DECEMBER 3. 1903.
THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
13
tflr
v."
AtlEBICAH SOCIALISM
Ttrmtr PepolUt Candidate ftr Otwraor
f MlssaurlSuggcsta Mmri
Means for an America .
Socialism
Hon. O. D. Jones, of Edina, Mo.,
who was the populist nominee for gov
ernor of that state in 1896, has since
that time, as he believes, "progressed
into socialism." He thinks he is not
now a populist, but a full-fledged so
cialist, and to prove his faith by his
works has written a book of 140 pages
entitled "American Socialism." This,
in paper covers, may be had of him at
25 cents a copy.
Primarily a reading of "American
Socialism" will convince the initiated
that-if Mr. Jones .is a "socialist," then
practically all populists are also "so
cialists;" but that those who profess
to be simon pure, revolutionary social
ists are not so in fact, but are some
thing else. The Independent ; Is In
clined to think that Mr. Jones is a
little mixed in his nomenclature; that
he is not a socialist at all, but simply
a radical populist, going a little far
ther than the platform demands of
the people's party, but not differing
more than millions of old party men
differ from their platform professions
of political faith.
'jfor example, how does this sentence
harmonize with "economic determin
ism" and the "materialistic concep
tion of history": 'instead of this, it
presents society as a great Ferris
Wheel, filled with people impelled by
a law and force over which they nor
society have any control. . . It this is
true, if we are only a part of a revolv
ing, developing mill; if we cannot re
tard, hasten or otherwise modify this
motion, by the use of any teaching or
sentiment we may advocate, why take
any more trouble about it? Why pay
more money for literature, lectures or
propaganda work, if it is. all the re
sult of inexorable, physical fixed law,
a material and moral fatalism? Why
write a panegyric on the passing
show?"
'ies, indeed, why? Any. populist
might with propriety ask such ques
tionsbut a socialist, never! The
answer, Mr. Jones, is that, the co-operative
commonwealth must be born of
revolution; it must be hatched out
like a chick from the egg. Literature,
lectures and propaganda work are to
prepare the wage-worker foi the
"bornin' " so that the Infant may not
die.. ,,,
"Socialism is not communism," says
Mr. Jones. "While it aims to eliminate
destructive competition, the state of
industrial war, sought to be main
tained 'by the exploiting class, as well
as that of race, political and national
war, it does not teach or propose the
impractical idea of z national crib,
hotel, table and laundry; one com
mon stock, each citizen to hold a tick
et of credit, to be punched foi each
" meal, shave, bath or wash .... It is
mortifying to see such a system held
forth by certain teachers and papers
as socialism; to hear It -announced
that government ought to own and op
erate a paper plant; it ought to own
and farm all the land on a great scale,
each person to get his share of the
produce,: somewhere, somehow, on his
ticket, from somebody."
Dear Mr. Jones, you have certainly
read to poor purpose your" "Com
munist Manifesto." your "Economic
Foundations of Society," your "So
cialism, Utopian and Scientific," your
"Capital," and the thousand and one
other books which have some claims
to be regarded as "authority" on the
subject of socialism. Of .course, no
"scientific" socialist would contend
that "government ought to own and
operate a paper plant," or anything
else that would be what Liebknecbt
would call "state capitalism." Noth
ing is socialism so long as the wage
system prevails; while the disinher
ited must sell his energy or labor
power to th owner of the means of
production and distribution or some
portion of them bo that owner a nat
ural person, a corporation, or the
"government."
You certainly understand that the
ultimate aim of all socialism is to se
cure "the; collective ownership of the
means of production aud distribution."
Tins pa jut plant would lw owned by
thp collectivity, whatever that may
mean. I' very lulorer in ihe f aper
pltnt would bo a p.irt owner In it
and have a voice In its maniMeinent.
No ? would work fur wares. Kv
rry laborer would be credited with
the number of hour of labor per.
formed. livery ton of paper would e
priced a haviujj required t many
tour of labor to prodm It. la ev
try other prodtictlv Industry the
lume ayatrm would prevail.
Knell hliorer would retelr a rer
tlflcat Dhowlng that h had per
funned many latum of labor. Uv.
rryth!n produced would b priced In
t rma of Ubor-houra. Hating a cer
tificate (or ten tour, the poc)r
could take It to any co-operative
store and' secure In exchange what
ever products he might choose, pro
vided their production did not re
quire to exceed tea hours of labor
time.
