The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-02-15
II AM NOT A SOCIALIST

Mr. Clinton Collins sends in pamphlet and
says, 81 am not socialist, because socialism would
compel the sacrifice of intellectual independence,
forfeiture Of character and abandonment Of really
laudable ambition" Az
To this and other gentlemen we say that you
may be socialist, or less without knowing it.
Do you use great park, maintained and paid
for by taxes on all the people? That is socialism.
Do you belong to some club, that costs much
more than you can possibly afford to pay, as an
individually thats put within your reach because
thousands help youto pay the bill? That is social
ism. A. nv
Do you cross the ocean-when you do cross on
your private yacht or do you 60 on great ship
finer than the yacht Of any king, and travel at a
fair price because so many use it That is social
ism.
Have you children in public schools, educated at
public expense, books supplied at public expense,
medical examinations paid for by the public? Could
you think of any more real socialism than that?
DO you live in city that owns it's water
supply and that will own its street railroads?
Do you live in nation that has taken control of
railroads away from the so-called Owners of those
national veins and arteries? That is socialism, and
socialism with vengeance.
In each generation majority look with horror
on socialism, and say, ''We are not socialists"
Yet each generation and each individual is social
stic, compared with those that went before
president of the United States, early in the last
century, complained bitterly in public speech be-
cause he couldn't hire firstclass American work.
man for less than 500 per year.
He would look upon this age with its compare
lively high wages and it's labor unions made legal,
not as mere socialism, but as rank anarchy.
former governor Of Virginia, publicly thanked
God that there was not public school in his state
and prayed that there might not he one for many
centuries to come. What would he say about mod
ern schools and socialism?
The socialist when he really is socialist and
not merely all incompetent, jealous of somebody
else fortunate condition. is one who believes
that it is possible to improve human society, and
thinks the task should be undertaken systematically
He may be wrong as to the immediate POSSIBLE
ties-he usually is
Darius Green, of the U. s. A., was wrong when he
thought he could fly And Daedalus probably broke
his neck eventually, after he flew out of the laby
rinth, But now people fly and don't break their
necks
Socialists are like little boys that want to be
pirates or have whiskers They want to do too much
too soon.
You cannot be pirate or have whiskers when
you are eight years old.
You cannot have an ideal society," with unselfish-
ness, generosity for ALL while society is made up of
selfish savages.
Z You cannot have the ideal commonwealth today,
for today ii you gave SIS apiece to every in the
country, nlnety-n men out Of hundred would do
no work. And if you gave $4,000 to each Of 100
socialists there would be perhaps two socialists left
But because you can do it today it is not safe to
say that you will never do it,
!. Once each savage wanted fifty wives-now one
is sometimes more than he really cares for.
Once every ruler, bishop and lord of the manor
in England demanded the right to have his private
gaows and hang criminals, including little thieves
Now nobody would hang another unless compelled
to do SO by law.
Today the great Americans" want to own
hundreds Of thousands Of millions and keep selfshy
for themselves what their brothers need The day
will come when they won't want this
We are oil socialists without knowing it. For
"a IRE al trying toamake social conditions better
and we are making them bctter: Washington