MONTANA NEWS. HELENA MONTANA.
MONTANASOCIALIST
PARTYACTIVITi
LccalHelena has sssued a challenge^to Biahop Carro; of Helena to meet^George D. Brewer In debate.
BishopCarrol la an MMmMMi^and of late In his sermons he haa been^attacking Socialism and Womai.'a^Suffrage.
QeorgeD. Brewer la one of tha^^Vcturers attached to the National^Lyceum lecture Bureau and la In^Helena thla woek#
AtBiahop Carrol's orltlclani of So^^cialism la to unjuat, the Socialists of^Id l.na. decided that the beat way^to reply to him waa to challenge him^to ^li bate
Theincreaae of Socialist aentlment^la developing rapidly in Montana. Aa^one travcla over the atate. a continual^revelation la given him on the growth^of Socialism. A good organiser In^Montana could easily organize fifty^n. w .oeals in th. n^^t ninety days.
Organizationis what la required at
]! ^ s. lit
InGallatin county there la room for^four more locals. Three Forks espe^dally la ripe for organiz. tlon, and a^local of at eea-t 25 charter members^could be secur'd.
AtWhitehall one Is surprised at^the number of Socialists he meets,^but no local la in existence there.^Whitehall Is at the extreme southern^portlun of Jeff. rson county and if the^adjacent territory to Whitehall waa^i:i\in attention, there is no reason^whab \er why th0 Socialists should not^carry Jefferson county at the next^election, especially^ the legislative^ticket.
H.rIn old Madison cnun'-, where^Socialism ns^ d to be a back number,^the growth of Soclalst thought la mar-^vei'ous. If the comrades of Local^Norrls would spur themselves into^their idd time activity the 8oclalst^\i ;. in Madison county at the next^. lection would show at least, an In^^crease of 600 per cent over the vote^that has been poh'ed for the past^seven years n Madison county.
Organization,and mure organization^should be the subject for discussion at^each local meeting. Keep up the^agitation for more and efficient or^^ganizing'.
LECTUREDATES.
G org. D_ Brewer the third speaker^on the National Lyceum Lecture^course will iVcture In Helena, Dec28;^Missoula Dec2^; Livingston DeeSO;^and Bed I. ..In. Dec 31
MayWnMMM the fourth speak^^er on the Lyeum course will speak^t.-wistown, Jan 2; Great Falls,^Jan l| Helena Jan 4; Missoula Jan^S; Livingston Jan. 6; Red Lodge^Jan. 7.
ARF.TIIK FARM Kits
DESERTINGCAPITALISM.
ByClyde J. Wright
understand.But we do know that^they are more helpness. more depen^^dent, and therefore have less political^Independence. Capitalism knows the^value and power It haa to feed the^town man s mind with cheap and un^^fit vaudeville, detective atorlea and^other sensual literature. Whatever^may be the Intellectual advantages,^they are offset by the very poverty^which they breed^they teach the^wrong lessons.
Theworkers have been tricked,^tricked. Once the fiction of the an-^tagonisms b. tvv. . n town and country^producers Is exploded and these two^emls tog. b^ r turn upon th,. capitalists^^ 'middle^, an irresistible force will^have been added to the revolution.
TIIFRIGHTS OF HALF A NATIOX
ByJoseph E# Cohen,
OldParty is Halted
Continued from flrat page.)
Nine-tenthsof the Socialists of^Texas are farmers,^ so says Nat L.^Hardy. One-half of the Sociailstst^of Kansas are farmers, says the State^secretary. Let me add that two-^thirds of the Socialists of Nebraska^are farmers. This speaks volumes.
Haveour papers neglected the^farmers^ Yes, Just as they hav, ,,.-^gh . ted the question of organization^Leading Socialists have been heard^to say that outside the cities there^Is no Socialist movement.
ThereIs Socialism and then there^la the power of Socialism, the power^of Socialism Is organization. Exam^^ine the sta.e secretaries' organization^maps, If you wll.-, and note the small^and numerous country centers that^are now being organized, and perhaps^for the first time realize that th.^country districts are generating the^heat of Socialist organization which is^likely to y. t burn up capitalism in the^cities; while the cities are deliberating^upon some technical point of science^Are you still asking. ^Can a farm^^er be a Socialist^^ You should ob^^serve that the relative proportion of^organized farmers In the middle west^as compared to the whole movement^indicates that the farmers need no^asking. These organized] precincts^answer
Therenters' rebellion in VMM^seems to say that there are no more^political hayseeds in the country than^then, are political thin-heads in the^town_
Ifit is a question of the class^struggle, then the tenant Is having^fully as many ^ups^ In the country^as the wage earn, r is having ^downs^^In the cities.
