The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-06-09
COLLEGE PRO 'o"' o'atc L'orar
Of Socialism Of the Present Day--Prof.
Arner of Dartmouth.

Socialism, as it appears in its mani
fold aspects to a professor in one OF
the leading eastern colleges, was dis
cussed in Foresters hall last evening
before a small gathering of Socialists
and invited guests OF the Socialist club.
Perhaps there were forty persons who
availed themselves OF the opportunity
to listen to George Byron Louis Arner
of the department OF economies at Dart
mouth college Certainly the number
did not exceed forty, although Prof Ar
ner's able presentation of his subject
Socialism VS.. Reform" was deserving
of much larger audience
Shortly after o'clock, Alfred Henry
of the Socialist club introduced the
speaker Not presuming to boast of
any rare oratorical gifts, Prof. Arner
nevertheless discussed the issue in a
manner that compelled the closest at
tention of his hearers for over an hour
He spoke substantially as follows
1T is not my purpose tonight to tell
you that capitalist society is corrupt,
inefficient, unjust or rotten. Socialists
do not need to tell you that. You
know it already. The burning question
in the minds of nineteen of the think.
ing people of this country and Europe
is. What shall we do to be sayedY
Socialism numbers among its enemies
those persons who are continually adj
ministering the kind of knocks that only
boost These opponents are of the radi
cal type and actually help rather than
hinder the propaganda. There are, how
ever, two classes of critics OF Social
ism, who are more plausible in their
arguments The first is the benevolent
capitalist who sees the poverty, misery
and crime in society and honestly desires
ia make the world better. Capitalists
are not all monsters of iniquity They
build model tenements, libraries, gym
nasiums, and clubhouses, but sometimes
the serfs are not grateful to their feudal
lords. They resent being looked upon
as objects of charity and demand the
rights Of men, In reality this sort of
reform doesn't deceive the working man
for a minute.
The second class Of Socialism's critics
might be called social reformers. They
agree thoroughly with the Socialist in
dictment of the present system, but tell
you that the same result can be brought
about gradually. They take the atti-
tude of Karl Sehurz that there are many
social problems There is nothing fun
damentally wrong with the present sys-
tenn; il simply needs patching up They
advocate every possible social, economic
and political reform and are usually spe-
cialists. And yet they laugh at you
for throwing away. your vote on the
Socialist candidates who cannot be elect
ed, when you might vote for the better
OF the two older parties. This is prob
ably the commonest OF all attitudes to-
ward all social questions.
Socialism is unified and consistently
Socialists have common
aim and ideal and this gives to the
religious enthusiasm which
no isolated reform movement can have.
Reform movements have no common aim
and are as likely to be reactionary as
progressive Socialism has definite
standard by which to measure the value
of q reform. If its in line with the
demonstrated cause Of social evolution,
and viii strengthen and unite the work
ing class in its effort to attain indus
trial Democracy, then 1t is adopted as
plank IN our platform. Socialism does
not appeal TO self interest; it appeals
to class interest and the interest of hui
manity through that of class.