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THKMONTANA NEWS. ISSUEDWIEKl.Y. J.m WALSH CdltorMl^Publisher OFFICE22 PARK AVE. P. (). BOX 908 enteredat the Pout Office for uanxmiuion^through the mail at nerond cU^^ rate*. 8UHS1-RIPTION. tLM PER YEAR. AdTertikiniRate* mailc known upon applica^^tion at thin office. Anysubscriber not recciv^ing the News regularly should^notify this office at once. It^only takes a one cent postal^card. Our mailing list is prac^^tically perfect, and many errors^are carlessly made at certain^postoffices, and our readers^can assist us greatly in prompt^^ly notifying this office of the^1 same. ] TRADES^h^^] COUNCIL Socialismappears to have rattled the old dry bones of the capi^talis! parties. Nota single millionaire in the United States voted for Debs^while several million working mules voted for capitalism. Comrades, we must have 5,000 subscribers for the Montana News^before the first of the vear. Are vou readv to do vmir share ftwill be an interesting scene to see a few women and the col^^lege student take the soap box to debate the great question of the^country with Socialist agitators of Chicago. Squelchingreturns of the Socialist vote seems to have been ;^great part of the business of the Montana daily papers. The capital^ists do not care to read the increase in Socialist returns. Thefellow who holds his job and keeps quiet, steers shy of the^Socialist movement for fear that he might lose his position, is, to a^great extent, in the same position of the fellow who moved to Canada^when the war of '01 broke out. Parkerat least says he will never accept another nomination^Good for Parker. He at least knows more than Bryan or Watson^for he realizes that his party is dead and buried. We would MggCSt^that Bryan, VVattoa, Hearst, et al., take a hunch. TotbOM WHO are becoming interested in Socialism since the late^election returns, the News would suggest that they send 10 cents and^get Allen L Benson's ^Socialism Made Plain.^ It is one of the best^small publications now published to hand to the beginner. Onthe last page of this paper will be found the National Socialist^Platform, which underwent considerable debate BOOM time ago. Now^is a good time to take up its discussion and get one before another^national campaign that will not be evasive or easy to criticise in anvway. Ahead in the Independent over an article in regard to the A. F.^of L. meeting in Frisco says: ^Socialism to Re Turned Down.'^Why, you poor fool, how can a labor organization turn Socialism^down, when both old capitalist parties can't^ Socialism will not bf^turned down just because some labor leader, or rather labor fakir^says so. Mr.Mahon, of the American Federation of Labor, in an inter^view volunteered the information that Socialism or any other politics^would be turned down by the national convention at San Francisco.^Surely Socialism ought to be turned down by a gang of parasite^labor leaders who went from Chicago to San Francisco in a specia^train. That is a long ways from Socialism. Accordingto the returns from Yellowstone county, more hard^work should be done in that county in the near future. The vote for^congressman two years ago was 50. while this year it was only 56,^and Debs only received 65. This is practically no advance whatever^Get in on the city election, comrades, with a platform that will put a^crimp in oM plutocracy, and open the eyes of the two-bit aristocracy^of Hillings. Comradelames Kttien of Stevensvillc has taken up the job of^publishing a column each week in a local paper of his town. It is^another sif,rn of the times when you se an old party paper giving space^to the publication of Socialism. This change must come, however^because the Socialists are getting pretty thick in many places, and^especially so in the locality of Stevensville. This move of Comrade^Ftticn's would DC ^ |OOd suggestion to the comrades in other places Mark1 lanna was astonished when he learned of a little Socialist^paper down in Kansas wifh a million circulation, and if he could heat^the sound of over a half million votes this year he would turn in his^grave; but he was the man of the capitalist parties that sounded the^slogan to them that they would have Socialism to fight in 1908. It^begins to look as if he were correct, and his prophesy would not prove^him a false prophet. The Socialists hardly look for such a happening^so soon, but possibly with the democratic party tlead and the line-up^that must come in the next four years, something may be doing. Theelection returns show a Socialist vote in the state of Nebras^ka of something over 8.000, and a number of the populist papers of^that state are discussing this new party. That's good, boys, for it^will only be a short time until you will be in line fighting the battle^of the common people as you were a few years ago. Come on, we^need your assistance, and when you come into the Socialist ranks^you will find an organization that will prevent fusion-graft, the can^^cerous growth that destroyed the populist party; and you will find^also a party that stands to free all people, and not one builded upon^the dying embers of a middle class. Well,Editor Goodwin has skipped from Helena back to his home^in Utah, after filling a position on an Amalgamated sheet during the^campaign. While he did as much for the Standard Oil octopus as^possible the few weeks that he held the editorial chair on the Record^of this city^as much as any one wage slave could do^it is doubtful^if he changed a single vote, and further he lost his own by being^away from home. When another election rolls around all the Amal^^gamated will need to do will be to hire another worker for a small^sum of gold per week to come and dish up dope to fool the voter.