Itmay be true that there is more^gdtter In the cities to attract atten^^tion, and ai*o that the class struggle^Is more clearly defined, but this does^not tell us that the wage workers^sr.. necessarily quicker or srov. . r to
Supposethat some one were to sug^^gest that half th, voters of this nation^should be disfranchised. Might not^such an act bring about a civil war^as terrible as that of 1861.
Yei.aa wild as such an Idea Is, It la^no wilder than the Idea that the wo^^men of our country, or of any other^coun'ry, are to remain permanent;)-^disfranchised.
Forwomen are one-half of this and^every other nation. And as true as It^is that no land can endure part slave^and part free, It Is true that woman^must be given the title to every po^^litical and social right possessed by^man.
Solong as woman's seat was at the^fireside, such a qui stion could not^arise.. So long as the clrci'e of her^needs and wants centered In her own^home, such a problem could not pre-^i nt itself. 8o long as woman was^only a silent partner in her husband's^concerns, vnman r. malned on the edge^of the current of political and social^struggles.
Butall this changed when the^throbbing of the gigantic machine be^^came the dynamo of progress; It all^changed when the bleak, sinister^factory wall cast Its lengthening^shadow over the family hearth.
Whenwoman became a factor in^Industry, then she became a factor In^political and social matters.
Whencertain trades came to be set^apart as ^woman's trades.^ then wo^^man became a part of trade and a^part of industry.
Whenthere sprang up ^si- towns^^vvh. re men are relatively as few as^as are women In the lumber and min^^ing camps and the ^he towns^ then^woman became an Important Item In^ill industrial political and social^q lestlons.
Whenthe point was reached that^millions of women In America must^regard wage-labor, instead of the care^of the home and the rearing of a^household, aa their means of sub^^sistence, then woman became one-half^of the social problem.
Whenthe sex-eancer of olden times^became the established institution of^our own day; when woman's very^soul was reduced to ^erms of barter^and price, then the position of woman^and child, even more than that of^man, became the aching heart of the^soclai1 problem.
Anwhen woman became bonded to^wage-labor for life, then there was^born In her the knowledge that her^lot. In a larger sense than ever she^had dreamt of. Is riveted to that of^man's
Thenher vision broadened and her^mother love became part of that fra^^ternity and sollderlty which Is the^basis of worklngclaas consciousness
Andas time advanced, woman,^especially woman In Industry, realized^that governments are the agcncle*^whereby the bread and butter of life^ai. portioned out, and that those who^control the government divide the^portions.
Thencame the movement for wo^^man suffrage, the right of woman to^self-expression, the right to have voice^and vote in regulating the affairs^that concern her, the fight to help^build the civilization of equality and^comradeship that Is to be.
Norcan the importance of securing^suffrage for woman be overestimated.
Allstruggles of any consequence,^industrial and social, expresses Itself^in political quantities. No class ever^rose except by political power. No^claas can ever free Itself and free so^cle'y by becoming the government.
Andthe fight for woman's suffrage^is as much man's work as It Is wo^^man's work. For man cannot be^free himself until woman Shares that^fr. . .lorn with him.
'Ia free half the nation who are^politically inferiors Is to elevate the^whole nation to a high place such as^It has never occupied.
Lt us make the rights of woman,^the rights of half a nation, the con^^cern of the whole nation!
wouldsuggest,^ Herger said, ^that In^^stead ol l.nvvcrs, you would Bet a^brleklav.r write the la^ and have^It stoked over by a newspaper man.^Then you would ave a law tliat would^be plain, a I ivv which everyb ^^ly would^understand.
Repr.M ntative Kendall (Ucp. of^Iowa) advanced his bede: that the^democrat ^lld not deserve credit for^the passage of the soldiers' pension^bill. To this Merger rt pll^ d
Thedemocrats Initiated the bill.^Give the dsvfl his due. Bit lemem-^ber thai this House has Ms^^4 a half^dosen eight hour bli1s_
Theg ntleman from Wlnonsin was^looking at the republican side when^he spoke of giving the devtl his due,^^Inter.!. . ; I Reprcs. ntative Anderson,^of Ohi ^. to the amuaemint of his^demnciatie colleagues,
1was looking first at otc side and^ten at ill. other.^ come ba k the So-^lallst ^ ^oiigr. ssman like a slot.
Bothsides of the Hous- saw the^point, i^d numbers and spectators^roared with good natures laughter.^FlGII'l^ FOR OUt AGF. PENSIONS.
