The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-10-08
SOCIALISM NEITHER
SCHEME NOR DREAM
Society Not Product Of Preeonceived
Theory.

The philosophers who FIRST cndeav-
ored 10 investigate the causes of so
cial development thought they found
them in the ideas Of men. To a GER
tain degree they recognized that these
Ideas sprang from material wants; but
the fact still remained secret 10
them that these wants changed from
age TO age. and that these changes
were the result of changes in the eco
nomic conditions, l. @. In the system
OF production. They started with the
belief that the wants OF man "hnman
nature unchangeable. Hence
they could see but one true" 'natu-
rnl." "ust' social system, because
only one could correspond with the
true nature OF man" All other So
cial forms were pronounced by them
the result Of mental alterations which
could have been possible only because
mankind did not realize sooner what
thoy wanted, because their Judgment
was betogged, either, as some mag
ined, on account OF the natural stupid
ity OF man. or. as others maintained,
on account OF the willful Vaccinations
Of priests and kings.
Looked upon from such a stand
point. the development Of society was
the result of a development of thought
Tho more clever men are. the quicker
they are to discover the social forms
that suit human nature. the juster also
and the better did society become.
This Is the theory Of our so-called
liberal thinkers. Wherever their in
fluence Ia felt this view prevails. As
matter Of course, the first Socialists,
who appeared at the commencement
OF this century, were likewise affected
by this theory. They also imagined
that the Institutions or the capitalist
state. which they found eXtant had
sprung from the brain of the philoso-
pliers OF the previous century. Ar
rived on the stage Of history full
century later. II was clear 10 these
Socialists that tho capitalist social sys-
tenn was by no means the perfect
thing which the philosophers OF the
Eighteenth Century expected. Accord
ingly. this system was still not the
true one; the philosophers OF the
Eighteenth century must have made
a mistake somewhere. the carly So
clalists addressed themselves TO the
task Of finding the mistake, and. In
their turn. OF discovering the true So
cial system that should suit the hui
man nature better. They realized that
IL was necessary TO elaborate their
plans more carefully than any of their
inustrlous predecessors had done, lest
some untoward influence should null
llfy their work also. This method OF
procedure was. moreover. dictated by
VI, n.
cialists. who appeared at the begin
ming OF the century. did not stand as
did their predecessors, the philoso-
pliers of the Eighteenth Century. face
10 face with a social system whose
downfall was at hand, nor did they
have. as their predecessors had. tho
announcement OF n mighty class
whose interests demanded the over
throw OF the social order then exist
Ing. They could not. in those carly
DAYS. represent the social order for
which they strove as inevitable. but
ONLY as desirable II was n necessity
of their situation 10 try and present
their social ideal In as clear and tan
giblc form as possible, TO the end
that the mouths Of people should wa
ter after It. and none should enter
tain a doubt either as TO It's practica-
blllty or It's pleasantness.
The adversaries Of Socialism have
not vet got beyond the point OF look
inc upon society from the standpoint
occupied by social science hundred
wears AGO. The only Socialists they
know and can understand are. accord
inplT. those carly and tItopian So
clalists who started from the same
promises as they themselves The ad-
vorsaTies OF Socialism look upon the
Socialist Commonwealth just as they
would upon a capitalist enterprise, say
a stock corporation, which is to he
started" aud they refuse to talc
stock before Il is shown 10 their sat
isfaction that the concern Ia practi-
cablo and will Weld large dividends.
Such conception might have had It's
justification az The beginning OF our
century: today. the Socialist Common
wealth no longer needs tho endorse
mont" Of these gentlemen In order to
be realizcd.
Tho capitalist Social systom has run
It's course: rs dissolution is now only
\ question OF time: the irresistible eco
nomic Development leads with the Ger
taintv ~ doom TO the shipwreok OF
Tho capitals, system OF production No
longer is the building OF q new so
clal order in the place of the exist
Ing one simply desirable; it has be
come inevitable.
Ever larger and more powerful grows
the mass az propcrtylcss workers for
whom the existing system Is uubear-
able who have nothing 10 lose with
IFS downfall. but everything TO gain,
and who arc bouud-unless they be
willing 10 60 down with tho society Of
which they have become tho most I'm
portant part-to call into being q ~
cial order that shall correspond TO
their interests.
These ore not phnntaslcs: they are
facts that Socialists have demon
strated With the actual occurrences
that are daily taking place. These oc-
currences are moro eloquent and con-
vincing than the most captivating and
carefully prepared pictures OF the on
coming social order could be. Tho