The Growth and Power of Socialism

Mr. Robert Hunter, the socialist writer, outlined the development of "Socialism" in Emerson D last evening.

The socialist movement is only 35 years old, but it has already a membership of over ten million men and is spreading with incredible speed over the earth. Throughout Europe all the scientists and literary men of the younger school are socialists. Germany forty years ago, was poverty stricken and just emerging from the social conditions of the middle ages. Modern capitalizing was developing and there was much discontent among the laboring classes. As a remedy for these evils, the workingmen formed the socialist party. In England, successive royal commissions appointed by Parliament to investigate the grievances of the workmen, accomplished nothing. The working classes were driven to organize themselves politically in order to protect their rights. In Italy corruption was the cause of the socialist movement. Here the new party has not gained great power in the government, but it has driven out the dishonest men by opposing to them honest men in every election. In all countries, except the United States, political parties are passing bills to keep down the socialist vote.