Bergr 'iitroduccd his oil age pen^^sion ). 1 as an nm.ndmeit to the^Sherwood bill, which provUes for an^Increase in pensions to veterans of the^Civil War. His am. ndment was ru.'ed^out as not g. rmane on a p^lnt of or^^der pal* d Bf K' preseiitatlt.' Hartlett,^Idem I of Georgia.
TeSocialist Congressman however,^secur. d ts floor and made a vlgrous^-|. . . h in behalf of the vterans of^industrv He said in part
Th.i e are more w orkers killed and^Injured \.ry year than wee In the^entire Civil War on;y last Saturday^we read of a terrible mine llsaster in^Tenn.s- Si a things hafpen every^^day.
Inaddition, we should alio consider^the number of worn, n whi are sub^^ject to disease contracted 'iccaiis^ of^their occupations, and who b ^*.^ine^total or partial invalids by tie hundred^of thousands .very year. The work^of the soldier of industry 1| Infinite.')-^more necessary :.Pd must b^ perf jrm-^ed ev. ry day or our ^ ivllization^cease.''
ShopmenMaking^Great Resistance.
7
(Continuedfrom page one.
frimtrain No. 1 to taki out the^wr.cker
Tucson,Ariz.^Engine ran trough^the wall In (lila round houst Helper^engine on passenger train at Benson^burst a flue when starting and had to^In- cut out. The engineers are sick of^their Jobs, 15 scabs w ere shipped west^last night to I^s Angoli-s, There are^24 dead engines in the round lions,^here and three on the pits. It is re^^ported that the chief train dispatcher^is laying off on account of nervous^break down brougt about from con^^dition along the road.
COALMIXFRS ACT S.IXTA CLAUK^FOR STRIKKKS CHILDREN.
Againwe hav, a demonstration of^the true spirit by the Ix^cal Unions^of District No. 22 l*nite dMIne Work^^ers of America at ^'hiyenne Wyo.,^woo have circulated posters and hand^bills announcing that they will be^Santa Claus to the chilren of the^striking shopmen of Chej enne, Ch rlst-^ni ' Kv e S Hid iv Dei Ith 191] ii^Ragles Hali' at 7 30 o'clock. Bring^the children and we wll; load them^with good things, candy, fruit, and^nuts and a present for each of them.
Inbehalf of the Osal Miners of^Wyoming.^ Thomas Gibson. Presl-^'b'it A C Morgan, Vice-President;^James Morgan, Secretary-Treasurer.
littlesupport came from the business
nunexcept the few who donated all^the Ingredients that made up forty^gallons or fine claret punch, which^was served free and made mild enough^for ladles to drink without danger of^Intoxication, and of which evry one^drank their full share.^The total receipts amounted to $743.70
Thetotal expense was 68.10
Leavinga cas balance of ....$4)74.Is^One enthusiastic member of the^committee gladly offered to donate an^additional eighty cents to make up^even dollars.
Whensome of the business men.^those so cali'ed ^Friends of Labor^^heard of the large amount being sent^to the strikers they exhibited that un-^mistakeable act of great astonishment^and many of them no doubt, very^much deplore the fact that so much^money la being sent out of the dis^^trict, but all such men who feel that^way are far too selfish o be consld-^i red at all by the working dass. The^boastful business men d. rive their In-^i.nne and luxurious living from the^w orking lassc, and the time has come,^when the business men shall cease to^combln,. against the working class or^the business man will be thoroughly^and severely Ignored by the working^class. Then the business man will^hav. taigo to work and be a real pro^^ducer or look for support from those^^higher up^ In the plundering, graft^^ing, greed crazed crporations.
Theefforts of the Musicians Local^far exceeded that of any three other^locai.-'. and that they did do so noldy^in a united eTfort to offer moral and^financial support to our union broth^^ers who are at ^the front^ and fight^^ing our fight and bearing the brunt^of the physical suffering as well as^that silent, mental suffering that the^working class has endured. Oh so long^that our patience has reai'ly ^ceased^to be a virtue
Inbehai'f of the working .lass of^the Fly district and in token of sym^^pathy and Brotherly Love, I herewith^enclose I bank draft for 1676. to yuo^as S. cr. tary ot th. K. d. rated Sh ^p-^men of the Harriman Lines We^-inc. PI l^ hop, that it may be the^men In their struggle against oppres^^sion. We hope that It may be the^means of giving good cheer and real^comfort t^ some striking. flgliti.ig^brother who might feel sone I hat^d spondent of vlctoy, or who might^not be as fortunate as other brothers^In pssesslon of food, clothing and^shelter for himself or his beloved^wife and innocein, h. ipneaa babes.^We hope that our efforts an financial^success will encourage, not only^otb. r districts to do as we have and to^do all In their power to send forth^their best and kindest thoughts hop^^ing that the fame may be heard and^felt, by our union brothers^ upon the^s^i ^ i, wireless, sound waves of sym^^pathy and brotherly love, for such^acts of chai itv and kindin ss ar. not^transmitted to the suffering, working^class through the ^kept sheets^ of^the corporation owned press.
