The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-07-19


Iof his senses.
The desire for happiness has stimu-
lated the human mind, and been the
Inspiration of poetry and philosophy
for ages. Love Is the expression OF
It. Tragedy is but the expression OF
the converse. On this desire have
hinged the multitudlnous religions OF
mankind; for 1t was learned long
ago that happiness is in the heart, not
in the environments. We can look
about us today among the classes,
described by the Socialist writers as
industrial slaves"-among people
on whom fortune has seemed to inn
pose most outrageously, through sick
ness, death, infirmities, social bur
dens and small income-and meet
the gladdest souls we ever saw. Did
you ever see a glad Socialist? Did
you ever see glad captain of in
dustry," as they are fondly called by
their sycophants? Who are these two
distinctly unhappy? Maybe, there is
principle involved. 1t is because the
latter has devoted his attention to
material gain and selfish acquisition,
and the former has fastened his eyes
on the Others gain, and smothered
his soul in covetousness.
We do not wish to preach; but our
Socialists have adopted the word
yhrother." and claim for their object
the brotherhood of man." A trifle
less than 1000 years ago a Man of
Galiiee adopted this same theory of
life; and every good thing in govern
ment and social and domestic life we
possess today came from that man.
The Socialists, we believe. claim for
their theories the practical applica-
ton of that Mans doctrines. His
very words as we recall them were:
"And this is my command, that ye
love one another"
Now. let us measure the Socialist
by that standard. Did you ever at
tend a. Socialist speaking and hear
one OF their orators talk about HIS
brothers, who were not present?
We assume that the captains of In
dustry'', the "drones", the masters"
and the men. who do not work with
their Drawn, are their brothers.
How should one speak of his
brother? How should one proceed
to bring about that feeling of brother
hood? BY dividing the humanity into
two classes, arraying them against
each other and declaring they are at
enmity? Let the Socialist consider
all men his brothers in his own heart
(for there is where brotherhood mus,
.dwell) and then let him make such a
speech as he would wish brother
to make about him. Socialism and
Christianity may be aiming at the
same ultimate objects. but Socialism
and Christianity are certainly not
taking the same road to reach ii.
Socialists are bound to agree with
this: when the feeling of the brother
hood of man finds Judgement In every
heart, all those conditions. for which
their souls yearn will be spontane-
ously developed; but he must not ask
us to believe that his bitter talk will
produce that feeling OF brotherhood,
or that the imposition of Soeialistic
form of government will eradicate
the selfishness from the hearts OF
men.
We know the Socialist has fallen
out with the church, and believes the
church is for the rich and affiuent.
Men believe this, who are earning
more, working eight hours a day in
the health giving open. than are most
eighteen hour toilers over desks. Yet,
we think they are mistaken. Nine
teen centuries of Christianity have
simply aroused in them a spirit of i'm
patience with conditions antagonistic
to its teachings. Lack of individual
historical, philosophic and religious
research, and overmuch hearing OF
vehement oratory have provoked I'M
wholesome prejudices. and those, who
pirate Of the brotherhood of man. are
cultivating a feeling of hate against
those they call their brothers. Which
reminds us that
"A little learning is dangerous
thing;
Drink deep, or taste not of the
Pierian spring"
Humanity is developing upward and
onward. A glance over history should
encourage these bitter ones TO hope
and wait. Yet we would not ask
them to cease their striving and
yearning. It is slow work. We have
much selfishness to contend with in
dragging ourselves up the summit.
May the Socialist see that in his class
distinctions and invectives against
property holders, he does not add to
the weight of selfishness already al
most too much for us.
He must divorce his theories from
the question of labor and capital.
Because his recruits come mostly
from the ranks of manual laborers,
the experience and observations OF
men, whose horizon Is limited TO
their own industrial relations, natu-
rally creep to the front, and so. we
believe, the class idea. 80 frequently
met with in Socialistic discussions, is
a self-imposed artificial restriction OF
their own.
The emancipation of labor IL the
wonder of the centuries Mighty few