Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current | View Entire Issue (April 5, 1912)
Socialist Columns PAlO AtWf Recent conversations convince nic that perhaps nine out of ten opponents of socialism have in mind when they oppose it, not so cialism but communism. I wish the reader would make an effort to sec the difference and then ask him self whether he is not after all a good deal of a socialist. There arc comparatively few men who will openly say that thoy are opposed to public ownershipof pub lic utilities, there are even fewer to oppose the initiative and referend um, yut these principles properly carried out constitute the whole of socialism. Hut most people have some vague idea that socialists are Koing to do something awful; radical just what that is they have very different and vague ideas. One thinks we would pay every one the same wages; an other thinks we would let every fellow help himself to anything he wants whether he works or not. Kvcn Roosevelt, who to be at least a well read man, ridi culcs this last idea under the name of socialism. 1 leave to the reader to judge whether he is ignorant or wilfully misrepresents. Surely there is no reader of the Review who is so ignorant as to hold such an idea of socialism as that. Communism is expressed in the formula: Prom each according to his abili ty to each according to his needs. Socialisim saysTo each accord ing to his service, mid--if a man will not work neither shall he eat. I merely want (PU5ASK OUT THIS) to nuike this government purely democratic by means of a perfected initiative and referend um and tecall, and then have the government go into the different linos of productions, especially where there is now private monop oly, and m guarantee to all men at all t illicit, the opportunity to work and have in return the full value of what he creates. That is, we ex pect any product to be Mild back to him at ItH cost. The relative wages would be paid for different kinds of work would be regulated just as it is now by the supply and demand. Jobs that require gieater skill and training would have fewer quali fied applicant, hence a wage must be offered that would be an extra inducement. Again We merely want n gov erniiiunt guarantee that there will always be a chance to work and buy back our product at cost. Thutt what is to prevent one man from fitting himwlf to get the high est wage, putting in sternly time and accumulate money while some other fellow HhirkK? Nothing! .So uiullntK never KOUKht to prevent it. Hut he could hardly invent money ill hllHillCNi ill COIIIH!titiOII with Uncle Sam who in (uriiWiiiiK goods at com. He could buy better clothing- furniture. hiiIon, n better home and mine land, mm much as he has any in for, but he could not run into the millions, Imcuiim he could not make hU money work (othur people) tor his, which is the only way that money iucrcakes ittulf. When Uncle Sam conducts all lino of htminiiw without ptofltthen iiiture,t rent and profits ate abolished, and all the other demands of kocinlitiui Hccumplbihe!. every condition surrounding them, the lust for financial conquest and and power, should be transplanted to some great co-operative common wealth, some industrial democracy, where all had learned the advan tages of industrial organization and every man's hand was not against his brother, would also soon be glad to be relieved of that ceaseless competitive struggle and be guar anteed the full product of any use ful effort. At any rate it is quite certain that anyone living amid these con ditions, no matter what ideals he may havc,must continue the hateful struggle and have added the insults of those who ask why he does not practice as he preaches. Socialism is not a code of morals, it is a political science. It is not especially concerned with what would be right for one man to do, but with what wottld be wise for is supposed l' nil men to do collectively. It is as absurd to talk about practicing the principles of socia ism all by your lonesome, as to talk of practicing democracy in the middle of Russia, or reciprocity on a desert island. Business Men We Can Recommend Socialism is not based on any merely sentimental notion of brotlt erlioou and cmialitv, no more than democracy is based on scut incuts of patriotism. Men stop fighting each other nud organize to fight for each other not from scnti mental consideration for the other fellow, but because they find PAYS. Men will learn to haudl industries jointly