Wimust have faith in our cause^for It Is BIGHT AND JUST. W.^must have hope in ultimate solidarity^of the working class. Km- great und^grand is'Faith, Hope and Charity, but^the Greatest of these is Charity.
Maythose who would enslave us^Iks ome mete slaves.
Hurrah!For the Shopmens' Fed. i-^atlons!
Hurrah: For greater affiliation!
Hurrah'!For labors .mancipation!!
Wemust keep pressing on!!!
Yoursfor Justice to the Working^class.^E. G. Marqulss, Treasurer^H.neflt IJance. Ely, Nevada.
SUPPORTFOR Till STRIKKKS
Thefollowing letter was received^at the headquarters of the strikers on^the Harriman lines:
''FastMr, Nev. I) c. 18th MIL^1 ^n Dec. Sth. a grand hall was given^at the Auditorium In East Kiy, under^the auspices of the Alll. .1 Trades Un^^ions of White Pine County. The^g. in ral arrang.-ments committee was^composed of 27 union men selected^from every union In the District Jas. F^B.ggs of the Machinists Local was^chairman; with W. O Mason, of the^Painters Ixical as Secretary and E. G^Marqulss, of the Mill and Hmcltermeii^as Treasurer.
Itwaa thoroughly advertised that^the net proceeds of th. H.-neflt Bad^would go to te support of our union^brothers of the Federated Shopmen^on the Harriman System, who are^now on strike and fighting, honorably^against oppression; who are righting^not only for themselves but for all^their race; and whose defeat or vic^^tory Is our defeat or victory.
Theefforts of that committee was^quite liberally rcwared by the work^^ing men of the dlrtrlct, and ml^hiy
Theshopmen on the Rock Is/and^Railroad have assessed themselves^one days pay a month for the benefit^of the strikers. 60per cent of the^money thus rais. d g.o s to the strikers^on the Hurrlman lines and 40 per^cent to the strikers on the Illln ds^Centra! itaiiroad.
Theround house machinists on the^Great Nothr. n rali'way at Clancy,^Montana ar. giving a ball at the Al-^hambra Hot Springs on New Year's^eve The proceeds to go to the benefit^of the strikers. Let other places do^llkew Ise.
CIt. McMurray an cxrallroau man^and now a travelling agent for the^Continental Casualty Insurance Com^^pany, Is doing all he can to secure^scabs for the Southern Pacific Railway^while canvassing for business for the^Insurance company he represents.
Thestrike committee desires all^holders of policies In the Continental^Casualty Company to write the head^office of the Continental Casualty^Company, protesting against the con^^duct cf this agent of the company.^Railroad unions can also assist by^having the secretary of tbcunlon write^a letter to the Insurance company.^The Insurance company sells Its poli^^cies to ral.Toad wage slaves, and with-^out the wage slave the company would^go out of business.
MontanaNews Prospectus.
TheMontana Newt WM be issued hereafter by the UNION PRINTING^and PUBLISHING COMPANY, from Its offices at Helena, Montana.
Thesaid company It Incorporated under the laws of the Stats of^Montana. Authorised Capital Stock ! 10.000 Shares $5 00 each^ObJc^i or Corporation.
Toprint and publish at the City of Helena, Montana, a weekly news^^paper to be devoted to the Interest of the working class of the State of^Montana and the Northwestern States, and for the pornuse or transact,^ing, carrying on and conducting a printing and publishing business in^sll its branches.
Needof Local Paper.
Theworking class movement must have a powerful tocal press be^^fore It can hope to Influence the government or the state as a party.^Such a press can be a power in the Northwest as the expression of a^working class remarkably aggressive and devoted to freedom and Just-^Ice. Without a paper or protest against the horrors or a system or pro-^rit and plunder It would have been Impossible to expose the Donohue^Militia bill passed by the late legislature!
