The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-16
Socialism Is Sure to Be Uni
versaIly Accepted"
"WilI Come With Spiritual De-
velOpment Of Race
SAYS C. b. HOFFMAN.
Addresses $50 People at Luksns'
Opera House.
Sire Department Only Thor
OughIy SOcialistic Institution.

Ex-State Senator c. B. Hoffman of
Enterprise, known as the millionaire
Socialist" in his speech on 1.-THE
Philosophy of Socialism, at Lukens
opera house last night declared that
Socialism was as old as the human
race; that its universal acceptance
would come when the spiritual devel-
opment of humanity had reached its
height. He said that poverty was now
not a personal but a social disease, just
as malaria was a social disease in a
| swamp community and that it would
take the cooperation of the entire
world to drain the swamp of poverty,
just as it would take the entire popu
lation of a swamp district to drain
the marsh. Another comparison he
made was that just as Burbank had
removed the spines from the cactus
'.by treating it right, the spines of
society-antagonism and strife neces-
sary in the jungle-would be removed
when labor saving machinery had
made general environment ideal for
nature
He said that a fire department was
the only thoroughly socialistic institu-
ton in existence, because f1remen
risk ed their own lives to save others
property and lives. both the poor and
rich, whether or not the f1remen
ever knew or had seen the person for
whom the risk was taken.
L As to capitalism, he stated that as
Carlyle had said about the French
revolutions: "'It was devouring its own
children
Socialism he defined as follows:
50" the great reconciliation be-
tween the material and spiritual side
of nature-the simple proposition each
producers of wealth, the 1abors, and
others. are entitled to their full share
of productions recognition that 1T is
possible to re-organize society upon the
basis of brotherhood rather than an
tagonism."
In his address he traced the devel-
opment of society from the primitive
man, who lived individually, to the
showing how people became degree
more altruistic as society advanced
He gave a concrete example OF this
thought when he described how an en-
gineer often died at his post Tor the
sake of passengers, both rich and poor,
whom he did not know nor had eX-
pected to know.
He spoke standing on table in
front of the stage, as he is rather
short man. Frank Curry presldeo--
ciaIist candidate for mayor, were
among those present. About 15O peo-
pie were in the audience.
Mr. Hoffman's talk, in part, follows:
1.-THE idea of the modern family is
equality. as opposed to the primitive
family. in which the man, because of
his superior physical power, was mas
ter even over life and death OF the
members of the family. Then came
the rude organization OF the 'horoe'
in which the individuals were htIle
better protected than in the family
Following was the tribal, then the gov
ernme nts, such as Persia. India ana
Rome And all through history mas
been the social idea and the ant1-soclal
or capitalistic idea
socialist are based upon two traditions
Of the past.
al The idea that poverty Is a neces-
sary condition of the masses.
"2 Strife and antagonism is the
basic principal of nature.
"As to the first, for ages material
poverty of the masses was a necessity
because man could not produce enough
| to meet the demand with his primitive
TOOLS He was a slave not only TO
the so-called upper classes but also
to nature Socialism Is the great
Cancellation between the material and
spiritual sides of nature, between the
mind and the body.
Food, clothing. sane, and sanitary
habitations are necessary for the pro-
gress of the race. The cap1talisttc
system was the necessary step -
but it is breaking down. AS Carlyle
said about the French revolution: 1T
is devouring it's own children
1.-THE problem now is entirely differ
ent. Poverty is a social and not per-
sonal matter. In a swamp district,
malaria is general. Every one. with
the exception of the few who are
robust enough to throw off the germs,
are affected with the disease. No in
-vidual is strong enough to drain the
| swamp Just as no individual is strong
enough to drain the poverty swamp.
| 1t will take the cooperation of all
mankind And when it is done, man
shall enjoy spiritual development of
which only glimpses have been caught.
1.-THE first declaration of socialism is
| that the land belongs to all, the land
with it's mineral and other resources.
The honest capitalist must object to
escape the conclusions of socialism
IF the earth does not belong to all,
| to whom does it belong?
"And who shall decide to whom II
| belongs?
Labor applied to natural resources
creates all wealth. Again the honest
capitalist must take issue. Socialism
| is the simple proposition that the man
or woman who creates wealth is en-
titled to his portion Of the wealth.
Production Is social and every man
and woman is entitled to his Or her
full share of the production.
"How does capital attain its large
share? Legitimately by rent, interest
and profit. Law can not produce
wealth. but can take it from those
who produce it and give it to the few.
"A man in Topeka borrows $1,000,
has security, or credit for it and pays,
say Z per cent interest for the privi-
lege of using that which he already
has OHe has the credit or he couldn't
- not.