SOCIALISM.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 27, 1 August 1894, Page 2

SOCIALISM.

TO TBS EDITOR OF THE STAB. Sir, — When you can find space will you kindly insert the following, written by that inimitable satirist, Rabelais, about 1550, A.D., as showing how history is repeating itself : — Inscription set upon the Great Gate of Theleme (The Socialist's Ideal Residence). Here enter not, vile bigots, hypocrites, Externally devoted apes, base suites. Here enter not, attorneys, barristers, Nor bridle-champing law-practitioners, Clerks, commissaries, Scribes, nor Pharisees, Wilful disturbers of the people's ease. Here enter not, base pinching usurers, Pelf-lickers, everlasting gatherers, Gold-graspers, coin-gripers, gulpers of mists. Here enter ye, and welcome from our hearts, All noble souls, endow'd with parts. The other side, • A Prophetical Riddle.' That this next winter, upon this our land, Yea and before, there shall appear a race Of men, who, loth to sit still in one place, Shall boldly go before all people's eyes, Suborning men of divers qualities. They'll move you, if you give them ear, no doubt, With both your friends and kindred to fall out. They'll nia.ke a vassal to gainsay his lord, And children their own parents ; in a word AH reverence shall then be banished, No true respect to other shall be bad. They'll say that every man should Lave hia turn Both in his going forth, and his return. For all shall be governed by a rude, Base, ignorant, and foolish multitude ; The veriest lout of all shall be their judge. O horrible and dangerous deluge ! I am, etc., George Wilks. TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR. Sir, — I did not intend occupying any more of your valuable space, but Mr Boots' errors are too glaring to let them stand. (I) I have half a dozen works on Socialism by different authors, and none of them advocate abolition of the marriage tie. (2) Equality of menis not hinted at, except by lunatics. Unequal strength of individuals has caused the Socialist movement to counteract inequalities which will always exist, and will always need allowing for. At present the strong conquer, the weak fro to the wall. (3) The opecial feature of the Mosaio Economy is so much Socialistic that I will take Mr Roots' own description of it as a definition of Socialism. " Each, had his sphere, and each had hia work and each was enjoined to do the work entrusted to him to the best of his ability." That was so far as it went. Socialism ! Have we anything to-day so closely approaching it? I think not. (4) "If the rewards of honest industry are withheld, industry will soon languish." Quite so. Industry is now languishing from that very cause. The stoats and weasels spoken of may represent the sweaters, moneylenders, and land-grabbers who have verily made 'lambs' of the people surrounding them. I am, etc, A.C.H. PS.— Every point in Mr Roots' letter enn be refuted, but want of time prevents me going into it any further.