Of course, the products so received
In exchange for his labor, certificate
would" be his private property, to con
sume as he chose. But there could
be no private products "under social
ism," because there would be; no pri
vate means of production.
"The products of industries now
classed as private may change rela
tions to , society," continues Mr.
Jones, "and be classed as public and
worthy of public operation. But so
ciety will never do, these things until
it has taken the first step In the nat
ural order and owned and operated
successfully those enterprises that are
now classed as public utilities. It
will not take the second step until it
has taken the first." Good populist
doctrine, Mr. Jones, but mighty poor
socialism. Can't you grasp the fact
that socialists demand the abolition of
the entire wage system and that they
refuse any "reforms" or palliatives?
With them the co-operative common
wealth must be born. It can't be ush
ered In piecemeal.
Of course, "scientific" socialists
might join you in laughing at Bel
lamy's "sublime nonsense;" they
look for "tendencies" and seek to find
the "historic mission" of the working
class by a critical study of history
from a materialistic standpoint; and
they refuse to formulate any plans for
distributing the wealth produced by
tne co-operative commonwealth, urg
ing that the people of every epoch
have always found a way to conduct
their own affairs and that it would be
idle to speculate upon the exact form
that the distribution would assume.
Better come back to the people's
party, Mr. Jones. . Populists are not
expecting to see a full-fledged co-operative
commonwealth born in a day.
They recognize a well-defined practi
cal distinction between a railroad
and a bakery which socialists refuse
to see, because both may employ
wage-workers. Socialists denounce
public ownership of railroads be
cause the wage system would still be
In force. You cannot successfully
preach populist doctrine and call it
"socialism." Come over where you
belong. D.
' - Mr Griffin's Views
Editor Independent: When I re
plied to your inquiry about the To
peka Independent, I did not expect
that my note would be published; but,
since it has been, I feel moved to add
a few conclusions at which I have ar
rived anent the present political sit
uation. 1. It 13, possible that the general
republican sweep this falJ may en
courage the republican machine to
substitute Hanna for Roosevelt as its
presidential candidate. The republi
can machine and Wall street are both
afraid of Roosevelt, and both would
be entirely satisfied with Hanna. Nev
ertheless, I regard Roosevelt's nomi
nation as almost certain. The mass
of his party are so enthusiastic for
him, and there are so many of us
populists, socialists, and democrats
that would vote for him as against
bis possible chief opponent that they
may concede him the nomination,
with the expectation jof knifing him
at the polls.
2. It in folly to expect any material
reform from either the republican or
democratic party. Both of them con
tain a large number of members who
favor the bed rock populistlc princi
ples of "equal opportunities for all."
But both also contain a sufficiently
strong plutocratic element with a
machine element that Is. In the main,
thoroughly mercenary, that, no mat
ter which of them is in power, but
UMIe progress can be made on reform
lines. Each has a few orominent men
such as Kooscvelt the republican,
and Bryan the democrat that can
not be entirely controlled, in their .in
dividual action, but neither h rong
enough to control the actions of his
party associates that may be elected
with him.
3. Economic emancipation can be
secured only ttrouuh a nartv the rums
i f whew member ar known to bJ
so h"rilly In favor of "eul opjr
tunltlea for all" that the holders of
5eclal prlUIeKes will Instinctively re
gard It as Inexorably again t them
and, therefore. Keep out of It. That
I to Ihj determined nwre by iu pr
Mtnnel than by It platform. Th re
MiUIcan iditform was t'er rxinm
on the slavery question. It was r.en-
naiiy behind rather than ahead .f
public icntirurnt: but the tUvrhoM
em knew, from the first, that I' wan
the deadly enemy of their u, la
like manner, the economic reve'u
tlonary party of the future will not
need a radical platform and, indeed,
Rodeo k Guenzol Go.
Mm
Dclayo
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Wt .fit
k. Van"
vc - r m am
would do better to adopt a very mod
erate one, provided, it makes it evi
dent that it intends to go forward, as
fast as it may be safe to do so, until
"equal opportunities" shall have been
secured to all.
4. I do not look for the formation
of such an organization until the
next panic comes. Until then, our
chief work should be educational. A
tarty organized too soon nevr tri
umphs. Let us keep on sowing seed
rnd, when the proper time comes, the
harvest will be ready for the reapers.
