The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-01-26
What Socialism
Really Means.

Socialism is the science of economic
government.
Its essential principles may be summed
up in the words: Collective ownership
of all utilities of public nature and
private ownership of all those things
that are for private use.
Thus. all things that are provided by
nature or natures God are regarded by
the socialists as public utilities.
They are for the universal use of
mankind.
They are our natural inheritance, be-
long to one much to another and
our right to them is inalienable..
Man-made laws that attempt to set
aside this great principle are in opposi-
ton to the decree of God.
In following the natural laws man
kind will always find that the obstacles
he meets present the least resistance.
To divert the natural law 10 to court
disaster.
Socialism seeks to follow the natural
law
1t recognizes the fntherhood Of God
and the brotherhood of man.
1t differs from communism which
teaches that ALL things should be held
in common.
Cnder socialism !; man may own horse
and buggy. his books and his home, and
would bc ut liberty to beautify that
| home in accordance with his taste and
desire.
There is room under socialism for in
| centivc enough to keep alive the activi
ties of man.
Denied the right to exploit his fellow
man the restless activity of his mind
would seek new fields of discovery and
invention and his superior genius would
he directed towards the end of elevating
to higher place the physical, intellec
tual, moral and spiritual life of his fel.
low beings.
The mind is incapable of con ceivins
Of higher honor than that of having
won the confidence and praise of peo-
pie whose interests have been unselfish.
ly served and whose condition has been
materially bettered by the individual eff
forts of IL man who is actuated by such
Il noble purpose.
History is full of incidents of this
kind. even amidst conditions where
wealth offers happiness. luxury, fame
and power.
Every advance towards Al higher and
better civilization has been wrought by
those whose purposes were nobler and
higher than the spirit of greed and the
desire to accumulate wealth.
The greatest Reformer of all ages was
carpenter of Nazareth, q "Man of Sor-
rows" who had no home.
Wealth, luxury, and case, with AN am
bition for greater wealth and greater
power. plunged the world into the con.
dition of the dark ages.
From this gloomy period humanity
was rescued by men who regarded gold
as filthy lIcrc. and whose souls rose high
above the sordid desire for riches and
the material things of this earth, and
whose hearts beat for the bleeding cause
Of human rights.
Socialism believes that exaggerated
wealth privately owned by few indi-
viduals is insurmountable obstacle TO
the moral and spiritual uplift of the
material advancement.
Great fortunes not only an injury
to those who own them, and to those
especially who inherit them. but they
are a burden upon the community which
is taxed to the end that they may be
increased preserved intact for the
support of future generations who shall
in their turn inherit them.
They are fruitful nests for the breed
ing of parasites who "toil not, neither
do they spin,'' but nre paupcrs living at
public expense.
Socialism provides that "if man will
not work, neither shall he eat"
Under such n condition great fortunes
would be impossible. as the profits now
exacted from labor by those who owned
the means of production and distribution