Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 November 1894 — SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY. [ARTICLE]

SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY.

The following essay on Socialism Was written by a member of the Sen - lor class of the Rensselaer High School. The subject, Socialism, is almost the broadest that can be imagined. It includes all plans, notions and ideas, concerning the bettering of affairs of life, such as the equal division of wealth, equality, justice and social position. It is noticable that no two socialists have the same ideas of the subject. However their demands are all founled on the supposition that something or everything is wrong. At least they have not been treated fairly. Then comes their remed'es for these ills. It is easily seen that many of their remedies would be like those of quack physicians, worse than the dist-ase. We would be very foolish to say that the present state of affairs is at all perfect, and just as foolish to say ttiat they can not be bettered in the future, just as conditions existing m the past were reformed. Socialism in its broadest sense includes all honest, fair minded people who wish and strive fox better things, as well as those who desire more radical changes, and lastly others who intend to destroy the whole existing system by force. Neither extreme is what we commonly know as the socialist.

The first is the ruling class of today, and the other extreme of socialism is represented by the anarchist. The so-calk d socicialist comes in some where between the two extremes. He wants reforms, and wonderful reforms at that, but while unlike the anarchist he lacks the energy and courage, and often the ability to do much damage, and from the same reasons he will not help the other class to bring about gradual improvements. He simply stands still and groans and laments. H<> grumbles at everything and complains at his bard luck, but never ready to do anything for himself. If he does happen to earn anything, it is wasted as soon as possible. The sociaist thus has no great wealth to bother him, and no business affairs to worry about. Therefore, as long as his wife will snpport him by taking in washing or otherwise, his mind is free to plan for the betterment of existing society But for the fact that his wife can’t furnish him with enough spending money to make it real pleasant, he would probably not even pan for us. He would do nothing at tli but exist. As it is he feels air emptiness' somewhere, a want of something. He sees men that started with equal op- j porlunitics with himself, who have done the best they could and arc now comfortably fixed. lie perceives that there is-a difference, and as the only way he can conceive of getting rich is by stealing, he says that all -rieu and well to do people are rascals a d mean in every way. Indeed everybody is dishonest and and unfair excepting himself and his ! fellow socialists, By the way, j wouldn’t it be be b.Utr if they were | rascals, too? Then every thing would be in such beautiful harmony. The socialist wants the government to make the wealthy divide with him, and would rejoice to see them treated roughly. In fact the government ought to do everything, but at the same time if it hinders him in any of his undertakings, what a noise is made. Here again he tB- - the quack, ho don’t like to take his own medicine.— Socialists say that the wealth should be divided * qualiy. Is it not ti lie that if the wealth of the land should lie divided thus, that a majority of the socialists would squander tin ir shares within sixty days time, and that this would fall into the hands of persons even more undeserving thau them-elves? In a short .time they would he as badly fixed as ever, and honest people would b@ the tosers, while the dishonest element would be the gainers. Again if properly should be held in trust by the government, for the benefit of all, and the product of each ones labor should go into the common fund, what would be ihe result? SVould not many fail to do their share, and the extra burden of supporting them fad on the others? Then more and move would follow suit until there would be a general col'apse. Betides, if the workers could and would support the drones, it would be the greatest injury they could receive; for as soon as he is sure of maintenance, it is the natural tendency of man to quit exerting himself. When he ceases to do this, he is no better than a stick of wood. That sy stem would surely make paupers of most of us, and paupers are no good to support the government. Government. is an institution that must be supported by the people, and can in no way be made to support the people. If it would he possible to compel til to'work. everything would be as monotonous a* a -machine. There would be no motive to cause a man to excel, since lie would not receive the reward, lut only a small portion

along with his rivals or fellow laborers. In short tint average .social reform,er’s dia trVr.e? s-,- th- most ’absurd, things imaginable, aol of almost no vslue rx-e*.t that the noise may call the ait mi n of the people more seriously U>w«ri making such reforms Wk iff gradually solve the rear question of this k'nd. v ' N) adviiiKkiuent or reform is brought about by the sudden overturn)! g of till existing conditions. Allh< ugh it is apparently true that most great reforms have been marked by violence and sudden changes, these dirl not do the work at all, but the reform had been gradually coming into existence for perhaps centuries. The outbreak itself usually hindered the reform for the time instead of aiding it. It set-ms that, the only wav to make the needed reforms, is to do as has been done; in the past ; and that is to educate all to. understand their true positiou in life, and what liny must do to fulfill it, A r 'd then above allto understand that they must do right in all things. The more nearly this is done, the less there will be to complain of in the general welfare of the people. We ltb and position will then be satisfactorily divided according to each one’s capaabilitiea;