New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-10-21
SOCIALISM-CHARTISM
A Parallel zCith SeUere Points Of
Departure.
London. Octoher O

of the Victorian reign. Trade union socialism A..
now a disturbing force. as Chartism was after
the passage Of the reform bill Of 1892 IIks
Chartism. it is an agitation directed with enthu.
siasm and intelligence by working class leaders
and political reformers and appealing to all III.
elements Of discomfort in the kingdom That
there is much that is reasonable or at least de-.
batable. in its proposals is proved by the fact
that each of the main parties of the day is pr.
pared to take up social questions; and so II vra.
with Chartism, for while the saner leaders Ios.
control OF the movement and II became n.e
essary to suppress Tioting and to imprison N.
wilder agitators. three of the six demands 10
the Peoples Charter it was described ~,
O'COnnell, were ultimately carried into sTec.
during the Victorian reign. There is a wider
sympathy with the hardships and aspiration.
of the working millions than there was foruss.
"; there is a deeper dstrust Of the regular No.
litiCal organizations as strongholds of prtvilee.
and wealth. and there is more reckless and con-
temptuous condemnation OF the labor agitators
revolutionary communists. All these tan.
denotes were felt during the early years OF tia
Victorian reign. and the parallel is completed
by the fact that now as then the sovereign 4,
popular and there are no complications In for
egn affairs to render domestic agitation either
hazardous or inopportune.
What is commonly described as socialism bus
IS IN reality trade unionism as an ORGANIZED
working class force IN politics, has opened a
formidable campaign throughout the kingdom,
All the labor Members of Parliament. EXCEPT Mr.
Hardie. are addressing meetings in the indus
trial centres night after night. and there is a
large staff Of professional agitators actfvalv
employed in enlightening the masses respectinp
social reform. Before Parliament reassembles
thousands Of these meetings viii have been held
in England. Wales. Scotland and the North OF
Ireland. and the movement viii have gathered
cumulative force 1t has behind il the resources
OF organization of trade unionisIn and that is
an advantage which was not possessed by the
Chartists. 1t also has definite proposals for
social legislation for the benefit OF the working
world and these differ essentially from the DO
Htical programme OF the Chartists. which did
not offer any guarantee that the poor would have
better food. pensions when they were incapaci-
tated for work and employment when the times
were hard. The labor agitators now begin by
demanding work for the unemployed and a
weekly pension of five shiIlings for every man
or over sixty or sixty-ive and they
round out their speeches with concentrations
on the naturalization OF railways and all the
resources Of production and exchange. Stress Is
laid upon two social questions employment and
pensions. which directly concern every worker
in the kingdom; and the method OF financing
plicity: the money must be raised by direct tax
alton OF the rich and not by indirect taxation
Of the poor Popular agitation conducted on
these lines and with the momentum o. trade
unionism behind II IS more formidable than
Chartism was seventy years ago. It IS more
Ineligible than gittering vagaries OF political
and electoral reform. by which bread would not
be put I'm hungry mouths nor the workers labor
lIghtened. It appeals to the self-interest OF the
toilers themselves-and OF the thriftIess who
never work.
What is the official attitude OF the government
toward this social agitation? It is not that OF
the Melbourne and Peel ministries toward Chart
ISM They found It easy TO assert thar reform
had been carried long way in 1882 and that
II would be premature 10 push IL further. when
the country needed time for adapting itself to
new conditions. That is not the plea OF the
Prime Minister and his associates to-day. They
profess 10 be eager 10 take up social questions
and admit that an immense deal OF work needs
TO be done but they declare that progress is I'M
practicable with UnrefOrmed House OF Lords.
and that everything of real Importance must
wait until that stronghold. where the Conserva-
tives are never out OF power. can be ueutralized
The Prime Minister has given his associates the
cue. and they are promptly following it in their
autumn addresses. Four measures on which the
two houses OF Parliament are now divided are 20
be sent back TO the Lords next year. with the
Commons method OF adjusting differences be-
tween the chambers reduced to legislative form;
and II there be no agreement after conference
an issue viii be made up for the country That
IS the Liberal proposal for dealing with social
QuestiOns-a suspensive policy. by which the
ground viii be cleared for decisive action by the
Commons after q general election and the labor
members warned against dividing the oppo-
sitiOn 10 the privileged house by setting up can
dIdates against the government and diyerting at
tention from the supreme issue Of overriding the
veto OF an irresponsible chamber. Il implies q
temporary concordat between Liberalism and
labor until the Lords can be reformed into q
revising chamber subordinate TO the Commons
and social questions can be taken up effectively
The Unionist attitude toward the labor agi-
tators has not been clearly defined since 4Ir.
Balfour is still strongly influenced by the Cecil
family and is playing evasIvely with tariff re-
form. If he follows the natural bent of his mind
he Will deal with the labor party as adrot
taCtician would do. not Offering open resistance
TO socialist proposals. but taking advantage OF
every opportunity for setting Liberals against
them. The Lords did not block the trades dis
putes bill and there has been no strenuous Op-
position to any measure in which the labor
members have been vitality interested Mr. Bal
four has been astute enough to avoid raising any
issue between the houses which would involve
vigorous trade union agitation IN the country.
Tariff reformers have been more sympathetic
than their uncertain and hesitating leader. They
have expressed their readiness to take up thess
questions and 10 find the money for them by
revising the tariff so as to obtain largely In
creased revenues They have warned the labor
members that the social reforms advocated by
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