Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-05
MEANING " SOCIALISM
ADDRESSES BY MILLIONAIRE
STOKES AND MRS. STOKES.

j. G.. Phelps Stokes, a New York mill
lionaire, and his wife, Mrs. Rose PatoP
Stokes. former factory employe, each adj
| dressed a large audience at Masonic Tenn
pie Sunday night, in which they endeavored
10 make plain the meaning of socialism.
They declared that overcapitalization is the
greatest evil of the day and is responsible
Tor the increasing poverty. They suggested
the public ownership of all the great in
dustries and public utilities As the only
means Of relief or remedy
Mr.. Stokes was the first to sneak.
He is over six feet in height and
extremely thin, and was attired in loose
hitting brown suit. Everything about him sug-
gested plainness. He was equally as plain
In his speech as in his attire. His talk was
earnest and he easily convinced his auditors
that he Is sincere in his purpose and we'll
versed In the subject of his address. His
voice Is not strong and 1t was necessary
for him to raise it to an extremely high
pitch to make 1t carry over the large hall
During his deliverance he never once smiled
or told story that would have amused the
audience 1t was business from start to
finish with him.
The Negative Side.
He began by telling what socialism does
not stand for, explaining that its meanings
have been so wrongly interpreted and mis-
quoted by the public press. 1T does not
mean equalization of all things" he said.
1T does not mean that an individual should
not be allowed to accumulate as much
wealth as is in his power, as long as tho
individual accumulates 1t by his own power
and not by the brain and Drawn of OF hers
The fundamental principle of socialism ia
that the material things Of life should be
made accessible to all the people The
Workmen OF an industry should be permitted
TO say what disposition is to be made of tho
net income Of the industry, inasmuch as IL
was due to their labor that the income-or
surplus as 1t might be called-was acquired
Inc census statistics show that the
iaporer last year received about one fourth
In wage OF the amount he really earned
1or the industry which employed him.
This Is the Injustice we hope TO abolish
we socialists recognize the capitalists and
brain workers. They are just as essential
az the physical and manual workers. and
we contend that those who produce wealth
should be permitted to enjoy it."
Mr. Stokes then discussed the introduce
lon or steam and electric driven machiu-
cry to take the place of human laobr He
stated that their introduction in many ways
was great improvement and denoted prog.
ress, but the great injury came when pri-
vate interest began to monopolze the ma
chimes. Because OF the great army of un-
employed workmen, he said, the owners OF
these machines are able to compel tho
Workmen to labor for smaller wages This
was the beginning of the factory evil he
said, and from that day to the present time
1t has prevailed and even increased. He
SOhSAuASo lL1 ny again explaining
that socialism does not mean the abolition
of capital, but simply the access to mate
rial things to all people, and he made an
earnest plea to his audience to seek further
information on the subject in certain books
the names of which he mentioned from the
platform.
Mrs. Stokes Address
Mrs. Stokes next spoke. She was al
plainly dressed, If not palmer, than her hus-
band. She Is below medium height and
slightly built and was dressed In a dark
green silk waist and green cloth skirt. She
wears her hair parted in the middle and
brought down low over her forehead, coll
ing 1t in a knot on her neck She has q
pleasing voice and was more impressive
than Mr.. Stokes. When she walked to the
front Of the platform she was greeted with
much applause. Her talk was chiefly about
wage slavery, comparing 1t to slavery
before the war. She declared that socialism
Is organized for the purpose Of abolishine
this slavery.
Wage slavery she declared, has
caused socialism. the same as slavery be-
fore the war caused the war of rebellion
In the United States. The present slavery
Is responsible for the bulk Of all the misery
and poverty of this great country. This
slavery is brought about by the evil Of
over-capitalization. We are progressing, K
Is true. but poverty, at the same time, Is
increasing on every hand. We must elmi-
nate the cause. In their haste and progress
the people have overlooked prevention and
a serious and evil condition has arisen. We
do much toward curing poverty and misery
by charities and institutions, but we make
the mistake OF not doing anything to pre-
vent it."