Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-08-09


faction of unrest involves the promise
of millennium, a condition in which
the rich are to be made reasonably
poor and the poor reasonably rich by
the law, we are chasing phantom; we
are holding out to those whose un-
rest we fear prospect and dream, a
vision of the impossible.
Looks Like Socialism.
In the ultimate analysis. fear, the
equal opportunity which those seek
who proclaim the coming of so-called
social justice involves a forced divis-
lon of property. and that means So
cialism. In the abuses of the last two
decades 1t is true that ill-gotten
wealth has been concentrated In some
undeserving hands, and that If 1t were
possible to redistribute 1t on any equi-
table principle to those. from whom 1t
was taken without adequate or proper
compensation 1t would be a good re-
suit to bring about. But this is OBJ
viously impossible and impracticable.
All that can be done Is to treat this
as one incidental evil of a great ex-
pansive movement in the material
progress of the world and to make
sure that there will be no recurrence
of such evil.
In this regard we have made great
progress and reform. as in respect to
secret rebates in railways. the i'm
proper comforting Of public fran
chises, and the immunity of mo-
t-,, &c I'D hi ,ot
The misfortunes of ordinary busi-
ness, the division of the estates
of wealthy men at their death, the
chances of speculation which undue
good fortune seems often to stimu-
late, operating as causes through a
generation, will do much to divide up
such large fortunes. 1t Is far better to
await the elimination of this evil by nat
ural causes than to attempt what would
soon take on the aspect of confiscation
or to abolish the principle and insti-
tuition Of private property and to
change to socialism. Socialism in
wolves the taking away Of the motive
for acquisition, saving, energy, and
enterprise, and futile attempt by
due for productive labor. 1t means
stagnation and retrogression. 1t de-
stroys the handspring of human action
that has carried the world on and up
ward for 1000 years.
Opponents Offer No Remedy.
do not say that the two gentle
men who now lead, one the Demo
cratic party and the other the former
Republicans who have left their party,
in their attacks upon existing condi-
tions, and in their attempt to satisfy
the popular unrest by promises of
remedies, are consciously embracing
socialism The truth is that they do
not offer any definite legislation or
policy by which the happy conditions
they promise are to be brought about,
but if their promises mean anything,
they lead directly toward the ap-
preparation of what belongs to one
man, to another. The truth is, my
friends, both those who have left the
Republican party under the inspira-
tion of their present leader, and our
old opponents, the Democrats, under
their candidate, are going in a direc-
tion they do not definitely know to-
ward an end they can not definitely
describe, with but one chief and clear
object, and that is of acquiring pow
er for their party by popular support
through the promise of change for
the better. What they clamor for is
change. They ask for change in
government so that the government
may be restored to the people, as If
this had not been a peoples govern
ment since the beginning of the con-
stitution. | have the fullest sympathy
with every reform in governmental
and election machinery which shall
facilitate the expression of the popu-
lar will as the short ballot and the
reduction in elective Offices to make
1t possible. But these gentlemen pro.
pose to reform the government whose
present defects. if any, are due to the
failure of the people to devote as
much time as is necessary to their
political duties, by requiring a politi-
cal activity by the people three times
that which thus far the people have
pSNi NiiiiiS w NDlS, anu llluS lHeS
propose remedies which, instead of
exciting the people to further interest
and activity in the government, will
tire them into such an indifference as
still further to remand control of pub
lie affairs to a minority.
Hostility to Judiciary.
Instead of giving us the benefit of
any specific remedies for the hard
ships and evils of society they point
out, they follow their urgent appeals
for closer association of the people
in legislation by an attempt to culti,
vate the hostility of the people to the
courts and to represent that they are
in some form upholding injustice and
are obstructing the popular will. At
tempts are made to take away all
those safeguards for maintaining the
independence of the judiciary which
are so carefully framed in our consti-
tuition Tbaca ottapoptc R1d oynro.