The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-02-08
ONE OF OUR SOCIALIST FRTENDS
RE-ENTERS THE LISTS.

Dear Sir:-I cannot refrain from
writing you again, although [ have
not forgotten the drubbing you gave
me the last time I ran up against
you. The best coon dog ever
owned had his ears all split up by
coon teeth. Victory sometimes
perches upon the banners of those
who have suffered many defeats. The
war is on, and I have enlisted for
life Or during the war The con-
flict now being waged is between
capital and labor; between the ply
steal and the intellectual factors in
the production and distribution of
wealth. The intellectual has been
demanding and receiving the lions
share, against which the physical has
hled protest, and | am appearing
IN their behalf. / am aware of the
fact that the case involves many
difficult and intricate points, but
these points must be clearly defined
and the issue squared by the eternal
principles Of right. Nothing short
of this will be satisfactory, and we
had as well begin to buckle down to
business now, while our heads are
cool. I might say in the outset that
this letter was provoked by reading
your reply to Mr.. F. J. Irwin, of
Lincoln, Neb., in your issue of Dec.
IA, 1911.
There are many points in that
reply to which I would like to speak,
but the limits of a communication
like this will not permit. I will
speak briefly to the main feature;
viz: the value of precedent and the
opinions of the ecclesiastical fathers
in the determination of the question
at issue.
would ask, what bearing should
the opinions and practices of those
who lived two thousand years ago
have upon the questions Of the pres
ent?
Some seem to think that they are
sanctified by their connection with
religious and ecclesiastical history. I
have a great reverence for the Bible.
but L have greater reverence for
that Spirit that nerved the men in
all the ages past to speak the word
from Gods mouth regardless of con-
sequences. They had no stereotyped
edition Of Scripture translated out of
obsolete tongues from which to draw
their inspiration. AS rule they
were men of courage, but they some
times gave evidence Of cowardice by
being continually on the scout: and
as you say in your reply to Mr.. Irwin;
They were forced to come together
for mutual comfort and protection"
In this statement you expose the rea-
son and cause of the Socialist party.
The conditions now are similar to
what they were then, and their pro-
test assumed the form of a condition
directly opposite, which proved to be
too sudden and radical to meet gen
eral appreciation.
Neither would such a proposition
meet the approval of the intelligent
Socialist of today; and you know as
we'll as I do, that they are not
demanding anything like community
Of property, such as that men
toned in the Acts. Your reply TO
Mr.. Irwin referred to the Ten Com
mandments, and you ask how the
Socialists are going to dodge them.
Why Mr.. Watson, we don't want to
dodge them. If we had wanted to
dodge the Ten Commandments we
would have joined hands with one or
the other of the old parties. They
have well beaten roads around every
one of them, and in many instances
have trampled them under foot
The Ten Commandments are sup
posed to point out those passions and
CT tn, IL h