Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1918-05-09
SUCH IDEALLSMl

n;od ont at length, must include pub
Ia ownership of the land. Otherwise,
except. perhaps, in few particular
.oses such as the postal service, the
theory of public ownership, unless 1t is
made to include every article OF goods
nossessed by man, save the clothing
worn nv himself and family and the
or+;cles of household necessity, should
come under this category. An lndivl-
dual would own no property. He would
90 to a public storehouse and draw his
davis or week s rations, and when his
slotbing became so badly worn that 1t
would no longer conceal his nakedness,
he would be supplied with more gar
ments from the public store. Such
would be the logical outcome of public
ownership, in order that every person
would share alike.
The land would be seized, but who
would till it, if there were no oppor-
tunity for gaina The railroads and the
mines would be taken over by the pub
lie. but who would operate theml Of
course there would be demand for
manufactures But who would be fool
enough to direct them, and to operate
them if he were assured of no more than
living from the public storehouses
Who would construct large office build
ings in cities? There would be no need
for lawyers and brokers, for under pub
lie ownership excuse for litigation could
not exist. A community doctor would
be provided, to treat the ills of the
people, and there would be community
theater. There would be no need for
money! Everything would be owned by
the people at large and would be free.
All, such idealisml
Such conditions would produce race
of indolent people. What force would
exist to compel a man to work2 How
could he be made to serve his fellow
MANI There would be no initiative for
him to be of aid to his brother. Per
sonal gain would be forever abolished.
1t surely would be, Each for the joy
Of the working, and the industrious per
son would have nothing more to show
for his labors than the loafer.
This Utopian state, you will say, can
not exist. No, it cannot exist. 1t is
contrary to human nature, and no man
on the face of the earth can change
human nature, which has been inherited
throughout the centuries But parti- {
cular societies, notably the socialist
party, existing in the United States. /
advocate industrial changes which, if,
in fairness to all, were carried to their /
logical conclusion, would create through I
out the land a reign of terror All the |
institutions of civilization would be Z
crushed even as a great building is
leveled to its foundation by an earth
quake America and Russia would be
on a par, politically, socially, morally I
Yes, hell would be turned loose here, as
it is on the battlefields of Europe. But
it would be different kind of hell. Il
would be a hell of confusion, hell of
Incidence, hell of ignorance, a he'll Of
free love- 1t would be a hell into which
a great and wise people had innocently
plunged themselves. 1t would be bar
barism.
Just what is the ultimate aim of those
who would change the present state of
affairs in the American nation, has not
been fully revealed. They surely can
not be working to elevate the position
of the so-called "downtrodden" class.
No. Part of their aim is to enrich them
selves. Another part is to embarrass
the government in the prosecution of
the war. Other factors no doubt exist.
They may come~to light later.
Fortunately the American people will
not allow itself to be led away by these
willy agitators The man who agitates
against the government should and will
be treated as an enemy of the country.
Al the present time the government as
carefully investigating The trickerv of
these men. AS war measure, they will
be given their due. And it is safe to
say that, after the war; he who would
align forces in opposition TO the very
under which the American
government was formed, will be given
an opportunity to say farewell to our
shores