MR. WILSON IN REPLY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 12204, 7 May 1904, Page 2

MR. WILSON IN REPLY.

To the Editor.

Sir, —I am inclined to think that your editorial of May 5 contains so much of misrepresentation as "to need a reply. I therefore ask, in justice- to the cause I represent, that you accord me space to correct your glar.ng inaccuracies. First, I am not a Socialistic Solomon, do not pose as such, have never stated that I came to tell the New Zealanders "they don't know they're, alive," nor have I ever stated that the New Zealanders are a race of miserable dinners. On the contrary, I hava condemned that style of teaching. The miserable sinner doctrine is the very thing I oppose, and it is just what you, Mr. Editor, and all the churches, Avithout reference to creed, are constantly emphasising. In this very lengthy article of youra 3 rou state I fail to recognise that the fundamental cause of the evil of which I complain lies deep-rooted in the heart of human nature; so it seems that you are an advocate of the miserable sinner doctrine —a doctrine which is grotesquely r diculous and grossly untrue. Humanity has been cursed long enough with that spit of teaching, and we, as Social- ' ! ists, believe in calling man's attention to the good there is in him, to the God there is in him, instead of tell n.g him he is devil-possessed and ail unclean. The doctrine of the Fall oi: Man is the very quintesence of absurdity and painfully foolish; it is an explod!ed myth that scholars and scientists [ everywhere repudiate, and with it goes all the dogmas of the so-called Christian religion. I am not surprised that your vllage-mindedness prevents you from i seeing the foolishness of th© folly of the Immaculate Conception, the surplus merit of the Christ humbuggery, the impossibility of the Resurrection, an acceptance of which tends to dwarf the intellect, crush the life, and sour the better angels of our nature. Mr. Editor, there is little hope for man's emancipation .so long as these errors are forced upon us. What the world ~needs >s a religion of justice. You and Christen- ] dom in general are preaching the doc- ; trine of love and practising the doctrine of hate. Socialism proposes to reverse { matters somewhat, and we seek to consistently practice what w& preach. With reference to your statement about New j Zealanders owning the railways, you i ought to know that the railways, are j owned by the English bondholders, to ( whom you arty annually paying interest, j Your want of liberality or probable short ] sightsdness -will prevent you from sea- J ing th© better way. These railways and ' all other industrial and public utilities • might be owned and controlled by the j people, without the aid of the capital jj ists. AH that ii needed is that the peo- !j pie should trust themselves instead of ,i asking the foreign money-lender to do 1 so; but the trouble is that your vision " is blurred by the colour of gold, and your glasses are stained with the mis's of prejudice—doubtless you are a believer in the let-wall-enough-alone policy; but that will not meet the requirements of this progressive age. Another of ' your statements whiclT calls for treatment is the taking over of the woi'ld's industries without compensation. Of course we cannot be held responsible for you inability to see that compensation under a Socialistic state, is absolutely j imposs'ble. What use would gold be as a medium of exchange when no longer used as currency? The co-operative commonwealth dethrones gold and enthrones man. To talk of compensation is essentially unjust and immoral. Why should the State support in idleness a class of parasites? Such an act would be intolerable, and would hinder the unfoldment of man. The doctrine of So cial:,sm is all for each and each for all. To-day it "s every man for himself, the very thought of which brutalises us as a people. The further statement osf yours that there would be no railways were it not for the enterprise of the capitalist, is so utterly ridiculous, not to say ignorant; - that it is little short of insanity. Who is the capitalist? He is the individual that absorbs the results- of others' toil, without giving any equivalent. Capital is unpaid labour. All capital is produced by labour, and therefore to labour all capital belongs; but the capitalist never produces anything. He is the deadbeat, he is the bloated bondholder, the parasite who has never had any part in the building up of the great industries of the world, and yet Socialism does not propose to do as capitalism is now doing, viz., rob the worker of the results of hs toil. The eo-operativ© commonwealth will offer J>o every man tbs> largest opportunity wnereby he may enjoy the benefits which labour has made possible. Another statement of yours far from the mark is to the effect that I am seeking the truth with no thought of finding it—a remark I did not make. What I did say was that I not infrequently attended church, hoping I might gain some crumbs of truth, but that I did not expect to find it there. All your remarks in that oonnect on, therefore, are without meaning. j, am seeking th© truth and expect to

find itj but not by sitting at your feet. Mr. Editor, you complain about the lack of practical explanation in the" addresses delivered here. We urge you to study Socialism, and you will discover it is the most practical pb.locophy and the sanest of all sciences. I have constantly set forth the platform of Soeialisiim, which is composed of four planks—namely, social.'tod production, socialised distribution, .socialised ownership, and soe ali&ad management of the earth's resources, giving us a practical government of the people, for the people, and by the people, whose out-workings comprehend the scientific adjustment of the earth's forces, so as to make possible the greatest good to the greatest number. This, we believe, eminently practical and reasonable. The co-operative commonwealth is not mythical; it is a demonstrable- science*. Socialists are able to give a reason for the hope that :s within them; they are not blindly following after unscientific absurdities) and superstitious dogmas that have nothing to commend them but their age. Socialists are not whining pessimists; they are soulful,, cjear^vtsiioned optimist;.?, who, ■seeing and understanding the logic of events, know full well that capitalism has about run its course, and sciontifio co-operation will soon be an accorapl shed fact. Then when might gives place to right, ignorance to enlightenment, and superstition falls beneath th© touch of truth, and the people come into the possession of their own, then will men dwell together in peace, and freedom and ■happness will chant their enrapturing melodies :n the ears of all mankind.—l am, etc., J. W. WILBOxN\