The Washington herald., 1908-08-24

In his very instructive article. entitled
The Bogy OF Socialism. Mr.. Everett
Spring has landed several effective blows.
The writer says The danger from
socialism in the United States would not
De worth even a passing thought IL there
were not so many of the ignorant and
I disconteuted. This is quite true Il we
omit reference 10 the ignorant" As a
matter OF fact. ignorance retards the
| growth u socialism II knowledge is
power. ignorance is lack Of power. and
surely this is not a feature Of socialism
/ that Is frightening many people
/ The author Is really aware Of this fact
himself. for later he speaks Of those who
would gladly perpetuate a substratum Of
f the ignorant whom they can dominate"
/ Why contend that ignorance that makes
! it easier to dominate men is 20 be feared
: by those who would profit by the DONNA
uon2
II IS not ignorance. then. but discomfort
/ that IS the serious factor in the case.
| Remove the cause Of the discomfort
I saws the writer and We Viii thereby re-
| move the danger" but offers no sugges-
{ ton IS 70 the causes uf means whereby
/ sura causes may he removed Perhaps We
2 .fe 10 a.aA U-'F source Oh Nll-- --EA-
| Gus discoureut that threatens US even in
this prosperous country. where. 70 be
/ sure. -'hardships SUI exist; wrongs are
! not unknown. poverty IS too prevalent
Z but the average comfort OF the people
has steadily increased and IS
! greater to-day than ever before" Has
I the average comfort OF the people steadily
I iucressed1
] The bulletin Of the Bureau OF Labor for
/ 1Iar. 1sJ6 contains a report on conditions
2 of living among the poor OF the District
/ Of Columbia
! IN every. case e saws. the expenditure
I exactly equals or slightly exceeds the
I income and ir hardly any case would
Il have been possible by the shrewdest
! manaE cement 20 have saved any money
As no families were invest tigarei wherein
any sign q iute-uperance. -dleness. or
I vice was discovered. these families repre-
sent millions OF Intelligent. honest in
dUstr.Ous sober. and moral citizens Of
4 the country On weeks when the rent
was due, iu many cases. the expendi-
9 lures fC- food were necessarily reduced
I 70 less tIal ous-1hird the normal expen-
. diture and al such times there was not
! enough 70 eat Can ir be that the great
! mass o. sober. honest industrious. and
/ intelligent American citizens can sink so
I far into unreaSouIug uhstiuacy as 10 be
I d.sconteuted when they do not get
enough 20 eatr II So something should
be done about IT," The report continues
Scarcity of Water.
IN none of the houses is there a bath
tub. and IN but one e there running
water In q large number Of cases
/ water has 20 be brought so far as TO
prevent It from being brought at ell in
{ quantities adequate for cleanliness. Most
clude the idea Of privacy. and some are
( crowded beyond the point Of decency-
/ These people do not get their clothes as
other people do Sometimes clothing IS
given 20 them by relatives. The husband
/ receives a CASTOR suit from more pros
I porous brother. &c II several instances
the children are not permitted TO go %
school because they are not properly
clad. The invest cation shows that eigh-
teen Of the nineteen families buy their
furniture on the installment plan. and
tnat the nineteenth family buys no fur
uirure at all
These are some OF the adverse condI-
tons under which live millions Of honest,
Industrious citizens Of the country al
large
savs 1fr. Spring. The scale OF living
has wonderfully improved The ordinary
I wage-earner now lives in more comfort
with better clothes. better food. and
more small luEgries than did the people
called quite well-to-do generation ago
Evidently. M-. Spring or the Bureau Of
Labor is IN error EIr- Spring continues
.'1IisstatemeuTs VIII not remedy evils
Here, then. are the causes Of discomfort
These causes must be removed. or So
cialisna viii cease TO be a bogy, and
VIII become a most tangible reality. Mis-
statements viii not remove these causes.
What other plan can be offered? That
IS the question Perhaps the followins
definition Of socialism may be Of some
service 10 Us "a answering It:
The term socialism is applied TO thTee
wholly separate and distinct, but re-
lated, ideas Accordingly. We must de-
fine these ideas separately
Law of Society
1. Socialism Is a science-the science
that treats Of human society. and tht
laws and principles that govern its s-owtt
and development
a word OF two OF explanation is neces-
sary before defining the second idea One
OF the laws that govern the growth OF
society IS that society itself-the socia
structure-chsnges its forms at varying
I intervals 10 adapt itself TO constantly
changing economic conditions. These eco
nomic changes. however. are not hap
hazard and sporadic. but always tend II
the same direction and are progressive
The new economic conditions necessi-
. tating the next social change are already
in existence Hence We can foretel
broadly and in general what the maiI
characteristics OF the new society vii
be like since the new society must con
form 70 the known existing economic con
ditions That cooperation in Industry
/ or cooperative wealth production, vii
be one Of the more prominent character
istics is firmly established This futur,
/ condition of society has also been callec
socialism.
2 Socialism, then, may be defined a'
a future society
Hence. anything that partakes Of tn,
nature Of the more prominent character.
istics Of this future society, such as CO.
operation is called socialistic, but this /.
often erroneous.
3. Socialism IS g political movement. o.
? the tactics employed by the organizet
Socialists Of the world (sbout ten million
10 assist in bringing about this chang,
/ by means Of the political machinery a
the disposal Of society: to bring this
change about in an orderly, rational, in
telligent manner, BETTING q civilized
people instead of trusting TO the blini
workings Of nature.
( A study Of the science mentioned above
viii clearly and unnastakably answer
the question propounded-
| s2angnzz. Va