Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-02-08

crux of the whole situation. It
furnishes the incentive for an attack
upon anything included in it by
faithful adherents Of the Roman
Catholic church. Economic condi-
lions in Belgium, Italy, Spain and
other European countries had be-
come so acute, however, at the time
the encyclical was-promulgated that
the reply of the working class. in
these countries was, your Holiness
can dictate our religion to us, but
not our politics. A significant re-.
ply truly and one followed not long
after by the bloodiest war in the
history of the world.
/ ask you in all sincerity, Mr.. Vot-
ler, how safe is your party from the
domination OF this power across the
sea if my party can be made to feel
lit in this way?- If you are a repub-
lican you ought to know the great
issue out Of which your party was
born. If you do not know, take bit
of time off and visit your public lib
|rary. Lincoln and Fremont were sub
ject to all of the vile charges which
are now being used against social
ism. The campaign cry Of Ere
mont, Free Soil and Free Men, was
|paraphrased to. Fremont, Free Mig
gers and Free Women When / tell
you that the pope of Rome was the
only foreign dignitary who recog-
|nized the Confederacy you will know
the invisible source of the mudsling-
ing. Because we are more interest
ed in baseball and movies than we
are in history it is possible for the
same old stuff to do duty many
times! They warn you in tones that
quiyer with indignation against the
anarchy that socialism will bring,
but say nothing whatever of the
anarchy that their Ism has already
produced in Mexico. They are ready
to get behind ESQ they say every
movement for social reform that we
want and my suggestion to- Mr.. Col
Inns would be that they start their
social reform in Mexico and II we
like it there we may adopt it here!
He might get the genial Knights
lined up behind prohibition and
woman suffrage, infant welfare and
mental hygiene societies.
We may never have socialism, just
as the prohibition party may never
have to get into power in order to
accomplish their end, for the other
parties may grant their demands in
order to keep them from getting in
power Be that as it may, the pro-
hibition party had to exist as q min
ority party for years before they
could force legislation
If the other parties will give us
the things we want we'll and good;
If not, we will continue until our
minority party becomes the majority
party and bring them about oursel-
YES and we hope it will be In Mr..
Collins time, so that he may share
the good things with u.s.
The following poem by Ella
Wheeler Wilcox appeared some time
ago and as it gives fair picture OF
what we want l submit it for your
approval:
A SOCIALIST.
Who is Socialist? 1t is man
Who strives to formulate or aid a
plan
To better earth's conditions. 1t Is he
Who, having ears to hear and eyes
to see
Is neither deaf nor blind when
might, rough shod,
Treads down the privileges and
rights which God
Means for all men: the privilege to
toll
The right to live, to love, to WOO. to
wed
And earn for hungry mouths their
bread.
The Socialist is he who claims no
Than his own share from generous
natures store;
But that he asks, and asks too that
no other
Shall claim the share OF any weaker
brother,
And brand him beggar in his own
domain,
To glut a mad, inordinate lust for
gain.
The Socialist is one who holds the
best
OF all Gods gifts is toll, the second
rest.
He asks that all men learn the
sweets of labor,
And that no idler fatten OFF his
neighbor;
That all men be allowed their share