Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1919-04-03


Ism that he may have copied in his
local paper. No doubt this reader
can easily explain Socialism himself,
but he wishes the Appeal to do so IN
its own way. 1t happens that the
Appeals way is the simple, plain
spoken way that the reader himself
would use.
To begin with, let us say that So
cialism is the name given by it's adj
vocstes to a certain principle OF gov
ernment This is important, since SO
many persons imagine Socialism is
an anti religious organization or a
free-love society or movement to
destroy all government So it should
be borne III mind that Socialism ia
simply legitimate political move
ment having for its object a certain
change in the present governmental
structure. Note again that Social
ism advocates change, not destruc-
ton; for that which it would remove
it offers to substitute something bet
ter.
The change which Socialism advo-
Gates is that from individualism to co
operation, from private ownership of
industry to public ownership of in
dustry. The principle Socialism pro
claims is that the interests of the
whole people should be placed above
the interests of few.
The Socialists point out that:
l. The development of industry
has reached the place where the
great wealth producing activities of
the land, as well as the great wealth.
distributing agencies, have been turn
ed into vast aud powerful monopol-
les. These monopolies are CONTROLS
ed by individuals who, through own
ing and controlling these means of
producing and distributing the things
the people need, are enabled to sys
tematically and continuously levy
huge tribute upon the majority of the
nation. This process results L. count
less riches for these comparatively
few individuals while leaving little
more than living, eked out by con-
slant struggle, for the many. 1t rem
ders the few powerful, the many help
less. 1t confers upon The restricted
class privileges which this class does
not deserve by taking from the over
mass the rights to which 1t
is entitled.
2. Tins unnatural inequality can
be removed by pl eng the entire peo-
pie, irrespective of rich and poor, on
an equal footing of opportunity, lot
only IN the pursuit OF life, to which
the constitution entltle. them, but in |
The pursuit of the means of life, to
which Nature and necessity entitle
hem. That is, instead of the few
,wnlng and controlling the great in
lustries aud thus having an enormous
advantage over their fellows these in.
lustries should be owned as the com
non property of all the people, thru
heir government.
Don't mistake the expression .com.
non property" The government
nent owned postal system is the
common property of the people all
rave an equal right TO it, use under
quail conditions. SO, under Social
site methods all would have equal
ight to the railroad syslem, the tele
,raph and telephone system, the gov.
rnment-owned packing system (now
he rotten privately owned packing
the government owned
oal system and clothing system and
il system and so on thru the list Of
igantic monopolized industries that
upply national needs on a tremen
GUS scale; we say, under Socialist
lethods, all of the people would have
quail right to the use and benefits of
1ese various important life sustain
ig systems on equal conditions
nd under the efficient direction of ,
ne government Economically con- Ii
oiled by the people. L
Instead of Mr. Armonr's monopo. 6
site packing combine,we would have
'ncle Sans cooperative packing