The Irish standard., 1908-05-23

T believed to be SO depraved and cor
rupt that, if entrusted with control
of government they would abuse it,
and if left free to dispose of their ow.;
labor they would abandon themselves
to idleness. Despotism was the sole
form of government, because it was
universal OH the assumption that man
could be made to work only under
fear of the lash.
The Socialist Like tho Imperialist.
The slightest examination of the So
cialistic programme shows that it is
Quilt on the same profound distrust
of humanity which has always been
ths explanation and the excuse of des-
pottSS1. The Socialist, like the old
Roman Imperialist, believes that il in
dustry he left to the free exercise Of
each individual, one element of the
community will dominate the other
and abuse it's dominance for plunder
and. oppression. The. capitalist, he
declares, will exploit and Cypress the
laborer under system of free produc-
tion, while the old Roman believed
that If the laborer were left free to
dispose Of his own labor he would
abuse his freedom by declining to
work. But both reach the same con-
clusion. Each insists that the only
way to avert the calamity he breads
is by coercion. The Socialist will tell
you, and it is his chief argument, that
strikes which are the perils of modern
industry would be impossible if the
state were the sole employer of labor,
IN this he is perfectly correct If the
state We're to assume control of the
whole machinery of production, it
would undoubtedly compel men to
work for its enrichment, as it compels
men now to fight for it's defense. But
enforced labor is servitude. Whether
the coercion be exercised by the state
through it's agents, or by individuals
through their overseers, does not af-
feet the condition of the men who are
coerced. If workmen were forced to
obey some political appointee in the
employment Of their energies, despot-
ism, complete, absolute, oppressive.
degrading, would be firmly re-estab.
lished.
How tho Church Prevents Strikes.
The Socialist declares the strikes
and lock-outs that interrupt business
and plunge communities into civil
war. the dislike in which possessors
Of large fortunes are held by vast
numbers of their fellow citizens, the
monopolies which though condemned
by the law, still exist in spite of its
denunciations, and as many suspect
through the connivancc of it's officers,
are necessary fruits of individualism
AS matter of fact, these abuses are not
necessary features of our democratic
! system but are survivals of despotic
system which Socialism would re-
vive. They are directly caused by per-
SSASioho VI DOWcTS.
Christian democracy will end them by
steadily diminishing through moral
improvement the number of men cap
able Of STOPPING to the perpetration
Of them. Socialism would not uproot
these evils but would extend them by
increasing the number of government
employees that may be corrupted or
by extending the scope of government
functions that may be abused
The first step towards checking So
cialisn is to repair the breaches made
~ free thinking philosophy in the
foundation of republicanism through
loosening the marriage tie, and to
strengthen by thorough education the
influences which operate to make or
der the handmade of labor, and pros.
perity it's fruit.
Mormonism No Worse Than Divorce.
The position of the churcl. towards
divorce was violently questioned by
80. called liberals a few years ago. To-