^And the voter will stand the fooling process by voting the capitalists^into power again. TheWomen's Republican League Club of Cook County,^ Illi^^nois, is now making arrangements to fight Socialism in the future.^One of the novel undertakings by these women will be to hire young^college students to take the soap box on the street comers to combat^the Socialist agitator. This will be a good step to start off with, and^the only deplorable part will be the fact that the young student won't^last long enough in the economic debates with our Chicago soap box^agitators to know that the fight was really on. However, the So- jrHMONTANA NEWS, HELENA. MONTANA cialistswill gladly welcome the young students or any other person^into the field of debate, for that is just what the Socialist cause needs^as this time^opposition^debate that will bring out all oi the small pointsand weld more clearly into the mind of the worker his real^condition and sound to him a philosophy for the relief of the same.^Judging from the interview given out by the woman at the head of^the organization, they are sadly in the dark as to what they are going^up against. A person who makes such remarks as ^Philosophic an^^archy, whatever that mav be,^ is hardly in an intellectual position to^attempt to select material to combat Socialism or Socialist speakers.^The women of this club, however, have a right to change their minds,^and probably will. It is an illustration of ^Fools rush in where angels^fear to tread. SOCIALISTSARE MAKING ANOTHER MISTAKE. Beforethe average Socialist reads this editorial) the writer would^suggest that you read the article in this issue from the pen of George^I). Herron ; while this editorial is not written in connection with^Comrade Herron'a article, they hear so closely together 00 the sub^ject to discuss. ^Socialists Are Making Another Mistake.^ that the^reader cannot understand the News too thoroughly. Thearticle in Collier's Weekly by Upton Sinclair on Socialism^created such interest that the publishers of the journal were exhausted^in supplviug the demand. In connection with this main of the So^^cialist papers over the United States were advising their readers^^whom we suppose are Socialists to buy the issues of Colliers^\\ eeklv, assuming, of course, that .it would serve as an ^incentive^^for this class of capitalist journals to publish more Socialist articles. Hereinlies the mistake, when such advice is given by the So^^cialist papers or comrades. Let the capitalist parasite and the bour^^geois buv those capitalist sheets, but you Socialists spend your money^with vour own papers that are struggling for an existence, ami ones^that can be relied upon to lead you aright, and not astray, as w ill these^capitalist papers in the near future. Thefact that the issue above mentioned received such tremen^^dous sales proves too conclusively thai the present society is still^imbued with the capitalistic idea, and desire to fawn at the feet of^the money power and continue to worship an idol. An article, it^appears, by a man in one of these capitalist sheet- counts for more^than a better article if published in a Socialist paper. Inconnection with this great interest in the Sinclair article^comes the information that the Great I alls Tribune is dishing up^Socialist articles every day. Ami as Socialism grows you will find^thtOi capitalist sheets^the deadly enemy of the proletarian^grant^^ing, as C omrade Herron says, many of the things demanded by the^Socialists, and while these papers will draw the support of the com^^mon people to them, the true Socialist publication will be left to starrcto death. Capitalismis working the old game over again. The capitalist^is class conscious and utlde stands the play very well, and if by step^^ping in and granting some of the demands of the Socialist philosophy^they are able to swing to them the great majority of people, again will^history repeat itself, anil the master will remain master only under a^different regime. Itis a surprise to the writer to see the Socialist papers advising^the Socialists to buy these capitalist sheets because they contain^articles on Socialism. Just what the capitalist wants: he is baiting^his trap^the capitalist press^ready to play the old three-shell