The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-03-02
DISTRIBUTION THE PROBLEM.
Declared John spargo in Lecture in
Barre Last Evening.


John Spargo of New York, one of
the prominent Socialist writer's and
speakers of this country, addressed an
audience OF 400 people in Rowland hall
last evening, under the auspices of the
Socialist party OF this city. For two
hours the speaker graphically explained
what Socialism is and means. Though
not having the eloquence OF the noted
Debs. Mr.. Spargo is an interesting and
logical speaker and he held his audience
absorbed to the end OF his discourse
Mr.. Spargo was introduced by Harry
King
At the outset the speaker outlined the
growth of Socialism from handful of
men tosten million at the present time
in the world. over half million of them
being in this country. And these ter
millions OF votes were east, he declared
in spite OF more criticism, ridictde and
abuse than amy other movement save
the Christian religion ever experienced
The fact that Socialism is now repre-.
sented in every parliament in the world.
he said, was argument enough why the
question should be studied carefully and
without prejudice,
He confined his discourse 10 four
heads, Socialism as a criticism OF ex-
isting society q philosophy OF social ey-
olution, q social ideal and movement
making for the attainment OF goal.
The speaker took Roosevelt to account
for his statement that the whole trouble
with society to-day was the greediness
OF the rich who dwell III high places.
Such an utterance, the speaker asserted,
was the most dangerous and demoraliz-
ing statement ever made by any man
in any age of the world ii breeds in
the minds Of poor and unfortunate peo-
pie the worst anarchstic ideas. he de-
elared He went on to say that Roose-
welt also claimed that a bad feature of
Socialism was its appeal to class con-
sciousness. There can be no criticism
Of the present society, except through
class consciousness, and ! am a believer
in that doctrine affirmed the speaker.
"As against Mr.. Rooseyelt's idea. the
Socialist would 90 to the poor man and
say that the rich man, OF whom he is
brooding. is not responsible, for the man
man at the bottom. The man ON top
got there simply because he had TO
to save himself from being at the bot
tom. He had to do just what he did,
or someone else would have. The trou-
bic, SAYS the Socialist. is with the sys-
tenn that made it possible for that man
TO get whore he is
"But with all its faults, this system
is simply the result OF mans struggle
onward and upward There is no need
to argue that the world is growing bet
ter. We all know that but though we
have progressed we need now to throw
off those things which We now see to be
no longer useful or helpful. Socialism
is turning the minds Of the common
people from the attitude OF dangerous
evolution To 4 peaceful political eyolu-
tion. Every Socialist believes In prog
ress and believes that the time viii come
when universal peace will reign. We
do not believe in the pessimism of Car
Isle We believe that mans destiny
is onward and upward TO the status OF
god
Man has now mastered the problem
OF production To-day there is no rea-
son why any child 10 this land should
90 hungry except the one reason that
man is not yet master. Of himself. He
is not yet master OF the great problem
OF distribution This is the reason why
children die Of hunger in this country,
and the only reason that the political
economists give for 1t is that these peo-
pie are poor People are dying because
we have produced too much, is their
excuse.
"The Socialists remedy for this is So
cial ownership and control OF the conf
mon things Of life. We are not opposed
to private ownership We want to see
all the private ownership of property
that there can possibly be without, how
ever, imposing a disadvantage ON some
one else. We have got to destroy that
system which makes it possible for one
man to take that which would be useful
and necessary for the life and comfort
OF the next man, All those things that
exploit labor and lives should be subject
to social ownership aud control II is
useless to say that the millennium will
come as long as one man is allowed to
grind out life of WEAKNESS and power
ty so that another man may wallow
in riches"