Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-11-03

themselves. 1t is a mistake often
asserted by Utopians that those early
Christians pracficed Socialism, as
the term is understood in modern
parlance. They were communists to
a limited extent only. Socialism is
an economic force. had its beginning
about seventy-tive years ago, caused
by the in PRODUCTION of machine ry and
improved methods of production of
commodities for profit, and the in
equitable distribution that followed.
EngePs Socialism - Utopian and
scientific. True it is Difficult. TO
state the precise time when modern
Socialism had it's beginning. SINH
larly, nobody is able to tell even the
century in which fedulism and capi-
talism began. The Apostles and
early Christian fathers were not
Socialists because it did not exist in
their time. Thus we are enabled to
observe that labor unions were in ex-
iStence many centuries before the
doctrines of Socialism became known;
or had any place in social or political
economy.
There are wise men and women and
some who are otherwise a. this time
who do not and will not comprehend
this social force in modern economies,
who bow with spirit Of an orient tai
devotion at the shrine OF dead mems
laws and institutions; smile at the
narration Of dead mems jokes; still
the world moves on.
Trades unions must have had o
place in the history Of ancient Egypt.
or they could not have inscribed their
records upon the rocks in permanent
form. Three hundred years before
the Christian era there was a pot.
ter's union, at Ephesus. When st.
Paul came to that city, did he not
come in contact with the silver.
smiths organization, because the
gospel that he preached confiicted
with the economic interests of the
members2 The Great Apostle at
Tarsus, doubtless, was a member of
the tent-makers' union; had the as.
sistance Of the members of various
unions in other countries as he trav-
eled about to spread the teachings of
the Master. II he did not act in har-
mony with the union OF Silver
smiths at Ephesus, it proves moth.
ing. In many instances in our day
union craftsmen disagree among
themselves, and why couldn't Paul
have raised little storm of his own
in the ancient city of wealth and
beauty? The silversmiths we're look
ing after their material interests,
rather. than the salvation of souls.
The making of idols out of metals,
large and small. was q profitable
business in those days. The moral
impulses Of those craftsmen were con-
trolled from the material plane on
which they stood; therefore they
seemed not to like Paul. At Rome,
it seems large standing armies were
necessary to keep the laborers from
getting the upper hand. The terris
BILE prosecutions Of Diocletian in the
early part Of the fourth century A.
D.virtually wiped the unions out OF
existence. The cruel monarch re-
garded secret labor organizations as
a menace to the interests OF the
Roman ruling class.
Following the Diocletian mas
sacres the guilds thai became, 20
prominent during the middle ages
began to develop. They we're closely
related to the feudal system and held
sway in European countries for over
800 years. The limited space grant.
ed to the writer does not permit him
to discuss matters pertaining to
their strength and weakness in
this article. They we're feudal in
their character and discipline; went
out Of business as modern CONNER
cialism developed. They were wiped
out in France during the revolution
ary beginning in 1889. AS the success
sors of the guilds, we have the mod.
ern trades unions which we're born
OF this commercialism. There are
always present greater possibilities
in the womb of nature. Therefore,
the next step will be- industrial un-
ionism as the child of both capital
ism and craft-unionism. which is
now finding expression in this and
European countries.
IT was recently asserted by a
prominent citizen of Olympia, in the
presence of o representative Of the
that after the December
election. foreclosure suits will be in
stituted to collect delinquent im-
prOvement assessments, which are
numerous and heavy. The
is informed the aggregate
delinquent must exceed two
thousand dollars. in order that fhA