The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-12-13

MIN GAFOAl
cerning the wealth of Babel, Social
list In the audience challenged Mr..
Collins to produce proof for his asser-
tion. The answer made by the speaker
drew from the audience a storm of
applause. The interruption was the
first of the evening and proved that
Mr.. Collins was the master of the sit
uation. Referring to the challenge,
he said:
received tonight a challenge to
debate a representative of the Social
ist party of this city. They want a
division of money. I have debated
with Prof. Kirkpatrick in New York,
Allan Cooksen and Senator Gaylord of
Wisconsin. am on my way to Red
Wing, Long Prairie, and Brainerd,
where I expect to debate. You have
great charitable organization in this
city, The Associated Charities, seek
ing to get $4,000. If the Socialists in
this town mean business let us debate
and give the proceeds to the Asso-
ciated Charities There won't be any
| division of the spoils. Socialists are
tempestuous persons. That man call
ed me liar, as Debs told him to in
his Appeal to Reason, but my friends,
that won't deter me from doing work
in aid of society and in aid of the
Creator, and my friends, am going to
be on the job just as long as God will
give me strength to fight for the cause
of righteousness. Babel died, re.
peat, worth $500,OO0. (Silence l note }
When was in Boston a few months
ago, I saw a moving picture show,
Babel's funeral procession, and said
here was horny-fsted son of toll,
so-called representative of workers.
went in expecting to see working men
following the hearse and paying trib-
ute to Babel. Well, if working men
wear plug hats and frock coats they
were there. Herr Babel, of the Ger
man Reichstadt, was not worker, al
though they claimed he was. The pro-
fessors of the university made up his
funeral cortege.
Let me step from Germany over
into England. Ernest Books wrote
Religion of Socialism," in which he
says, Christ was an impostor, calling
Himself Savior. He says there are
men and women Socialists, higher
types than Jesus, without calling
themselves sayiors." What do you
think of that kind of blasphemy?
"There is no God" Do you think
that could come from the working
class?
The man who went with the daugh-
ter of Marx committed suicide seven
teen years ago; the other daughter
committed suicide after she had been
deserted by Ervelig, who deserted his
wife and children to go with another.
Socialism holds out nothing beyond
the grave, nor nothing this side of the
grave. 1t would take out of the lives
of men and women spirituality and in
freturn give Atheism, unrighteousness.
Socialism at one time had an eco.
nomic basis and that was the basis
put in at the Congress of Gotha in
1875 (wealth).
All men are not the same, it takes
brains, ingenuity, genius, to make
wealth. In 1891, this basis was abso
lutely eliminated so that Socialism
stands today without an economic
basis.
Socialism denies God, is against the
interest of the working class. Social
ism never laid single brick in any
constructive work, never put a single
penny in the pay envelope of a work
ing man. 1t is the greatest gold bricl
offered by as clever jackanapes as
ever followed a circus.
Referring to Gene Debs, Mr.. Collins
Said:
Some Socialists say Gene Debs was
a working man. Well, Debs hasn't
done tap of work for twenty-five
years. G. Debs while he was work
ing man at one time, has been the
greatest enemy, absolutely, the great
est menace and danger in the move
ment of the working man.
Socialism and ethics are two differ
ent things. They speak of class strug
gle; there is absolutely no such thinf
as class struggle only in the con
sciousness of the soap box orator
This person is not usually informed
he simply arouses bitterness and hat
red against other elements in society
He says, "See that building across thu
street; labor. built it, but labor does
not own it." You may be employed
on the railroad, or in the mine, a car
penter, or a bricklayer. I am an cleo
trician. may be working in build
ing or running pole line out on thu
street. Now, after our days work i.
done and we come off the job,. and W,
come out and see the employer goint
by in his automobile, do you think W,
have any hatred in our hearts? Their,