The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-11-24
PRES. HAMILTON
ON SOCIALISM
Tufts College Head recIared That It Is
Not the Solution Of Present Eco
nemic Problems, Lecture Be-
fore Laynan's League.

Il believe thfi socialism viii not bear
any critical elimination, as a practical
social and in(Astrial system, ( do not
see that human experience Or economic
science gives the slightest basis for any
confidence in its success or even its
possibility; and yet, socialism Is one Of
tie most important, hopeful and danger
ous movements of our time" declared
Dr. Frederick M. Hamilton, ID D., Ill. ID,
president Of TUFTS college, in his lecture
on Socialism: a Critical Study" last
evening before the Layman's league Of
the Uniyersalist church. The members
OF the league with their ladies present
numbered sixty, and great interest was
manifested in the subject as discussed
by the speaker, who has made an ex-
haustiye study Of the question.
After the enjoyable supper served by
the Ladies nnion. the meeting was called
to order by the president, Z. W Bisbee,
and three men were taken into the men,
bership Of the league pleasing vocal
solo was then rendered by Mr.. Edwards
of the Spanlding faculty, after which
DR.. Hamilton was introduced.
He said in part. II is admitted at
once that there Is much that Is obiec-
tionable IN our present industrial system
and methods 1t Il also admitted with
out discussion that there is much that
is objectionable in our political life. No
attempt viii be made By me 70 defend
or extenuate these conditions Socialism
Is. on the whole, reasonably definite
proposition for the removal of these evils
and the substitution Of 4 social aud po-
litical order, which shall he free from
objections which may be alleged against
the present order.
III is held to be more Just in Its foun-
dations, more equitable in its adjust.
ments, and likely to be more efficient in
It's results, than anything which up 10
this time has been attempted. The ques-
tion which | ask myself Is only whether
or not socialism would probably secure
these promised results. Il Is not at all
the question as to whether the results
aimed at are desirable. | am perfectly
willing 10 make almost any concession
which may be demanded to the critics
OF the present social and industrial or
der. I am not concerned with their criti-
cisms. only with their remedy.
For the purpose Of discussion. ! would
define socialism as the theory that own
ership Of land and capital, in the COM
prehensiye signifcation IN which these
terms arc used by economists. should be
vested in the state In other words,
that no individual should own anything
except his own labor and the products
Of that labor used or held for purposes
81 consumption. OF course, when we
term such things as soeialisfic. We have
N view the general idea Of 4 aFeater
extension of the collective aetAElsaAs "a
groups ~ r4opTe ard larper spirit of
cooperation nlanifesting itself
aCo-operative trade ed a. operative
production, which are often spoken Of a.
socialistic and step ID the direction Of
the soeialistie state. are. really, quite
fundamentally distinct from the true
conception Of s0eialsm These compare
tive associations are entirely voluntary.
SO far as the members are concerned.
No one is forced TO Join them or pro-
hibited from leaving them. and they
have the power Of expulsion. Member
ship Of the socialistie state, however,
must be compulsory and permanent. The
cooperative group manages its own af-
fairs in the locality in which it works
and adapts them 20 local conditions.
The socialistie management may be to
a considerable extent locally self direct.
ed but il is national in its scope.
Three objections to socialism are not
infrequently alleged BY lis critics The
FIRST Is that socialism Is hostile "a the
family; the second that II Is hostile To
religioni and the third. that Il cannos
be introduced without violent revolu.
tionary processes. including confscation
Of property. 1t ii true that some social
ists advocate entirely different forms 81
family organization from those now be
ing used. III il contended bv some that
the union Of the sexes should be terrnina.
bic at pleasure; that al adults should
draw their income directly from the
state, thus putting an end To what
might be termed the dependency Of the
woman upon the man; that all children
should be reared and educated by the
community This does not seem 10 me.
however TO be an essential feature of
socialism.
THAT socialism IS hostile to religion
is again the case Of installing the acct
dental for the fundamental and Is not
a necessary part Of the soeiaiistie propa-
ganda The case with regard to the
necessary eonfscation Of property Is not
a necessary objection to socialism.
State Ownership Of Land and Capital.
"We come, now, 20 the direct discus.
sion Of the socialistie principle itself.
the ownership By the state Of land and
capital, and the exclusion Of private pro.
duction Of all sorts from the industrial
field. Has this theory 4 sound basis In
Justice, and would it work to the advan-
tage Of mankind2 1t is claimed that
labor produces all value aud that. there
FORE all value should 10 to labor. ri il
claimed that no individual has any right
to monopoIize these opportunities, which
IN the language Of political economy We
term land, and levy tribute on his fel
lows for the permission to use them.
1T Is further claimed that no man
has a right to take from his feilowmen
tOhsiueiADle portion 81 Wnaf thelf
labor produces TO hold ii for his own
selfish purposes. and levy tribute on his
fellows, as a condition Of permitting It
to be used as it ought to be used in
further production.
"As a matter of fact, while labor Is
Indispensable 70 the production Of
wealth, il is only Indispensable as an
instrument whose productive value de
pends entirely upon the skill and the
Intelligence with which It Is directed
from without. The most active personal