ThereIs tendency to reaction In the state at present. Franchelses art^being given away lavishly to the exploiters or the working oast^street^cars, electric lines, electric lighting, and gas with no pMssfsMM H^allow the public to own these necessities In the ruture; whereas, ten^and twenty years ago such franchises contained specifications ror th^^transfer or such property to the commonwealth.
Blows ut Labor.
Thelast legislature In Montana appropriated $10,000 ror the purpose^or bringing in labor to compete with the laborers aiTcady here.
Montanaemployers are even advertising in Europe ror men to work^In the state, while we are already overloaded with Idle men^Little Revolutionary Reading.
Thereare only ^.00^ sutjM-ribcr^. to Socialist papers In Montana. Ws^must have at least 50,000 persons reading Socialist papers berore the^spirit of protest can be aroused or the workers make their impress^upon the state and municipal governments.
The/eare 80,000 voters In Montana, and a population of about 175,^OOP. Cold figures ted the talc of work to be done
Purposes.
TheNews will fight the battles of the workingclass through til pi s-^cnt evils and obstacles of exploita tion
Itwil; point out the emancipation from exploitation In the abolition^of the private ownership of the industrial machinery.
Itwill direct the workers to co-operate production.
Itwill expose the outragea of capitalism which we encounter at our^door.
Itwill enter the arena and atruggle with ttrong and seir.lntereMed^opponents to construct better laws, institutions, and opportunities.
Itwll; at all timet inform the populace or malicious law t passed and^enrorced by our law making bodies.
Itwill also be. a center rrom which the Initiative and Rererendum^will circulate.
I'lsnaol Operation
TheNewt will hencerorth be i Soclalis*. party paper, but not a^party-owned paper n will be handled exclusively by the Union Print^^ing and Publishing Company. This company will own its own machin^^ery, equipment, linotype, motert, and presses, and it pleasantly and com-^modiously situated at 1* Park Avenue, Helena, Montana. It makes a^specialty ot union Job work, bills constitutions, by-laws, iVtcrhcads, and^whatever organized labor may require In the way or printing. We sup^^port you; you support us. Labor withdraw! itt tupport rrom Itt enem^^ies and co-operatet with Its friends
itwil; Issue special edltiona dealing with the local issues in any town^or community at the minimum cost, so that any such point may have all^the advantage! or a local paper, and scatter it by the thousands.
Avertialng.
TheNewi wld carry a ipecial line or high class advertising, covering^a widespread territory. It has applications rrom iand companies,^book firms, library associations and other enterprises or a general^character to advertise on a large scale, and will give special attention^to thla valuable feature In the future. The Newi ti an unuiually able^medium ai a publicity organ because or its extended circui^tlon, enter^^ing almost every state and territory In the United States, crossing the^borders or Canada and Mexico, and going also to many rorelgn countries^It Is read by the buyeia, the chler comumers, the w-orkers, who are ^0^per cent or the population.
Policyai it I Progrsni.
TheNews will stand tor the constructive program or Socialism. It^will work ror the Industrial revolution through the conquest or political^power by a new class, the workers. It wll; take an aggressive psrt In^sll political and municipal activities. It will encourage and serve In^every way the organization ot the workert both Politically and Indut-^trlally. It will be Brtt to serve the unions In time or trouble and to^reprove them ror errors that obttiuct their progrett. It will be labort^ttaunchett rriend when In trouble no mater what the caute. It will be^the r^arless advocate and labor leader or the Northwest, and the rally^^ing enter ror the actl' itiet ot the Socialist movement.
Iin.no ial Support.
Ityoj want to help It this grand world movement or labor you wan.'^to put tome money Into it and be a part or it You want to taks^several tharet or stock and get your union tnd neighbor! to take some.^You can pay 15. down tor each ihare or stock or you can pay tl.OO a^month ror five months, or for as long as you pi'ease, and every $5.00^you pay will give you an additional share of stock.
Thismethod Is a sure winner so far as a solid support ror Socialist^enterprises la concerned. It It what has made the success or the Kerr^I'ubllshlng Compsny, The Soclal Democratic Herald, and the Cnicago^Dally Socialist. Everybody's business is nobody's business, but detin.^Ite system will mske a paper In the west as successrul as those In the^east
TheNews Is 50 cents a year, one cent each In budles.
Furtherinformation can be had by writing G. A. Brown, Box 113!,^Helms, Montana, and send si; money for stock to the above address.
Allsubscriptions ror the Newt tnd ordert ror printing should bs^addressed to Montana News, Helena, Montana
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SELLINGTHE ^SIGNAL SHIR TS, OVERALLS AND JUMPERS
WeAlways Have on Hand Only^The Very Best In Gents' Furnishings
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Montana