Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-01-02
Politics On the Street Corner

people as a whole depended upon their
having the use of these streets and
highways. Likwise the very existence
OF pople on the earth necessitates food,
clothing and shelter. Their life and
well being is quite dependent upon the
way these are produced and distri-
buted. You also said that al law
abiding people had the right to use
the streets and that all people should.
therefore, be given easy access to the
streets and should be given equal op-
portunity to use them. Is it not equal
ly true, Mr.. Jones, that all law abiding
people have the right to- make a liv-
ing? If so, the natural sources of raw
material and the instruments by which
this raw material is made into disable
products and distributed should be
made easily accessible to all, and each
should be given an equal opportunity
to have access either directly, or in
directly, to these means of lif e.
Il believe you stated that private
ownership of highways was found in
tolerable. Yet we still have private
ownership Of the means by which We
procure most of the material necessi-
ties and comforts of life. What does
the private owner of the mines, mills,
factories, etc, do? He does exactly
as the private owner of the road once
did. He charges the people a toll for
the use of these things. This toll
amounts to more than half of the value
of what the people produce in the
various Industries. Al considerable
part of this toll is used by the private
owner or owners to pay rent, interest,
advertising and other expenditures
which are necessary only under the
private ownership system. That part
of the toll which remains after these
expenses are met goes to the owners
as profit. Just as the owner of the
highway would in some cases close
it up entirely, so do the owners of
the industries suspend operations with
out regard to the needs of the people
whenever conditions arise which make
it improbable for the INTO continue.
Therefore, the system, of private
ownership in the means of production
and distribution is undesirable because
under it the sources and instruments
by which the majority of the people
gain their livelihood are not as easily
accessible as they might be; neither
are all people given an equal oppor-
tunity to use these means of life and
thus sustain themselves. So you see,
Mr.. Jones, the very same reasons
which made it necessary to eliminate
private ownership and control of high
ways and substitute public ownership
and control, make it necessary to eli
inmate private ownership and control
in the means of production and dis
tribution and substitute public owner
ship and control That is Socialism"
Jones looked beWildered. rs that
all there is to Socialism," he asked.
Il never studied it a great deal, but
thought it meant the abolition of all
private property and that We were all
to be placed ON dead level and each
have just the same amount of wealth.
Now it. was Smiths tur nto laugh.
after which he said, Eyes, Jones, you
are like the majority of the common
people you get your information about
Socialism from anti-Socialist maya
zines, trust-owned newspapers and
politicians. Wake up, JONES' added
Smith, as he extended his hand for
parting clasp, wake up and do some
thinking for yourself. Find out what.
Socialism really is and then support
the only politicrl party that has found
the solution of tha great economic
problem facing the world today.
Goodbye"