The daily sentinel., 1912-01-30
MAKES REPLY
TO DR.. WARNER
Attorney Bullock, One of City's Re-
preventative Socialists, Makes a
Formal Reply to Strong Arti-
Gle by Local Divine.
TO THE SENTINEL:

| TO THE SENTINEL:
Reverend S. b. Warner, in his DIS
sertation on socialism, as it appeared
in The Daily Sentinel, of the 23rd in
stant, repudiates it as being FIRST,
chtmerical, and SECOND, destructive
of individuality; wherefore it cannot
be accepted as a specific for the ills
which he accedes afflict the body
polite, but, instead, he prescribes
better laws.
He doesn' [ suggest anything in par
ticular, nor even in general; but as
sumes that the formula will come to
us as sort of inspiration, in the re-
construction of character, which is
the mission of the church. (And has
been, for some hundreds of years.)
Now socialism is nothing If not
remedy, and the suggestion of a rem
edy pre-supposes a disease; and this
disease is so generally conceded that
1t may be said that society literally
presents itself as a patient, specify
ing its symptoms, from which dag
nosis has been made and the microbe
discovered and though somewhat null
ttform, II has been named Graft,
and is as well known to modern NOR
al science as are the hook-worm. the
typhoid germ and the malarial mos
quito, known to medical science.
Now | am not a scientist, but |
will venture the statement, as an
biological truth. that back of every
microbe or bacillus, is the germ plasm
or culture-bed, which must be de-
stroyed before we can feel that the
enemy is eXterminated. If the malar-
ial mosquito breeds in the swamps,
while quinine may kill the malarial
germ, nothing but the drainage of
the swamps will eXterminate the di-
sease.
Now graft is society's disease germ;
but it is no more the inevitable con-
sequence of the social relation than
syphilis is of the sexual relation In
either case it is due to the unhealthy
manner in which the commerce is
carried on. In fine, euthentics is the
law of health.
Graft terminates from an un-
healthy social relation; aud though,
we may pass laws which may arrest
its development. in particular in
stance, it will still fruitily more in
sideously, until we destroy the plas-
mic base or culture bed; and when
that is accomplished, ALL law with
reference thereto, Immediately be
comes nugatory.
For instance: \ light company is
charging the consumers twelve and
one-half cents per Killowat hour, for
current which it gets from another
company for one and three-eighths
cents.
! Now suppose we should pass a val
| i'd law limiting the net profit of the
| company which stands between us
and the other company, loading the
current with an added cost of ten and
fiye-eighths cents per X. H., with no
| other equivalent or excuse than the
up-keep OF its system of distribution
and collection, to ten per cent: Would
not the company SO attempted to be
limited devise means for padding its
expense account? Indeed, any of us
would do it, because it is convention
al. What! YOU wouldn't? Say.
Would you sell all OF your possessions
for what you turn them in to the as
SCISSOR, UNDER OATH?
But I'm not your confessor, I'm on
ly admonishing you against talking
about the mote in your brothers eye,
by calling attention to the beam in
your own.
But | digress: Now suppose, in
stead OF the palliative measure above
suggested, we We're to buy our cur
rent direct from the manufacturing
company; or, better still, We're gener,
ating it from the dormant power OF
|, Water System: Then there would be
/ no need of such law, and it woul5
Immediately become dead letter.
Does not this illustration warrant
the declaration that it is not more
laws that we want, but the abolish,
ment of the conditions that make:
them necessary?
Laws are largely nothing bu
crutches to support an infirm. decrep
it and tottering social system. Ou
whole system of jurisprudence is ex
pressive of the ingenuity of absurd
ty II is the woof of a fabric whicl
has no staple for its warp The bull
wark of an iniquitous social system
The absence of law, instead of sug
gesting anarchy or chaos. rather sug
gests harmonious social system.
But such public service as | hav,
above suggested, would be socialistic
which Mr.. Warner says is chimeri
cal. is it any more SO than our mu
nicipal water works or our publi,
schools, or any other public service
The man who processes to cherish
these institutions will not decry soc
J ialism, If he knows what he is talk