instead of oppos lug each other tor the same reason IT PAYS. If you can show tha this is not true in identically the same sense as the previous state incut you can easily and foreve destroy that "menace of .socialism,' if not it will swallow you. Some tieople profess to believ socialism would destroy all lucent ive. The tiersou who makes that statement probably has in mini some dim and ha.y notion of com muiiism. I low about the iuceutiv to obtain nu education? How Ins fallen away since education be came a public instead of a private busiiiiss! II the making of cloth ing should now become a public business no doubt we would nil go naked. When we should find on that the other fellow could get just as good clothing nud food as we by just merely working for it, w would lie right down and die. should like to have an x-ray photo ot the mental piocesses of the Tel low who firht started that incentive argument. His followers, I think merely roK.tit it without any men tnl procvMeH. There U lwy some fellow lo stand by and khout: "You cnu't do it." Like the old uuwa-lmck who stood on the Iwuk looking at the first ktutuuhoflt and saying "She'll uuver go." She'll never go." And wliuu she began to move smoothly across the water he shouted excited ly "She'll never stop! She'll never stop!" So ot one time socialism is to this fellow a lx.mitiful, but im practical dream, too idealistic for liny place this side of heaven, ami again it is the most hateful con cuptiou of the power of hell. This pessimistic individual can recite mote stories of graft than any one and seems to think the recital nu argument against anything you niuy Mit forward to prevent graft. He knocks present conditions and knocks still harder any attempts to improve them. es! he has known labor and it whouv liave a jHliticHl machine and graft. "Vott cnu't change human nature." Now, we all admit that denial The public school is more radica than anything we propose. It brings no immediate results in cash and is so supported by a tax, ami service furnished free. We only ask that the products of industry lie luruisiicd at cost. "The injury of one of us is the ccucern of all of us." About forty years ogo, when the despised Knights of Labor rnude declaration like this it was to the generality of mankind but it form of words, without meaning, without lesson of duty. 1 his generation is beginning to see that it is nu eternal truth am one ot me greatest that ever was entertained by man. Proposals for Street Work Svrtliil proiMMalK will lie rtceivtM nt Hie office of tin- noonlcrof the city of St, loiuik, utiiti Apr. ibtli, 1913, nt N o'clock . in. lor Uic improvement ot Sene ca ktrvvt Ironi the imitlii'rlv siile line of I'essemliMi street to the southerly stile Hue ol St. John Avenue in the iimuncr tniviiieti ny oriltmiiu-c No subject to me rovuioiik in me eiiatler (tit-1 onll lutucetof ttie eily of St. Joint nuit the estimate of the eity engineer on file ItiiKiueer' estimate is $ i,a 17.6. UiiU must Ik- strictly in accordance wiiii ine iirimeti niuiiKii, nmiicii will tie union ami socialists to sell out timtllied on HiiplUntion at the olliee ol will alum lu tin. sain,. l'e reetmler ol the eity ol St. Johns. Will I UI.",,"V Awl salil inimovei.ient must be coin er you elect to office. 1 hey II ,,c,lHi, on or More w days from the last tuintcaivoii ot nonce ot mKsals lor said work, Xo iro.iU or liiils will he considered unless m-comiMiiicd hv it certified check 1 IktvahlL to the order of t f it- muviir of lli ..:..:i... ;. i, t ...... i.... .'.i... ... o. n . ' VIIIIIIIUU t HIV OlV III lllFCliy, (lilt ,HI) III Ol. JOI1I1J, VUIIIIIC4I uy u ivsihiusi- we duspisc the idea that there is no lllt' l,M,'k ',,r " "mount eml to ten per .c. tr..:...r 1,. ...,.nu ..i..ii...... K'ent. of the iiKiireKte iirt)H)siil. . . " : .. ., ., ' b" The nKht to reject any ami all bids Is nun wi- insist unit tnei v itie iiictiuMis , lmrehy reserved. of controlling and iutlueuciin:, Hy order of tlie council. even changing human nature. Has human nature changed since the ear lydays of snvagcty ?We thinkit has, but no matter; a man from this age placed among savages would fight to defend himself just like a savage. And a savage from the jungles transplanted to our civilization, and confronted with the conditions of organised society would conduct himself to some extent like a civil ized man, nud would be glad to be relieved of the necessity to defend his life on all occasions. This shows that