Comrades: A Story of Social Adventure in CaliforniaDixon, Thomas, Jr.
General
Comrades: A Story of Social Adventure in California
Dixon, Thomas, Jr.
California -- Fiction; Socialism -- Fiction
"We must continue to make inventions, or progress ceases. When the
cost of experiments is greater than the total income of a citizen, how
can the inventor bear the expense? Will any man sacrifice his own
funds and his own time on an uncertain experiment when he can receive
no benefit from the work?
"Many men are working now over problems all other men believe cannot
be solved. If the State must furnish the capital to make the
experiments of inventors, who will be responsible for the enormous
waste of treasure on senseless and useless and impossible inventions?
"Who can decide whether ideas proposed are useless or impossible? All
great inventions which have revolutionized the history of ages have
been laughed at by the world.
"How can we punish the jobbery and waste and corruption which may
enter from experiments which are not made in good faith? Cannot any
group of shrewd men pretend to have invented a machine which will save
over half the labour of the colony, and spend millions on this
imaginary invention which proves useless? If such an abuse of power
should be made, would not the effect be to end forever all experiments
and stop the progress of the world?
"When many cities have been built and one is more healthful,
beautiful, and cultured than the others, shall those who live in the
poorer cities be allowed to move or be forced to remain where they
are? How are sculptors, artists, musicians, or architects to be
apportioned among different communities? Suppose they all demand the
right to live in one place?
"Will the State publish all books by all authors, or will selections
be made? If all books are published will not vast sums be wasted in
printing worthless trash? If selections are made, what unprejudiced,
infallible board can be found competent to decide?
"If a man chooses to be a writer, how many years shall he be allowed
to work at his occupation if in the opinion of the judges he shows no
talent?
"Will the State permit freedom of opinion in the columns of its papers
and the books printed? If so, what shall hinder a treasonable
conspiracy from destroying respect for its authority? If opinions are
to be edited by the State, how can the freedom of the press be
maintained?
"What shall be done with the Negro, the Chinaman, and the Indian when
their numbers largely increase? Will these inferior races be placed on
an absolute equality with the Aryan and will they be allowed to freely
intermarry? If so, can the new mongrel race maintain itself against
the progress and power of the great high-bred races of men?
"Are women to receive the same allowance as men, and married women the
same as spinsters?
"Shall men and women be required to marry or be allowed to remain
single? Shall all women be made to work? If it continues to cost more
to support a single woman than a married one, how can equality of
rights be maintained?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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