trick^on the worker again. NoSocialist should spend a single cent with the capitalist press,^even though it may publish thousands of articles on Socialism. Let^the bourgeois and capitalist parasites support these sheets, but let^the rank and file of the Socialist party support their own papers and^their own literature. Spend not one cent of money for any of their^papers from the country cross road weekly to their daily and monthly^publications. Itis up to the worker to educate himself and his emancipation^lies in his own power, and to think that the capitalist press or power^is ready to assist him in the least is a sad mistake. Kick over the^money changers' tables, press and all, comrades, and stand by your^own cause and class if you ever expect to win the day for the estab^^lishment of the co-operative commonwealth. ITWAS A CLASS CONSCIOUS VOTE. Itis often said that the capitalists are class conscious and that^the nominees of the capitalist parties, either the right or left wing,^e. g., I'eabody of Colorado, are class conscious to the duties of their^respective offices or positions. Thissame class in Lewis and Clarke county showed themselves^to be class conscious to a man when it came to voting upon the^amendments submitted at the late election. The returns showed 384^votes against each amendment. These votes must have been cast^by the exploiting class. Just think of 384 human brutes registering^I desire that children be pressed into the labor market to grind out^their lives while the human hog lies in the trough of plenty wrung^from the toil of the poor children. Whenthe working mule gets as class conscious as these capi^^talists, he will stand in the strike at the ballot box the same as the^capitalist, and when he does the few will not be living in the mansions^of the city while the worker and his family live in the rented shacks. Howdo you laboring and union dupes like it anyway^ You who^voted for the non-unionist on the democratic and republican tickets^as against union men on the Socialist ticket, should read a lesson^from the class conscious vote cast against the amendments in Lewis^and Clarke county. Whenwill the time arrive, we are often to ask, when the union^men will stop this scabbing at the polls^ When the Socialist edu^^cation has been carried long enough that the workers get class con^^scious and vote to a man for their interests, old capitalism will go^tumbling. YouAre The Judge HinSdulfncr VMn HindTi.lwrd SOCIALISTSIN THE CITY CAMPAIGNS. Thecoming city elections are what the Socialists should begin^to discuss at once, as only a few months remain from now until that^time, and it behooves the Socialists and the cause they represent to^be in the field with a platform of principles in due time that the people^may have time to read the same and give it consideration at least. Whilethe Socialists will not elect any candidates possibly in the^spring elections, it is absolutely imperative that they come before the^people with a ticket and a platform that sounds the demands of the^proletarian or working class in no unmistakable language. With this^^ind of an educational feature carried on for a few months we are^jound to at least advance the thinking voters a certain degree, even^though we may not land him in the Socialist ranks. Thiskind of advance has been made in the state of Montana^until at the last conventions held by both old capitalist parties plat-^lorms were adopted declaring for the principles of Socialism, i. e., the^idoptio'i of the initiative and referendum, the child labor law, the^eight hour law, etc. Two years ago when the News was publishing^a series of articles on the initiative and referendum, the Clark-Amal^^gamated papers were passing it by unnoticed, save one exception, the^Great Falls Tribune, which doubted the coming of such a great rc-^orm in our time. Today it and its party are declaring for the initia^^tive and referendum and in as loud and vociferous voice is the repub^^lican party declaring for this great reform. Whileyou need expect nothing from these parties in passing any^such laws while they are squirming under the thumb of capitalism, Ifyou have not been in here for a^look, you will be greatly surprised to^learn how good an overcoat you can^buy here for JustEven $15.00 If$15.00 is YOUR Overcoat price^don't fail to come here. Thetailoring and style of the^Coats would pass them for garments^of far greater value. Thefabrics are fine all wool frie-^rcs, kerseys and fancy cheviots, and^are made in the popular 44 and 46^inch lengths. Also a complete line^of belt Coats in the popular 52 inch^lengths. Our$15.00 Coats are great temp^^tations to money savers. ComeHere Once and YouWill Come Again 13heHUB 'i|rri(M 1904 bjr Il.rt S, h.Tn.i ^ Mux CORNERMAIN AND !^TH L.WEIGEL. Pros. voucan at the same time see the educational advance this line of^thought is making. Thesame is true in the coming city campaigns. For instance,^in Helena there is an opportunity for the workers to present a plat^^form that will open the eyes of the people. And the Opportunity in^Helena is no different than in Butte, Hillings, Livingston, Kalispell.