Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-01-18
EVOLUTION OF SOCIALISM.
Influences That Have Contributed 10
the Organization Of the Proietariat,

the Organization Of the PrOletariat. |
In continuing consideration of modem
socialism at the College Street Church |
Sunday at noon, Prof. S. r.. Emerson
discussed at length the influences CON |
trbutng toward the organization Of the |
proletariat and the Development OF the
socialist.
While the landed aristocracy retained
control OF the state and of most fields
OF business and intellectual activity, the
working class was connected principally
with the soil. This association caused IL
Feeling of dignity az we'll as Of stability
and stability tends toward moral fiber.
Tho development of the city and the
invention of machinery took the working
class away from the soil and made the
class mobile While the working class
was relieved from the serfdom OF the
middle ages IT lost ito hold ,.pon stable
THINGS and conceptions. and became the
creature or the caprice Of the hurghcr
class to II greater or lesser degree.
me revolution which began centuries
ago Is till making itsclf felt In our own
iand as we'll as In dfferent parts Of the
old world What has alread'' taken place
in western Europe. nus' inevitably he ac-
'oinp'ishcd in l'ilanr'1 and all eastern
Europe The republican movement IN
thinn may not BE- the direct result Of
This movement. hut it nevertheless can
be attributed 10 tho indirect sowing f
the seed of revolution by missionaries an
chinese who have coma under The it,
nuences of our western civilization
The Kant idea OF individualism has
found eNpr, SsiOn In natonalism, and It
has also Facilitated the development OF
competition, which has been pronounced
divirclv ordained institution for ;hc
benefit OF tn" race.
iIut with this increased sense OF the
rights of the individual has come also
the development of the class spirit
through jhc influence Of generalization.
The organization o: tn" ploctaria. has
resulted from both negative and posi-
tive forces.
w" used to ascrilc things LARGELY to
the supcrhunan, whereas now we see
the divine spirit working through ma
turnl law. We formerly spoke Of heaven
as thing Of jhr future; to-day we try
to bring heaven INFO the life Of this
world through spiritual Influences We
have had no other such embodiment of
hins.
When ;hc Supc"nutuau vas taken
away from the prolo:arlat no coinpcnsa-
tory Substitute was given it, \ mem
her Of thi. class could NOT readily adapt
hiuscl. to the new den. There vas ief.
Il vacuum. and SO he Sought co,npensi -
ton In other ways-in the saloon and the
dive and other places that depend prin-
cipally upon the prolctariat FOR suppor;.
on the other hand the preaching of
Narl Marx furnished tNc rrolctarint
with q r'll Organizing p"i1 iple. iit'
clam was tha, labor was the creator
of value ana that he laborer mad been
uniustly deprived Of the fruit OF his
labor. Therefore ii has become a reli-
zion as well as an economic considera-
ton to restore the nights OF the laborng
class In fac. the real orthodox socialist
as a rule has no other religion.
Professor Emerson said II was surpr.s-
| ing how powerfully the socialist prn-
racanda IS making itself fell at the
| present time IN colese circles. \ CON
/ ference of socialists representing seven
teen different Institutions was recently
held in New York ana he had received
communication from them which Nc
hoped to read next Sunday. He said
that socialist organizations have been
! formed In moro than a score of univer-
| stiles at III" present time, and socialism
has become a large factor in polite Al
| life.
| Professor Emerson said that next Sun
| day he would discuss the arraignment
! which the working class brings against
| the ruling class at the present tim,