci.
alists advocate certain reforms which
individualists also advocate Take,
Tor illustration, he public ownership
Of water works. The sentiment in IA
vor Of municipal lighting plantt Is not
yet so strong. and the sentiment IN
favor Of public telephones and public
street car lines is stin loss pronounc-
ed but the same general principles
apply to them, ana individualists,
without accepting the creed Of social
ism. can advocate the extension of
municipal ownership to these utilities.
I'm comparing individualism with
socialism, It Is only fair to consider In
dividualism when made as good as
human wisdom can make It and then
TO measure It with socialism at its
best It is a common fault Of the ad-
yocate to present his system, ideal
izel, in contrast with his opponents
system at its worst, and it must be
confessed that neither indivldualist
Nor socialist has been entirely free
from this fault
Taking man as we find him, he
needs. as individuaIists believe. the
spur Of competition. Even the social
lists admit the advantage Of rivalry
within certain limits but they would
subgtitute altruistic for selfish mo-
tives. Just here the individualist and
( the socialist find themselves in an
] tagonism. The former believes that
altruism is spiritual quality which
defes governmental definition, while
the socialist believes that altrulsun
win take the place of selfshness un-
der an enforced collectivism.
Success in Operation.
1T is much easier to conceive Of a
voluntary association between per-
sons desiring to work together accord
ing to the Christian ideal than to con
ceive Of the successful operation OF a
system enforced by law, wherein al
truism is the controlling principle, The
sttempt to unite church and state has
never been helpful to either govern
ment or religion, and It is not at all
certain that human nature can yet be
trusted to use the instrumentalities of
government to enforce religious ideas.
win socialism purge the individual OF
selfshness or bring a nearer approach
to iustice2
Just now there are signs Of an
ethical awakening which is likely to
result in reforming some Of the evils
which have sprung from individualism
but which can be corrected without
any impairment of the principle
"The individualist, while contend.
ing that the largest and broadcast de
yelopment of the individual, and hence
OF the entire nob alation. is best sc.
cured by full and free competition
made fair by law, believes in a spirit.
ual force which acts beyond the sphere
OF the state After The government
has secured 10 the individual, through
competition, a reward proportlonate
to his effort, religion adnonishes hin
Of his stewardship and OF his obliga
tion to use his greater strength, his
larger ability and his richer reward
in the spirit OF brotherhood Under
rindividualism we have seen con
gstant increase in altruism. The fact
that the individual can select the OBJ
jects Of his support has given an adde's
isumulus to his endeavors Would this
stimulus be as great under socialism,