^Missoula, and nearly every other town of any size in the state. The^collective ownership of the street car-, the waterworks, the gas, and^electric plants, all of which should be run at absolute cost to the^people and the expense of keeping them be derived from direct tax^^ation. TheSocialists should be alive to their party interest from now^on. and no little attention should be ^iven the formation of a munici^^pal platform that will fully define the Socialist position on these^matters. ()ne thing should always be borne in mind in regard to this mat^^ter and that is that the platform adopted should be in the interest of^the proletarian without regard to the taxpayer or capitalist, and that^any evasion in the line of a bourgeois antidote for the purpose of^catching votes is entirely out of order. Socialism can only come^when economic development coupled with the education of the masses^forces the same. TheNews earnestly endorses the Standard's plea to stop election^frauds and punish the criminals. Let us begin right now. Make^an example of the offenders. Send a few of them to the penitentiary^and it will be a wholesome lesson for future years. It shouldn't be^hard to find the man or men who gave our officially-stamped ballots^to be marked for the ^straight democratic ticket.^^Butte Evening^News. Neitherpaper believes in a word of the above. If it were not^for fraud their class^the capitalists^could not stay in power.^Through fraud is how they won the late election in Silver Row^county. But if the courts and officers, who are supposed to enforce^the law. were in the hands of the people, and not owned by the capi^^talists, it would be well to start legal proceedings to stop election^fraud, and make an example of the offenders, even to Mr. Heinze^and the Amalgamated themselves, who are doubly guilty, to the poor^devil who took the pittance of five dollars for his vote. Go right^after them and land the offenders in the penitentiary, for that is where^they belong. However, you will land nothing. This was proven in^the Kangaroo court proceedings at Levvistown. when J. D. Waite,^republican senator from that county, secured his election by buying^votes at $5 each through the ^tinhorn^ element of the town. When^all was proven in the court, even to the minute, the place, the kind of^money, etc., the ^capitalist^ court, a man who had been in the insane^asylum, found no ground for trial and dismissed the case, to the com^^plete satisfaction of the county attorney, who was scpiirming under^the thumb of the same local money power. The same will be true^in Silver Bow county, for the rich can do no wrong, and there is no^court that will convict them. The suggestion of the Butte Evening^News and Standard is rot. Thecapitalist press appears to be greatly pleased with the state^^ment of Samuel Gompers of the A. F. of L. that Socialism will be^turned down by the convention now in session in San Francisco.^Well, if the hirelings on the editorial staff of capitalist sheets receive^any enjoyment from writing such, or it pleases the ears of their mas^^ters, sure the Socialists grant them that pleasure. But the vote has^not as yet been taken and when it is it may show Mr. Gompers to be^sadly in error. However there seems to he little gained by a labor^organization, that has not passed by the pure and simple union prop^^osition, endorsing or repudiating Socialism. The W. F. of M. and^the A. L. U. endorsed Socialismm in national convention assembled^to learn that the membership positively scabbed on the following^election day. The endorsement of Socialism by a labor organization^does not educate the membership to understand the principles en^^dorsed, and as a consequence little is accomplished. Labor has dem^^onstrated to every intelligent person that it cannot unite upon capi^^talistic tickets, but that it must unite upon a platform of principles^which declare for its own right and names men of its own rank. But^whether Socialism is endorsed or not by the above mentioned con^^vention the spread of its doctrine will not be retarded, and the mem^^bership as laborers have only to learn that there is only one place for^labor to unite to win the battle, and that is at the ballot box upon^the principle of a working class interests. TheGreat Falls Tribune, a capitalist sheet edited by a wage,^slave for so much per, strikes the truth pretty closely in the follow^^ing sketch: ^Despite the organized campaign that was made in^behalf of the amendments to the state constitution, only 57 per cent^of the voters voted on the amendments. There was not much opposi^^tion to either, but it appears there are many men in the county who^object to working for more than eight hours in a day, but are willing^that their young children shall toil in underground mines, there being^142 more votes against the child labor amendment than against the^eight hour amendment.