The Daily News. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13. ABOUT SOCIALISM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 13 December 1907, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13. ABOUT SOCIALISM.

11l IIII'OVY, SociillHill cuutlliud lllOat Ol I the elements that are necessary for the well-being of tile niasse». It is somewhat uniortuuaio, therefore, to lind that its ardent votaries nullify the good point s by pushing the tenets of the eult to extremes. When it is remembered that Socialism is a term that originated amongst the I'jiiglish Communists, and was assumed by them to present tl'#ir doctrine in moie palatable form, it not surprising to lind the old Adam lurking bc.ieatli the surface of the new eult. There is a vast dilVcrenee between the old crml ami the new, and, in place of the impossible aim of the Communists to entirely abolish private property, the lnodilied oiTshoot aims rather at co-operation. Socialism at the onset required that the land and the instruments of production should belong to the people, or the Government as trustees for the community. As lime went 011, the views of the theorists widened like the ripples 011 a lake, until they have embraced the more or less vague and disruptive schemes of the Nihilists and Anarchists, tine of the earliest enthusiasts in the cause in its incipient stage was Kobcrt Owen, whose strenuous ell'orts to improve the condition of the cotton-ispinnei's in the early years of the last century deserved a better fate. Thrice he founded settlements 011 socialistic ideas, but all proved signal failures. Other attempts ill the same direction in later years have ended in like manner. -Modern Socialists regard these attempts as Utopian (.'oiuinunisin. and not as Socialistic ventures; hence their want of success. Apparently Socialism lacks an effective sheet anchor wherewith to prevent its otherwise uncontrollable forces from hurling the craft 011 to the rocks of dissension, or being engulfed ill the whirlpool of extremes.

It is claimed that Socialism is an evolutionary phase of society liy natural development, slavery giving way to feudalism, which in turn succumbed to capitalism, and it is the doom of the latter that is to be the dawu of the Socialistic era. The time is not yet, and it is by 110 means impossible that the hands of the socialistic clock may rather go backwards than forwards ere tin 1 full programme becomes an accomplished fact. .Meanwhile much is being done in various parts of the world, and especially in Australasia, in llie direction of socialistic legislation. Xaturaij ly. I lie more con'.rssiolls secured by ill--1 t-i i.'ut den', iinis ill,- grent: i' activity : i!i •wit vol in rhißinriits for I'mtlirr i»- : .; usi'ii: .. It he dciiiiil that (1, - J.inin »(?,-:» c,f S'.!*!;'li - :.l ll 'S Tls Jit" l'i:tiiV lV:u;:r.-. sshv:>v« vrovii!.-il thai : v.-,- : i-r.-'u!.i"-ii s iii. ri-.e i cm tl.' -ibe-i Ins V,:.i!■_ ,Wi ,-::.-:vi-.'fl considerable in'll:' -!!.;■ in ;i!:>i!en\ thought. We arc gradually realising that society is subi j!" L to the law of universal causation I a.> absolutely inexorable as the phenomenon of universal gravitation, and that society is gradually permitting itsd!.' to approach concrete and imminent problems. It has begun to be recognised that just as new physical laws when discovered may he employe.l for the benefit of mankind, sp al.-o may the laws of human nature, individual and social.

In common with most other subjects, Socialism can be regarded from two opposite points of view. It can he applauded or decried according to the nnti or pro feelings of controversialists. Those who regard the movement as a menace to the well-being of humanity do not scruple to condemn it with considerable force. They argue that Socialism aims at the complete overthrow Of the present social .system, the destruction of private property, beginning with land and eliding with labour, anti of all personal. liberty of action and freedom of contract. That it meditates a tyranny from which there is no escape, repudiates all law, order, religion, and morality, together with the abolition of the marriage tie. That it would reduce humanity to an inert mass, without ambition and hope—lazy and degraded. Dji the other hand, the upholders of Socialism, while admitting that its aim is to overthrow our property, and nationalise laiul, capital, and labour, claim that it will secure social and political eipiality for every man and every woman, besides removing the haunting spectre of poverty. The demand for national ownership of the nu'ans of production is justilied on the groui'd that private ownership makes tho.-e who have nothing to sell but tlie.r labour slaves of a class—they must either submit or starve. They admit that Socialism does not touch religion at any point; or, as ill'. Keir ilardie s.iy-, "ll cannot be 100 emphatically .stated that Socialism takes no more cognisance of the religious opinions of its udh.'rents than does Liberalism or Conservatism/' Herein proobably lies the fatal blot oil the socialistic escutcheon.

As a matter of fact, there is only one kind Of Socialism that is really possible if success in to be achieved. it is the Socialism which the Son of .Man came expressly to inaugurate—a sy.-;en.i oi nniiuai good will, co-operation, aiur

happiness, ilie active principle being love. Based on such a sale loiiudation, there could be no rear of the resui l .. What is needed far more than anything else in .the present day is the realisation; that mutual help is absolutely necessary lor securing the well-being and happiness of the community. 1; may be said that ill co-operation as h exists to-day is to be found this mutual help, but thin is only true in part, "Facn lor all, and all lor each,'' Is true co-operation. The spurious article takes cognisance only ol one half of the .antenee quoted, yet the other portion js of the greater importance. if there is one evil more evident than another in the struggle for life it is that of circuitous endeavour to over-reach or gel llie better of our fellow beings. The kind of Socialism which is lustily expounded at street corners requiring the Slate lo be at once father and brother and foster mother of the whole community is hardly likely to be founded on the gospel of loving your neighbour better than yourself. F'ar more probable it will lie altogether antagonistic to the Christian faith. When the recognised leaders of Socialism, such as lielfort liax and others, write and speak on economic and social questions as though it were impossible for a mail to approve of municipal tramways without first repudiating Christian doctrines, their cause is surely in a bad way. Their opinion ol tiic working man may be j guaged from the words of a recent writer, in which he said. "The idea of a holy working man is even grotesque."' I'.el'orr Ihe triumph of Socialism can be t'vou looked for a ilraslie process of rcis'iistruetiou take place.