LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 178, 22 April 1908, Page 5

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

, THE WAYS OF THE SOCIALIST? .- Sir, —May I ask, What.is a Socialist? The . question has been aptly answered before now.; ■ ■■■.', . " " What'is a ; Socialist? One who .has ycarn- . ings ' ; . _ ; " For equal division of unequal earnings; " Itller or bungler, or both, ho is willing . "To fork out his penny and pocket your shilling." - -<■ ■' . : What' is, the Socialist. Party of to-day ? ' A medley composed of:— .' • ' Firstly, a few honest altruists, who rccog- • that the world 'is not a perfect, place to live in,: and who, to improvo it, as they fancy, are willing to lend tho sanction of respectablo names to "robbery by the arm'of ~ tho - law." Secondly, tho reptile class, who prey upon tho disorders of society/or foster and foment any chance: of profiting by such;. men f "who , watch , for any discontent, 1 . however unreasonable, in order tovbo forward on the wavei, : and so get carried to the shore of wealth; 'the educated pariahs of socicty, wlio cannot or will not work,'- and, therefore; find their dishonourable >profit in inciting discontent tp . steal; ■; , " ' : Tfiirdly, • a substantial fraction of, tho men whose j)6sitioii in';life is , that, of .labourers ' and /artisans,'.'and;'wh'o ; :distrust 'themselves, . feeling that they "are incapable of the Sacrifices and selMenia! which lead to-a . higher ■ ,-•; These;, after -many misgivings, succumb to the*,brilliant, progranimo of the ' Socialists;-.-They .'are . told -that , they .'do right to steal;'if they do it "by th>> arm of tho law." ; -Parsons tell them so, arid invoke in favour' of authority of Christ, oblivious'of' the fact that Christ said, " Mykingdom is not of this world." ', Some politicians and agitators tfill .them, soj and make capital by pretending to be their friends. What answer can you give to a weakling :who . feels lazy, or self-indulgent ; :.tb raise himself, .'if his .pet; political leader and his par- . son: combino to persuade .him that ho has only.'to l vote, for the proper' agitator;', and enter'.. into possession- of the , savings and makings of- the early settler, who facwl dangers iand privations of which he could .not draim? . !... :: j:. : 'Fourthly, .there is the' crowd!of, genuino /■ ' ' malingerers arid - , parasites—the sundowner, tho loafersj. who need-no excusoV to bccome. Socialists, or- anything .else that promises plunder. .-• iOf' the Socialist Partyj Keir'Hardie is the High Priest—has- he not said so in effect? Mr. Mann is'also a leading Socialist—or was ' until he departed. from- England. V Why did . not .ou'r. -Mayor invite him: to, stay, at his • . house, or otherwise make much of :him? : , Keir-Hardio has written a book. Listen: to . V ~it;.; It -'.is . called from " Serfdom to Socialism," and at , pago 91 Mr: Keir . Hardio speaks .as follows:— l'. v V "The-: modern- workman -is theoretic-; ally the equal ,in tho oyo of tho. law o£ " every other class. His vote carries equal ■. j weight ' intho'ballot-bo's with'that of the millionaire 1 who employs him. But .< ' : ;'his' task is. not I .yet .finished; tho long-drawn-out . struggle is not 1 yet over. . •-I There js oho/'more battlo, to .bo fought, . one more fortress, to bo v »ssailed, c'ro,ho !.'• Btands'withiii the 'charmed 'circle 1 of-'per.' ■; feet .equality. \ Ho has yet to overcome • -. property: and [.wjn, economic, freedom;" ' : - Mark how,Kcir Hardio mentions tho vote! > Tho vote is' the. agitator'.s capital...- ' ,-, ;■ Koir Hardio relies greatly upon .Henry ; George /of " Progress and ■ -Poverty " ' famo. : . -What.does-he.say?. Hear him: — v. . , "I do not cither : to -purchase: . ..or to coufiscato private property in land. . 5: - ; The - first w;ould .'. be ' unjust, the : : second , ■ , v .' Let l the : individuals who :now . ' . i hold'.it, still retain,', if ■ they want to, '; possession '-of: what • they .to , '".call■ their,.land.let/t-hem. ■ , call'it-their'latid.-.'Let them -buy and ', '. sell,, and '.bequeath, and .devise;it; v We. ,/ .'may; "safely,'leave .th'erii theshell,, if we' itake' tho kernel. 1 It is not nGEessary to confiscate' the land | it' is only • necessary • r to .confiscate rsnt." 1 , Let every settler,' let every workman who has a home of his own, or who feels within ~ himself the. capacity and; energy. to: acquire one, 'ask himself. how, ho' will benefit by a system which.will deprive him of his all, tho- • fruit of, his-achievements and self-denial for' . • the benefit of the-nialingerer and.tlio loafer. • v Then letj-.him vote - for Mr. 'Hislop, t-lio warm admirer of Keir Hardie, if ho will. / ' In: face of this' great issue, Mr.,,Hislop's dealings;-with. the. Sinking Funds' seeril'trivial.-, A/Socialist'is-always an individualist when his'-.pocket' is concerned. This we know ■ from experience,, and, therefore, whether Mr. , 'Hislop-or his firm-have I ,profited or. not,; is' neither hero nor,there;.but tho truo issue before the ■ electors is: ' AVhether they' will havo a' Keir,- Hardie, - with -.all which, that entails arid implies;' ! for the Chief Administrator of their city,?—l am, etc., , . A-MAN. April 21. -*