The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-05-04

it must not last: it must not be stored,
added unto, although property in this
shape is that alone which will put in
motion the wheels of industry and
enterprise: capital, as stored property
is termed, is the enemy whose de-
struction is imposed. So the every
day preachers of socialism. Capital,
we should all agree, growing into
measureless bounds through fraud and
oppression, ought to be repressed: but
not this, the theory of socialism. Cap
ital, socialism declares, however gath
cred, must be minimized, if not abso.
lutely annihilated, even, although,
through the absence of large capital,
| large plannings so vital to a great
nation be made impossible, and the
| whole people be, in consequence, re-
! duced to mediocrity of effort and sue
cess.
Those the theories of socialism: and
the theories are preached broadcast.
1t is the bitter hatred of one class of
citizens toward another: it is the reck-
less jealousy that pulls down and de-
stroys: it is the defiance of law and
! social order: it is the menace of war
even unto the splitting of blood.
Socialism, the Peril of America.
Socialism, unprincipled in theory,
wild and violent in method, is today
the peril of all lands whatsoever
their form of government. Especially
is it the peril of democracies: there
| wider social liberty is allowed to it's
preachings; there political rights are
more easily swayed into it's service.
Socialism today is the peril of
America: they are blind who see not
it's workings: they are reckless of the
country's welfare, who take no alarm
from it's advancing tidal wave.
The appeal is made to the toilers of
ton to the erroneous theories of So
cialism, to it's unreasoning and de-
structive methods. The appeal is
proper. Much depends upon the toll
ers of America: none others would
suffer more than they from the per-
manent, or even temporary triumphs
of socialism. But to the richer, also,
to the employer of labor, to the CAPT
talists of America should the appeal
be made and made most forcibly. Too
often the rich are thoughtless Of our
social perils, doing nothing to avert
them, so bearing themselves that they
widen and intensity them.
| I HAYES in mind the extravaganza,
the recklessness in expenditure in the
service of pride and selfshness, so
often INDUCED in by richer Americans
The question among them is who can
make the most lavish display of
wealth, who can spend the most money
for purposes the most senseless. Elk
travagance has become one of our
national characteristics: it is the scan
dial of America, at home and abroad
it is one of the most potent causes
in the growth of our economic perils.
That large fortunes will be amassed,
that large fortunes are indispensable
in a rich and prosperous country, ]
freely admit: and this, too, admit
that large fortunes, wisely and gen.
erously made use of, are blessing to
a country, a matter of pride to its
citizens, inasmuch as thereby great
enterprises are possible, and great
works, otherwise unrealizable, are
done for national grandeur, for social
and philanthropic veal. But i'll used
made to minister only to vanity and
selfish indulgence, large fortunes are
a mighty peril to social peace and
national contentment.
/ The Breeders of Socialism.
At the bottom of unreasoning so
cialism, of which I speak as peril
to American democracy, lies wide
spread irritation, begotten from the
belief that something is wrong in
present social conditions, that things
are upside down, and they who ought
to have something, have little or moth
ing, while those who deserve little OF
nothing, have so much that the prob
lem for them is how to throw it away
or misuse their abundance. Across
the turbulent waters of unrest and
protest the sewers of socialism
spread reports of extravaganza of the
richer classes afforded to them by the
columns of the public press-and g
storm is begotten that sweeps through
the land in destruction and death. Let
us beware of the breeders of socialism
and anarchy. But let us know thai
the breeders of socialism are not only
the dissatisfied denizen of the i'm
poverished cellar and garnet, and the
fiery orator of the socialistic rostrum
among them we must number also the
opulent spendthrift-the gilded you'll
of yacht and club-room, who seeming
ly has the one task before him, tt
waste in rare Wand and costly liquiG
the savings of a self-contained ances
try; the vain dame whose boast is the
quarter or half-million dollars strung
in gold and pearl over arm and neck
the folly-stricken host or hostess in