Last Lecture on Socialism

Mr. W. H. Mallock delivered his fifth and last lecture on Socialism in Emerson Hall last evening.

After a brief review of the subject matter of his previous lectures Mr. Mallock refuted the argument of popular socialism, which states that the many are omnipotent and the few of little or no importance. Although fully realizing the great powers of the majority in many instances, he showed that the powers of the minority were equally potent. This doctrine is proved in legislation, for the majority cannot decide to have things which the minority will not have. Hence the powers of the many are limited to a large extent, and legislation is perforce confined to certain channels.

The great argument against socialism is that the propensities of the many give rise to legislation, but they are far from originating legislation, in which the assumptions of the majority have to coincide to some extent with the opinions of the minority. The same is true in regard to the economic powers of labor, which have in most cases been greatly exaggerated, as is shown by the frequent weakness of strikes. Socialism, concluded Mr. Mallock, in endeavoring to redivide the product would prevent the product from being produced.