Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/172

 148 THE GRANITE MONTHLY.

��SECURITY OF THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE.

��BY CHARLES E. GEORGE, ESQ.

IN a republic where every man is a sovereign ; where universal suffrage pre- vails, the ballot must be weilded by an educated people or the life of the nation is endangered. The most important question to every true American citizen is, how can this great nation of ours be perpetuated. There are but two means by which a nation can be destroyed ; by foreign powers, and by internal corruption. Of the first we need have no fears, but the second pre- sents many alarming features. Said Huxley, " You are making a novel experi- ment in politics on the grandest scale the world ever saw. Forty millions or more at your first century, it is reasonable to suppose that at your second, these states will be occupied by two hundred millions of English-speaking people, spread over an area as large as that of Europe, and with a climate and interests as different as those of Spain and Scandinavia, or England and Russia. You and your decendants will have to ascertain, whether this great mass will hold together under the form of a Republic, and the despotic sway of univer- sal suffrage ; whether state rights vvill hold out against centralization ; whether centralization will hold out against real or disguised monarchies ; whether shift- less corruption is better than permanent bureaucracy. As population thickens in your cities, and the pressure of want is felt, the gaunt spectre of pauperism will stalk among you, and Socialism and Communism claim to be heard. Truly America has a great future before her — great in care and responsibility — great in true glory if she be guided in wisdom and righteousness — great in shame if slie fails."

America carries the hopes and fears of all freedom-loving people, if she fails, their hopes are extinguished, if she continues prosperous, they too, base hopes of seeing their "shackled millions free." That communism and social- ism have been growing and now exist to some extent among us is too evident to demand proof. But what are communism and socialism? Webster's defini- tion is, "The reorganization of society or the doctrine that it should be reor- ganized by regulating property, industry, and the sources of livelihood, and also the domestic relations and social morals of mankind ;" socialism " especial- ly the doctrine of a community of property or the negation of individual rights of property." Thus communism and socialism do not propose to elevate the poor classes, but degrade the wealthy and exalted, and not ennoble the base ; just that which is most dangerous and most opposed to the best interest of the nation. No man ever rose too high in society. If every one possessed the energy, perseverence, and ambition of the successful man, there would be no cry of communism. But are the communists of the poor and uneducated class ? Yes, certainly, they are, for were they of a wealthy and educated class there would be no need of a division of property. Is there any danger from this element? Was there any danger to the French Government, twice revo- lutionized by this same element within the last century. If there is no danger from this element, why these strikes? Why this national unrest? Why the declaration "the world owes rne a living, and a living I'll have?" Why this cry of "bread or blood," if there is no communism in our land?

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