conditions, and not hu man nature constitute the great consideration. I doubt not that the (front finan cial chieftains of today, born amid conditions of financial struggle, having bred into their bonus by l'. A. KIOW. Recorder of the city of St. Johns. Published III the St. Johns Review March 39. April 5 and 12, 1912. ST. Johns Laundry Thoroughly equipped for all kinds of laundry work and Up-to-date tn every respect, Prompt and efficient service guar anteed. Your patronage solicited. Subscribe happy. for U10 Review and ba DR. RAM BO DENTIST First National Bank building. ST. JOHNS, OREGON. DR. J. VINTON SCOTT DENTIST Open Evenings and Sundays by Ap- pouumonu Office Phone Columbia 140 Resident I'hone Columbia 38 JOSEPH McCHESNOY, M. D. Physician and Surgeon. Day & Night Office In McChosnay blk. St. Johns, - Oregon. Daniel 0. Webster, A. B. M. D Residence, C97 Dawson Street Office, Filter Dlock. University Park, Portland, Oregon. PERRY c7 STROUD LAWYER First National Dank Building ST. JOHNS . - OREGON 0. J. GATZAIYER ATTORNEY AT LAW McDonald Building ST. JOHNS . . OREGON Wc buy or sell St. Johns Property AlcKINNEY & DAVIS Real Estate List your property with us if you desire to sell quickly 202 N. Jersey St. St. Johns J. R. WEIMER Transfer and Storage Wo dollver your iroods to nnd from nil pnrta of 1'ortlnnd, vnncouvor. Linn- ton, Portland nnd Suburban hxprowt Co,, city dock nnd nil poInU accessible by wagon. I'lano and. furniture moving Oilicc Phone Columbia 24 Residence Phone Columbia 198 St. Johns Express, Transfer and Storage Co. Piano Moving a Specialty. Until ing done to and from Portland Residence 400 Ivast Richmond Office 103 North Jersey Street ST. JOHNS GARAGE II I 12. Ilurllnzton Slrctt Automobile Rci.iiriiig nud Vulcanizing We ran gel you rtino 1 ircsot nu kiiiuh llloclo nnd (lcncral Repairing in connection. New and necond hand bicycle for nale, Ilicyclc tires in stock. J. M. nnd V. P. WRAY. I'ropi. I'lione Columbia 5S7. CAMP 773 VY. 0. W. Moutn ov. enr Wed- 11 o s d a y even in if In Dick, ner's Hall DORIC tODGC NO. 132 r, and A. M. Ilririihir rntninnnlcnHnn. on llrat nnd thin! Wed iiesdavs of each month In O1I1I F.t iuu Imll Visitors wolcomo. S. Chan. Davli. V. M. C. O. Rogers, Secretary Order Eastern Star AHncrvn Chapter Meet I'.verv l'lrst ami Third Tuesday Hveulng of Harh Mouth hi Odd I'ellow nun. airs. Susie Rouers, Secretary. HOLMES LODGE NO. 101 kmgiiis nr MVIIIIA Meet every 1'rlday nilit at 1 j" ipiiwk in 1, i, vi. r. Hall. Vi-itor alyays Wei come, V. W. MASON. C. C. I). IMIORS.MAN, K. R.S. LAUREL LODGE 9m No. 186 I. 0. 0. T Sr. JOHNS. OKCGON Meets each Monday evcnliur In Odd Fel lows hall nt 7:30. A cordial welcome to all visiting brothers. If you have any Plumbing you want done just call us up, Columbia 92 EDMONDSON CO. 203 S. Jersey Street EL CO. Successors to St, Johns Sand and Gravel Company L. D. JACKSON, Prop. General Contractor We are prepared to do unv and all kinds of excavating for street work and other purposes. We also handle sidewalk and build iu material, Newton and Pe-ssenden Streets St. Johns, Oregon Phoue Columbia. . . . Butterick Patterns John Strootman Shoes for Ladies 3 fliist-Tncf "n You may not be able to own an automobile, but the ladies of St. Johns can own a WARNER'S RUST PROOF CORSET. We have the St. Johns agency and have them in sufficient variety and size to fit any figure. They are washable, and can be boiled just like any white garment. Ladies who wear them sing praises of their com forts; and they are guaranteed to give satisfac tory wear or your money back. Prices from $1.00 to $5.00. Bonham & Currier Star Brand Shoes for Everybody Headlight Overalls ( Ladies Home Journal Patterns Kabo Corsets LET US HT YOUR FEET Our Spring Showing of Ladies', Misses', Men's, Youths' and Childrens' Shoes have arrived. NEW ARRIVALS MORE COMPLETE THAN HERETOFORE Before buying elsewhere, come in and look them over, it costs nothing to investigate, and we will be pleased to show you. Our Child's, Misses' and Ladies' patent two strap Pumps are sure to please. We have some Handsome Savings in Shoes that we are selling below cost in order to make room for our late arrivals. Our line of Dress Shirts for men are worth looking over, Coat Shirts, on and off like a coat, at prices from $1.00 to 2.50 Kent & Co.s', Scott & Heath's Hats from London, that are reasonable, for men and boys. Couch & Co. "PIONEERS" DISTRIBUTERS OF MERCHANDISE SINCE 1904 Fink's Detroit Special Ov'alls Arrowhead Hosiery