Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-23

present social OrQer as bankrupt anu 4
TO be replaced by the new cooperative |
commonwealth It's aim is not social |
reform but social revolution.
The church would warn the labor |
ing man Of the false pretenses of so |
cialism. She would again restate the
old doctrine of the dependence of men
upon one another, of their inequalities
reduced to harmony by mutual CO
operation. of their equality Of nature.
origin and destiny and the affection
they should have for one another as
members of the same mystic body Of
which Christ is the head.
She would teach him the earth and
all 1t contains-the sunshine, and the
rain, and the air We breathe. as we'll
as labor Of brain and brawn-contri-
butte TO the production Of material
blessings. She admits the greed of
capitalists is responsible for many of
the ills that afflict the labOring man,
but she knows that TO destroy capital
itself and all productive property would
do irreparable harm to the laboring
man himself
she is willing to use all her infiu-
ence to bring about the social reforms
that are needed to improve the condi-
ton of laboring men, but she will never
consent to the total destruction of the
social order itself In other words,
she condemns socialism as the enemy
of the laboring man.
First of all. socialism is economi-
cally unsound II destroys the right
| of private ownership, or, at least,
limits 1t to consumptive goods, such
as food, clothing and shelter, and it
would transfer TO the community or
! the state ownership of land, capital
and all the instruments of production
and distribution.
: Who does not see that such a
theory would make the life of the labor
ing man unbearable and deprive him
OF what justly belongs to him? Who
would work in the field, in the factory,
and the mine. if his surplus earnings
were confiscated by the state? Where
would be the incentive to toll If one
were not permitted 10 accumulate cap
ital and make It productive?
Capital, after all, is stored labor,
and every laborer who saves his earn
ings and invests them is a capitalist.
He would. therefore, take away from
the laborer all possibility of becoming
a capitalist. would take from him the
chief incentive to labor. The wheels
CT industry would cease TO revolve
and the laborer would become a drone
In the hive.
Socialism is an insult to the labor.
ing man. II reduces him to the condi.
ton Of brute. The state is the only
owner and the laboring man must be
fed at his masters crib. He is deprived
alike of the responsibility and the
pleasure which should belong to every
rational being of providing for the
I future OF himself and his family He
pnUst leave his wife and little ones to
the tender mercy of that same i'm
! personal master who doled out to him
as It does to the lower animals, feed
/ clothing and shelter.
, 1T is useless for the socialists IA
/ urge that God gave the earth TO al
men; that. therefore, il should be q
. common possession: for this does not
, mean that some men cannot make por
tions Of the earth their own by occp
patton and labor. and that all men dc
Z not participate in the fruits produces
by others
, NO, private property is natural tC
r man. This is the common opinion o.
I men since the world began. It ha.
: been Incorporated into the civil law,
, Of all nations. and God himself ha,
given to it his own sanction when from
I the heights of Sinai he declared: Thou
I shalt not steal; thou shalt not cove
! they neighbours land. nor his house
r nor his OK, nor anything else that il
his
q Socialism will not succeed in de
stroying nature. Its false promises O
terrestrial paradise, OF a land flowin,
with milk and honey. where Justice
and peace, and happiness reign su
preme. can never he realized upol
earth. Sin and its COnsequenCes-poy
erty and misery, sickness and dealt
will not be obliterated from tn
. socialists Utopia II this visionar
theory could be reduced 10 practice
? state absolutsm would again brin
back 10 the world the slavery and tn
ignorance and the crime Of paganisr
which Christianity has banished fror
the earth.
Socialism is unpatriotic II aim
: TO destroy all constituted civil author
r ity The liberty Of opportunity an
9 personal Initiative guaranteed BY hi
man government Il would crush out b
? its deadening doctrine OF absolut
. equality. Its treasonous outbursts c
!, Indignation against the powers lodge
5 in the constitution and in the judiciary
I its attacks against leaders in civ
= life. are evidences OF its anarchist
d aims and purposes. With II love {
n country would cease 10 rouse the pair
e ottsm Of the patriot
= Socialism is un-American and Is OF
i posed to the declaration OF indepen,
d enoe, which sets forth not only tha
;. all men are created equal but ais
J. that they are endowed by their Create
y with certain inalienable rights. anon
( which are life liberty and the n,,rs,,