The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-01-23
SOCIALISM AS A CURE.
Told BY Gifted Clergyman From Hard
wick to Barre Audience.


A large audience was entertained fo
an hour last evening BY lecture giyci
al Miles hall by Rev Lawrence A. vii
son Of Hardwick The subject was th'
"Optimism Of Socialism" and the speak
er gave one Of the most interesting anC
brilliant talks on Socialism ever nearC
in the city. Mr. Wilson appears \,
thoroughly understand his subject an,
his talk was enthusiastic throughout.
He confined MS remarks principally K
socialism as remedy for the ills ot
society saying that It was the only solu
tion Of the present conditions Of affairs
in this country and that since the peopll
Of the country mad been separated into
the two great classes, employers and
employees, the need OF socialism had be.
come greater until it must come IN the
natural course OF events.
The socialists do not believe in try
ing to break the trusts as the trusts
for combinations are but step in the
right direction and their existence will
make their ownership BY the people an
easier step.
As an argument in favor Of socialism,
Mr.. Wilson cited as the three greatest
institutions IN the country, the home,
the church and the school, and said that
these were all run on the socialistic prin-
cipal Of common ownership. Other ex-
,amples cited were the public ownership
Of highways bridges, parks and water-
works. The advance toward socialism
has not vet gone half way toward sue
cess but the trend il in that direction.
How shall the6pubie owp the trusts
The first great principle Is that the
working men must have a voice In the
government Of the country and to do
this he must use his ballot in manner
70 make it effective In eight decades,
since the start of socialism in the e0uu-
try the party has grown until at the
last presidential election total Of 500,-
600 socialist votes We're cast, or an in
crease Of 500 per cent. in four years.
Socialism il not dividing up" and IL
does not mean that man shall not still
have his private possessions, in fact he
would probably be able to have more
private possessions under socialism.
There il no hope in charity as solu-
tion Of the present social problem, as
will live in absolute want rather than ac-
cept charity. The present industrial
system Is a reign Of fear and man out
little better than a slave. II would have
been better to have given pensions to the
widows and children Of the miners who
were recently killed insthe mine disaster
in West Virginia than 20 spend the
money ia sending a great fleet from the
Atlantic to the Pacific coast.
The hope for the solution Of the econ
omical problem Is not IN the church The
churches seem to have been afraid Of
the Workingmen and IN many instances
when the working men moved into
the churches moved ont.
There Is nothing IN socialism which con
ilicts with the doctrines of Jesus
Christ Socialism is applied Christian
itv and stands for the Golden Rule The
church has been trying to get men from
the mire while the doctrine Of socialism
is to get the mire away
There is no hope in laws, penalties or
prisons. The socialists would 50 arrange
things that crime wonld BE- unnecessary
There is no hope ID government control
and as an instance Of this statement
the speaker cited the cases Of the laws
recently enacted applying to railroads
and the ease with which which the issue
was lodged BY them. There Is no so
Iution OF the problem in either Of the old
political parties as both are controlled
Dy the capitalistie class and the law.
makers are representatives of the capi-
salists.
We boast Of our freedom but the bal
lot IS of no use to rs at present as to
eote for one old party Is as bad as the
lther The labor unions have accom-
llished much and should work hand in
iand with the socialists The results |
obtained by the labor unions are only
temporary while the results obtained by
viii be permanent.