THE COLONIST. Published Daily.—Mornings. Nelson, Tuesday, January 4, 1894. "SEMI SOCIALISM.

Colonist, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7828, 4 January 1894, Page 3

THE COLONIST. Published Daily.—Mornings. Nelson, Tuesday , January 4, 1894. "SEMI SOCIALISM.

An artiole referring to New Zealand and recertt |eyelopmenta in 'this Colony was published in the '■ Pastoralists' _ „Beview,' of Anatraliay and so; largely quoted by ; the '•^'fl^y^^.i^eraw' r»Bv, tp' : betoken tfhnßUal admiration on the . patt of that Conservative .d^gan. With mpre than ordinary guard k edne|a; the ' Beview' refers to the^predpiiMniujtppattyi ip NiewL, Zaaland. atf^V v ßeM*S6oialißtßi'fcfo^ tba' artiole alluded ig^evidentljtmppreoiatefl 1 toa' greater degree than many writers within the; Colony the diffioulty of so defining terma ihat they may be understdpiP not : merely by llaei bulk of the people buVby. those whose yipfß run Jn; grooves. y The l term Socialism .nnderßtqod, by some being aooeptedio.merely indioate a Ejlite uhderwbioh | aU 'afa.TOompaniohEfj having :; f r'tj'e sobpe for I efforts, yet deairoys of aiding one

anothe", and ready to mal_e some sacrifice to aooomp ish such: an end, whilwby others it denotes a condition^ Under wbfiih common rights to property exist and individualism ia largely deprived. ...of its potency fos good. Aaoepting the former defioition, there little real difference Jbatween cialism ancl Demborßo^, bat the Coriset/a'iive in'm'ariy-'casea eaoploVs a term intended to create suspicion and distrust when he alludes to opponents, whom he > olds in dread. Accepting the' possibility of the lerm Socialist being understood by its readers to mean one desirous of having a general division, the 1 PastoraUsts Review ' employs the term "Semi Socialist," whioh, unsatisfactory thongh"it[is,iairly. well conveys the meaning that was evidently 1 intended, and which can be taken to mean-hbthing more? tban Democracy; The writerfin the 'ReVie^ 1 however, beoomes a little vague he says. "It is, perhaps, ;not7 too muoh : to say that the Socialistic impulses .-are essentially feminine, and one of tbe most serious questions involved; in the adoption by acom'manityof Socialistic views is that oi Whether a loss of manliness of character is implied." A- want of olear vision seems to be here made manifest, for, to oommence with a mere question of observation, it is scarcely possible for an unbiassed observer, we/think, to affirm that wbmen are averse to.'cqmpet it ion or individualism, but it is aasumedlhat they are all this, or the question of manliness or individuality! oould not be discussed It is, of course, im poßsible for Jin^djae*" "acquainted with >the feelififetf-and aiihi? of tbg pepple'df this CbKony to declare that they even look to a time when property shall .ie*-- common, r -and ;j wfi&_ the selfish and .those; naturally, indolent iwouldlio longer be spurred . 6ft .^o., egoXt.. TheY," seihl Socialism "" that prevaifs. goes no. further than a .desire; to secure, the, utapat. happiness for the'jpeople generafliy.' ignoring .the claims of those whb,wpul.d,Haye it believed they possess rights aboveiheir iellbwa, their; only; warrant being vanity :a'nd selfishn r ss. Let-the people 'be but consistent in. v their aims* and there is : little fear, but the '/Review, 'after blowing hot ahd" ( col.dj give's a word o.f;warning; ; ' It says', '•Perhaps the: worst mischief they (thr predominant, . party! .^re ;j likely;., to • do to New Zealand is the promotion of a petty spirit of eavy of all superiority, in wealth, and discontent with :the,. existing, state of things, whioh has, its complement in petty legal interferehciss withlenterprise, and a.relaxation of the motives whioh impel the colonists to the labor and pain, which make communities great and prosperous^" The possibilities thus pictured are absurdly antagonistic, though, no doub., they are calculated to tickle the Conservative palate. If there is a danger of the spirit of envy being promoted then there "oari; be no of any serious relaxation of labor and enterprise, beoause envy oan only increase by the growth of possesions. . But: lhe desires of the Democrats are rdisnnderstbod. if it is thought that they . go co . far as : to seek . to despoil the wealthy'mari pimply because he is wealthy. The responsibjlitiea of wealth , were in some respects acknowledged in the. anoient demooraoy of Athens ; ,but in more modern times a general desire ban been, aid too often Btill is, manifest oh the part of. the wealthy tp play an entirely selfish pa^t, : and for tbe common good and the' greater security of those whose poaseifiibn? being large are nevartheleiß just and merciful, it is necessary that there shall be effectdalcheaks upon the immoderatly greedy.' Let' tbis muoh be accomplished, and there will be little room for envy, and none for its aSHOoia'te- hatred— while in the absence of any improper oheok on individual efforts, tbe prosperity of the Colony must inorease, and the bappine3S of its peo? pie be multiplied. i^ wmmmnamimmmmm