The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-12-10
Socialism What Is It?

This was said by PRESIDENT IaII
recently in the course Of an oratorical
Idaho Immediately interest was
awakened in a subject long tabooed,
ridicuIed. scorned and spoken of in
whispers-Socialism.
SociaIism-What is It? This is
query that has been asked since man
discarded prehensile caudal appen-
dages and began to eat with a fork.
If is said that when His August Maj
esty. Mephistopheles runs short Of JOBS
for his idle minions he sets them to
inventing new 'Isms and the copper
riveted, galvanized, time serving poll
ticians of the world are unit in &C
claiming socialism as the latest per-
fected perpetual motion machine FOR
stirring up strife and discomfort IN the
ranks of the worlds workers.
Plato, the Greek philosopher, taught
a. form of socialism idealistic in char
acter. Saint Simon of France, adVo-
Gated a sort of aristocratic socialism.
And so it may be seen that the subject
is not a new one looming upon the
horizon of human endeavor clamoring
for recognition. 1t is but a stage in
the evolution of society and the nat
lraI result of mans inhumanity to
man; the natural outcome of the dom1-
neering spirit ever exerted by those In
power toward those who delve and
dig-weave and weep.
AS a theory of government it has for
it's object the reformation OF society
along cooperative lines as opposed TO
the competitive system now obtaining
Scientific Socialism.
In the beginning of the movement
socialism was Utopian in character
and in the main, impracticable. This
has been succeeded by Scientific So
cialism, the common Interpretation OF
<z1sD Isxra-
ton of all industries. 1t aims to create
an equitable system of distribution OF
necessities and Injuries of life. 1t
seeks to eliminate profit, rent and in
terest, the chief sources Of amassed
wealth and cruel poverty. 1t would
grant to the producer the full value OF
his labor instead of the seventh part
he now receives.
Socialistic plans embrace govern
mental control of every source, nat
uraI and artificial, of products, pro-
6uction and distribution and collec-
tive ownership of mineral depos1tS,
forests, manufactures, mediums of in
tercourse, as the telegraphs. schools
and all things pertaining to public
need and welfare.
It PROPOSES central depots or COM
n1issaries in lieu of the multitude OF
small stores and shops with their at
tendant fragrant waste of goods and
human energy.
Not Synonymous With Anarchy.
Socialism is not SYNONYMOUS with
anarchy as is taught and believed in
certain circles. 1t is not narrow, nor
does it seek to censor individual en-
terprises manners or beliefs. Neither
does it propose to change human ma
ture. 1t is not a scheme perpetuated
to discourage the acquisition of pr1-
(vate property. The reverse is true,
for it is proposed to make it possible
tor aII-the street scavenger and the
wner of a flock of benzine burning
hggies-to own private property,
hines. for instance.
Right here may be injected a point
fol- consideration. OF the 16,1S7.715
hoAes in the United States only few
oVel seven million are owned by per-
/ sons living in them. incidentally 1t
[ may he mentioned that one man. Hen
ry Miner owns equal to the aggregate
area of Massachusetts, Connecticut
New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
What is Socialism ?" Five hundred
students of Harvard college last year,
9etitioned the faculty to answer and
low a course of study relating to
dodern Socialism is being taught. 1t
S commanding the attention of Soci-
ologists, teachers, authors, public Of
ficials and the man with the hoe
and ballot-the world over, for the
movement is worldwide. There are
3,S03, Asst voters of the world, who have
satisfactorily answered the question
of what socialism is and have put
1898 persons into public office and
are heralding their tenets through 646
papers and magazines.
The Five Essentials.
The five essentials Of human ex-
istance are food, clothing, shelter, edu-
cation and pleasure. All desire or
require them. Some get the five, but
the majority of the teeming millions
of earth live on the brink Of abject
poverty with only a week between
them and misery, born of hunger and
want. Something is wrong and the
spreading knowledge of this fact is
the spur, which, driven into our tanks,
arouses US to ask, What is Socialism,"
and the answer is written large upon
the consciousness of men, "Emancipa-
ton From the Yoke of Political Bon
dage and Industrial Serfdom."
While socialism as a theory Is hoary
with age, as a factor of consequence
in life today it is comparatively young.
having become established in the
United States about fifty years ago.
The past two years has witnessed a
phenomenal growth due to the peculiar
political and economic conditions, the
result of fragrant abuse of the injunc-
i've powers OIL the pal
pably biased Interpretation of the law
In favor of corporate interests as
against the wage-worker.
Socialism is polity and not politics.
Yet the political phase Of it commands
chief attention because it is sought to
institute socialism by acquisition of
- the reins of government through the
ballot box.
An Erroneous Conception.
The once prevalent conception of a
Socialist as be-whishered beer guZzler
with a cognomen pronounced by two
grunts and a sneeze and having a
prediction to create a famine in beer
is being rapidly dissipated into the in
evita ole discard, for our ablest scholars
and leaders of thought are turning to
its screeds and scrolls In search of
a solution of the social problem that
produces petted. perfumed, bejeweled
pink-tea satellites on one hand and
Chinging. covering. genuhecting auto
nations on the other. They seek a pam
ecea in its democratic principles for
the condition that fosters endowed
colleges and halls of erudition for the
scions of the wealthy and the bitter
biting schools of poverty for the brats
of the proletariat; condition that
puts a premium upon honesty and a