The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-24

Doesn't Like Middle Ground.
e Virginian

Editor of The Virginian:
Sir.-Please accept my thanks for the way
in which you heaved the harpoon into the hide
Of the Washington Post In your editorial of
April 9Th, entitled "Criticisng Marshall" you
quote the Post as saying: "Marshalls talk was
socastic and anarchistic." Then you say:
How 10 could be two opposite things at the
same time the Post does not tell, which ornis-
sion leads to the conclusion that either the
Post does not know what anarchy and socialism
are that il instinctively resented Marshall e
address and began forthwith to search for the
worst epithets 1t could apply to II without Civ
ing any consideration to what the words meant"
The Post knew the meaning of the words,
but relied on the ignorance of its readers TO
make its getaway. Socialism has ever been
associated with anarchy by tho stan9pat and
reactionary papers, politicians and all other
benefciaries of the present system s, ealism
and anarchy opposites. antipodal. An
arChy Is indivdualism, socialism IS cooperation
Since the day Of Cain and Abel we have Ind
neutrality-suspicious. in every phase of life,
Socialism is yet in the future. Prophets and
poets have sung Of it all down the ages, and
we of this generation will behold it. Socialism
and anarchy being opposltes. society Is at pres
ent between the two extremes. Anarchy on the
one hand and socialism the other, we must
either so back to the Cain and Abel condition
or progress onward and finally succeed in es-
tablshing the cooperative Commonwealth,
wherein each individual will he assured of the
fun social value of his production Anyone
claiming more is thief: anyone content with
less is a fool II seems that the only question
is this: Which is brst for all the people, CO.
operation competition? If competition IL
best. let have 1t in its fullness. Let US begin
by destroying the postal system. public schools,
public roads. streets building, etc. Next de-
stroy all corporations, railroads, steamship, tele-
graph and telephone lines banks and all means
~ production and distribution that require more
than one individual to operate II. Let US do the
Cain and Abel act to final finish. If CO.
operation is best let have It. Let CO.
operate in all things that tend to make us better
and happier: let US strive to put in operation
system of society in which each unit shall
be able to produce the social value of all 1t
requires and it's production of values shall be
limited only by it's capacity. We cannot go
back to the old competitive system We cannot
unsCramble the egg, put the chicken back in
the shell nor force the oak back into the acorn
The getting back question has got Nicodemus
skinned mile. Nicodemus not puzzled so
much about the second birth as he was about
the getting back Jesus explained to Nco-
Gemus that there nothing to be gantd by
going back, for often go back travel
again the same old road. and after much toll
and suffering finally find ourselves again at
the point where turned back. Jesus taught
to go ahead until finally life of q differ
ent kind would begin; so the present social
system will continue to go onward it's COM
plete development. then decline and finally pass
into Oblivion. But while in its vigor will it
generate its offspring and heir and 1t will be
ready and able to assume all responsibilities
and obligations at the proper time and as the
new system with it's new life and energy grows
strong the old grows weaker, then dissolution
and the present system will have gone the way
of all its predecessors.
f. A. TYREE.
Richmond Va