The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-07-07
BEDE AND SEIOEL
DEBATE AT EATON
Big Chautauqua Crowd En-
tertained BY Two Promi-
nent Orators.
BEDE WAS SARCASTIC
He Gave Humorous Expose
of Socialism-Serious Re-
ply BY Seidel.
BEDE WAS SARCASTIC
az STAFF CORRESPONDENT


EATON, o., July Tin spite of the
electrical storm which arrived at such
an inopportune moment the big chau-
tauqua tent was almost entirely filled
Saturday night by those who went out
to hear ex-Mayor Seidel of Wisconsin,
and ex-Congressman Bede, of Minneso-
Ia, debate the question, rs Socialism
Desirable for American"
With the sarcasm and persiflage
which gave him reputation in the
House, Mr.. Bede gave the crowd hill
arious expose of what he considered
the fallacies of Socialism. Socialists
disagree among themselves as to what
their precious doctrines are; how can
we common folks be expected to I'M
derstand what 1t is when they don't?"
was the question he asked.
Socialism tends towards Atheism
and Is sure, when once established, to
be succeeded by Anarchy. Nothing is
said in Socialist platforms on the sub
ject because that would lose them
votes. No Socialist convention could
endorse the Christian religion.
Causes Of Present Evils.
"The pursuit of happiness is the
handspring of all progress. Most of
our present evils come from the fact
that people would rather stay in the
city and watch the bugs fly around
the arc lights than live on farm and
work! The man who is willing to work
can find plenty of opportunity. /, my
self, am an example; / started as
poor boy but worked and saved and
studied, / have raised seventeen chill
dren, bought farm and got myself
elected to Congress.
Socialism would plunge us into An.
archy. In its system money couldn't
circulate. every other man would be
idle, all of us would be overburdened
with taxes, and beaureaucratic tyran-
NY would regulate every little detail
of our lives. resent evils are due to
human imperI octions, not to our sys-
tenn. Progress will gradually eliminate
them all. Private gain il the only in
| centive that drives man to work;
under Socialism that would be lost"
He closed by reiterating his charge
that we cannot decide whether social
ism will be desirable or not until the
Socialists tell us what socialism is and
how to get it. The audience found his
side of the argument very entertain
ing.
i SeideI Repl.ss To Bede.
Mr.. Seidel, two years socialist may
or of Milwaukee, presented the social
ist side with compact, carefully rea-
soned. and well-supported sentences.
Socialism Is misrepresented," he as
serted, "by those who have personal
interest in SO doing Socialism is inevi-
table; it is now being unconsciously
prepared for. 1t is the only means by
which civilization can be preserved
and carried forward to it's fulfillment.
Society has gradually won first civil
liberty, then religious, then political:
it is now Nndeavoring for economical
liberty. Economic progress will accel-
crate progress all along the line.
Under the present system the wage
worker is slave because he doesn't
own his tools or means of livelihood
Socialism proposes to abolish the use
of property for exploitation, and to
produce for use rather than for pri-
vate gain.
There are number of ways by
means of which Socialism may be
brought about, anyone of which or all
may be used when the time comes.
Socialism is an economic movement
and is not concerned one way or an
other with religion. There are promi-
nent men in the movement of all
faiths; we hold that religion is ques-
ton to be privately settled. Socialism
seeks to preserve, not destroy, our
civilization and our institutions of a
free government. There has arisen in
our midst second government in
which we have no voice. Three hun
dred men now control twenty-five bill
lion, three hundred and twenty-five
million of the wealth of America.
They are the real rulers of the nation;
we want to restore the government to
the people"