When the great break-up comes I
believe there will be many more ex
republicans in It than ex-democrats.
5. For reasons that I will not take
space to give, I regard the democratic
partyas a party as even worse than
the republican. It is composed more
largely of the unprogressive element.
Unless Roosevelt should be defeated
for the republican nomination, Gro-
vcr Cleveland is likely to Ire the dem
ocratic nominee and I regard him
as the strongest man they can nomi
nate. The rea?ons for this conviction
I will also omit but. if you desire,
will give them hereafter. I may, of
course, be mistaken In this, but I
hope not, because, while Cleveland Is
the strongest candidate the democrats
can nominate, his nomination would
probably lead to the abandonment of
that party by a large part of those of
Its members that are popullstlcally
Inclined.
C. While I ptrongly pympathize
with socialism as I understand so
cialismI regnrd the socialist par:y
as. In its Influence, a Hymalayan ob
stacle In Its road. The need of the
times Is more Independent people
who will vote for the- men In either
party that are Ill.ely to make honest
iffoiiH to do unmet htng as I'lnsree
did and Johnson does and refuse to
vote when the content la merely be
tween the In and the out.
7. Tl rcpublhan party I not
nearly m tron a it appear to be.
ltd victories r largely due tr. op
pdtbn ti thu dem rath party rath
er than to iiroal of ft own Hub
feninu y. Afire, If imi hundred.! of
thousand of popl who wlh to e
very rudlcal reform adopted tote fur
republhan solely became they lm
Kln (hut (iu matter what it plat
form might bo) democratic amend
incy would be III jumping from the
frylngpan Into !h fire.
AUtllUT Gium.v.
Topeka, Kai.
Maapin's Book
Jt'aagood book-Manpin ndmlU it. It ha
277 pages, printed from clear type on good pper.
cloth hound, with goVl lde and back stamp
nnd "Foreword" by Mr. W. J, Bryan. The boot
Js worth a whole lot more than the price atked.
which Is ft. .
Whether Common or Not
That's the title of the book. It contains prow -and
verse selections contributed by Man pin to
The Commoner and other publication. Th
ooolt was published because Maupln wants to
make a little money on it. Between Rockefel
ler s oil and llaer's coal, the author needs all he
can pet. You send a dollar and get a book that
will make you forget tbe cold.
Mr. Bryan Says:
.Mr-iy,ny- Maut,ln. whose literary prodnc
Hons fill this volume, has been a member of the
(start ol The Commoner during its more than two
and a half years or existence, and I take genu
ine plcnsure in commertdln his work tothos
who enjoy innocent fun, delicate humor and
philosophy seasoned with sentiment. His mbles,
dialojui&s and paragraphs are to the point, and
the w it is made subservient to the argument he
presents, lie Is especially happv in hU verse
when as he olteu doeshe deal's with the ten
tier attachments n! the family and the homely
virtues ol every -day Hie. The moral in his wrt
in is always apparcnr and paramount, and I
contribute this foreword in th MM thnttHg
book w ill benefit those who are led to pf-rnse It,
W. J. BRYAN.
Order the book now, and you'll like It so well
that you'll ordir more as Christmas presents lor
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think the book is worth the dollar, send it back
and Maupln will return your money. That'
fHlr. ticut postpaid oa receipt of price, ft .
THE BOOK IS READY
Parties who have- already ordered in a now
rtMidt. as the tww.k i ready f.r ck-llmy y Aud
the perpetrator. ,
WILL M. MAUPIN,
aoii So. i7th St. Lincoln, Neb.
Cancers Cured
Why suffer t ain nd death from
cancer? Dr. T. O'Connor jurc
cancer, tumor and wn: no
knife, lUd or r!ter. Ad J re
l:5w)0 Hu Lincoln, Nebraska.
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rallitif i a rnml nfi taia and aseuu. Iat
UllUntf. rlrjr I.u LittlMli ttar p.uvm
adttilnal, all it.l Iu ih ea h mtH.
T fc l alfSBffd. t'i Hlitn prt
jiirtit ItioliuM iif i.M nl ni!,ln,
Mndai4 lloii, jm Waibora el t bbafi, i.
Mention The IndentnJcaL