The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-01-04
SOCIALISM
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This column is devoted to PROFOUND z
ing the philosophy of Socialism Z
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By S. II. G~ooDFELLow
Let the nation " the trusts"

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Let the nation own the trusts"
1t is not generally known how fast
the philosophy of socialism is taking
root in this country and, therefore,
it seems pertinent at this time to call
the attention Of our readers to this
matter and ask them to look it up
Some there are who have watched
this growth OF socialism and are cry
ing out against it, calling it a menace
to our free institutions.
If the American people will look
calmly upon this question, freeing
their minds from partisan prejudice
and considering only the welfare of
the people and our national institu-
tions, they will be forced to confess
that socialism is a n only to in
dividual power, greed, and graft, and
will prove to be a protection to our
institutions and our freedom.
Fifty cities in these United States
are now preceded over by socialist
mayors and there are over one thou
sand elective Offices now filled by So
c~ialists.
Collective ownership and operation
OF all public utilities is one Of the
aims OF socialism and it may aston
ish many OF our readers TO learn how
far We have already gone in this line.
The army and navy and our courts
are all government operated and own
ed. Ship-building and repairing;
deepening rivers and digging canals;
protecting and replanting our forests
and constr citing irrigation bitches to
reclaim arid lands are only a small
part OF what our government is do
ing in the way OF government owner
ship and control OF public utilities.
Millions OF dollars have been spent
for improvements like the above and
millions more will be spent in the
future. The digging OF the Panama
canal where private corporations
failed 10 an example of what govern
ment can do. There, where 1t was
said no white man could work and
live, the government has so changed
the sanitary conditions that white
men not only live but work and re-
main healthy and strong. Soon we
may expect to see a deep waterway
from the great lakes to the gulf and
a saltwater way along the Atlantic
coast. All these Improvements Of
such gigantic proportions will have
to be built by the government be-
cause corporations cannot do 1t. They
have tried and failed. Only recent
ly private contractors failed in their
attempt to dredge the channel past
Sandy Hook in New York harbor.
Government took the matter In
hand and in a short time the ocean
liners were passing through the chan
mel. Several OF our western states
have for a long time controlled the
distribution OF water for irrigation
and that authority Is being extended.
Even our own state and our sister |
state OF North Dakota in 1905 de-
clared that all water from streams
not navigable was the property OF
the state. This collective control of
the natural utility, water, has added
millions OF acres Of valuable farm
lands and will add millions more.
AS a result OF the reclamation act
passed in 1902 the arid regions of
the west are being transformed. This
act provided for collective construc-
ton on a large scale of vast engineer
ing works to reclaim arid lands.
The government is not only reclaim
ing the arid lands of the west but 1t Is
taking steps to reclaim swamp lands
and a movement Is now on foot to In
stitute a drainage system for draining
swamp lands. The project is gigantic.
1t is said that in the eastern part
of the United States there are, at
least, 1900, 900 acres OF swamp lands
that can be made fit for cultivation
by ordinary engineering skill.
Our postofice Is a government oper-
ated institution but 1t Is autocratic-
ally controlled. If we would only in
stitute a system OF ~electing our post
owned and operated p~ostofflce.
Our public schools are collectively
owned and operated. How many of