The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1913-08-09
EDITORIAL COMMENT
PotIatch and Socialism.

hdnSdS City IlmeS. AS an incident
to Seattle's "potlatch festival' the
fighting against socialists denoted a
curious miXup of ideas. H..
The "potlatch" was the northwest
ern Indians expression of the simpler
and more extreme ideal of some early
oclal1stS-communis 1t was this:
After a period of accommodating that
which. was wealth to the Indians, a.
member of the tribe or clan would in
Vlte all other members to a feast. Then
he would give away by practically ex-
act partition all that he had accumu-
lated. If among his possessions were,
say, four blankets and there were for
ty persons at the potlatch, he would
cut each blanket into ten strips and
give each person strip. But that was
not an invariable rule. A blanket
might be offset against a hide The
only rule was that the giver gave
away what he had and the way he di-
vided 1t was decided by those who got
it.
The member of the tribe or clan who
could give the biggest potlatch-by
reason of his superior hunting or fish
ing ability, his skill as a trader or his
possession of the largest number Of
slaves and wives-Was the envied man
of the bunch.
+ Truly, the institution was not one of
society resting on pure communism;
still less. on socialism. But 1t was
primitive application, of the utopian
principles. From each according to his
ability; to each according to his need"
Whose Man Is Mitchell?
Boston Transcript: Boston bull
moose appear to be in conflict with
their knickerbocker brethren regarding
the responsibility for the nomination
of John Purroy Mitchell as the fusion
candidate for mayor of New York this
year. The local "bull mooser" an
nounces this morning that ''the firm
ness of the progressives has secured
the nomination of John Purroy Mitchell
as the fusion candidate for mayor Of
New York. Their firmness was due to
their reasoned conviction that he is
the best man to head the fusion tick
ct" But Editor Munsey in his paper,
The New York Press, today declares:
"Mr. Mitchell, the fusion choice of the
committee of 107 for mayor of New
York, is Mr.. Hearst's candidate. We
don't know what ar. Hearst expects to
do with Mr.. Mitchell: we don't suppose
he counts on electing him, we can't
see the strength Of Mr.. Mitcheps nom
ination from any point of view" OF
course it is barely possible that neither
Mr.. Hearst nor the progressives named
the fusion candidate, but that he owes
his selection to the rule Of the majori-
ty. However, the colonel needed a.
good vacation and 1t is only natural
that his party should fall into error
during his absence. Meantime perhaps
that sage old philosopher, William J..
Gaynor, can settle the. controversy be-
tween the Roosevelt and Hearst sup
porters as to whose man Mitchell is.
>s* =. q s s1s~ : .@s 80
The Nicarasuan Policy. ST
New York Globe: So far as pro-
tecting the canal is concerned, 1t is
far more vital to US to keep the friend
ship of Peru, Colombia, Venezuela. and
the other countries Of South America
than it is to occupy Nicaragua or
Costa Rica. South America now has a
population of $4,000, 900 and in a gem
Grafton will have 100.000,000. If the
South American nations come to be-
lieve that this country is dangerous
to them and is trying to undermine
and overthrow their civilization they
will establish more intimate 'connec-
tions with the nations of Europe. AS
price of protection 1t is conceivable
that eoaling station privileges will be
ceded, and thus the canal will really
be menaced. If this country should
lose the political friendship of the
South American nations it will ado
enormously to our military expendi-
lures. Constant intriguing against US
would go on, We might become involved
in an European war over some Soutf
American question. 5s. III
Folly of Taking Bananas.
Boston Globe: We have already
called attention to the folly of placins
| an unnecessary tax on bananas, whicf
lWould deplete the workingman's.po pock
| estbook and incidentally decrease thu
consumption Of a staple article OF foot
/ that, untaSed, has not risen in pr1ct
during the past decade.
| There is still another side tao tn
story.
/ Bananas are raised only in Soutl
land Central American countries ant
the West Indies. If Uncle Sam make
their leading export product dHtiabl
and Injuries their business will liz no
tend to dull the friendly and fay0rabl
Feeling for us among the Latin Aneri
lean peoples which the Boston chanbe
Of commerce tourists have cultivate
rectnly AZ so great pains and expense
4 AT any rate. liz WG buy less from then
they will certainly buy less from "
and Our own exports will fall off.
4 Presents BY Subscription.
Baltimore News. Doubtless the pres
Eident liz right iii asking Baltimore ad
mirers that the proposal to provide
\ wedding present for Miss WILSON b
popular subscrip be dropped. Tina
4 particular method lis about the ginpIes
land most straight forward one for
demonstrate OF real public good wi
i and wishes but between the peopl
Il who subscribe La such cases with
4 lingering hope on benehting tInense1ve
i and those who subscribe with a feelin
4 that they are being held UP. the senti
ttnent iii pretty well squeezed Cstts