Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1908-06-04

The "Free Lance, in its last issue,
says it has been unable to secure any.
thing on the subject of Socialism from
a member of the Socialist Party, so the
editor submits an article from his view
point
We are glad to see this. There is
nothing Socialists welcome so much as
free discussion, for as the "Free
Lance" says, "friendly discussion,
healthy argument and publicity are the
surest roads to unity Of action and
ultimate suceess". The article in
question says:
"Socialism proper is an unknown
quantity. 1t is the outgrowth of an
era of dissatisfaction with existing
forms of government. 1t is the party
Of criticism, of mumbling, rumbling
discomfort, of tearing down with no
foundation, for a building up. That
it is a world party is denied, for
European and American socialism are
alike only in name. As to what it is,
it's high priests are disagreed, and
its newspapers, pamphlets and 'edu-
cational' books find fault, each with
the others theories. No two of its
votaries are thoroughly in accord as
to the exact remedy, or as to how we
are to proceed to obtain it,.
Now, let us see how much of this is
true and how much is false. We are
searching for the truth and whenever
any one can convince ms that any one
of our positions is wrong we are per-
fectly willing to abandon it.
Socialism proper is NOT an unknown
quantity. Socialism is the vehicle TO
carry the working class into the Co
operative Commonwealth and it is
rumbling along at a pretty good rate
in every civilized country on earth.
Socialism is not the end with the
Socialist any more than the trade union
is the end with the trade unionist.
That it is the outgrowth of an era
Of dissatisfaction with existing forms
of government We admit. Govern.
ments like garments would never
change if people were always satisfied
with them. Governments are the re-
flex of economic growth and develop
ment and must change accordingly.
Law does not go ahead of the people
people go ahead of the law. When a
certain people have decided to act in
a certain way, they enact laws, frame
constitutions-lay down rules, outlin.
ing the course of action which they in
tend to pursue. These laws OF rules
would last forever if people did not
progress, but the world moves and as
we outgrow the old laws they act like
a straight jacket and bind us, and
hinder us, and prevent our further
growth and development until we alter
THEM to fit our more advanced eco.
nomic conditions, or burst them asun.
der. President Roosevelt, in his first
message TO congress stated this as
clearly as any Socialist could when,
in speaking about our tremendous in.
dustrial development during the later
half Of the 10th century he said, "the
old laws and the old customs which
had once the binding force Of law are
no longer sufficient. We hear people
talk about going back to Jeffersonian
Democracy but we might as well talk
about going back to Jeffersonian in
dustry. The United States has out
grown its legal garments quicker than
any nation in history because industrial
conditions have changed here quicker
than they ever did before. Our rail
roads, telegraph, telephones, all oul
means of transportation and eommuni
cation have come into use withis tn,
memory of men still living. All these
as well as the mills. factories and Other
great tools Of production have passC,
into the ownership and control Of Q