Subscribefor^The NEWS
MONTANANEWS.
Pa.yYour^LoceJ DUES
VOL.IV.
HELENA,MONTANA, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18,1906.
NO.5.
WhatSocialism^Proposes to Do
Inthe Lnited States, as in other^countries, International Socialism^is making tremendous strides and^its millions of supporters, spread^over all the belts and zones of the^globe, and the most active propa^^gandists ever known, will in the^next few years be multiplied into^controlling majorities in all lands^which have modern industry as the^basis of their civilization, Socialism^being wholly a question of economic^development. This will mean^the end of the present capitalist^competitive system and the intro^^duction of its successor, the co-op^^erative commonwealth.
Themovement is international^because it was born of and follows^the development of the capitalist^system, which in its operation, is^confined to no country, but by the^stimulus of modern agencies of pro^^duction, exchange, communication^and transportation, has overleaped^all boundary lines and made the^world the theatre of activities. By^this process all the nations of the^earth must finally be drawn into^relations of industrial and com^^mercial co-operation, as the econ^^omic basis of human brotherhood.
Thisis the goal of modern So^cialism and it is this that inspires^its deciples with the zeal and ardor^of crusaders.
Whatis Socialism^ To answer^in a single sentence, it means the^collective ownership by all the^people of all the means of wealth^production and distribution. It is^purely an economic question; the^evolution of industry has develop^^ed Socialism. Man can only work,^produce wealth with tools. The^mere hand tools of former times^have become costly and ponderous^machines. These machines, Social^^ists contend, represent progressive^social conceptions. These and the^factories, mills and shops in which^they are housed, as well as the lands^and mines from which the raw ma^^terials are drawn, are used in com^^mon by the workers, and in their^very nature are marked for common^ownership and control. Socialism^does not propose the collective own^^ership of property, but of capital;^that is to say, the instruments of^wealth production, which, in the^form of private property, enable^a few capitalists to exploit vast num^^bers of workers, thus creating mil^^lionaires and mendicants and inaug^^urating class rule and all its odious^and undemocratic distinctions.
Socialismproposes equal rights^and opportunities for all without^reference to sex, color and other^conditions. Equality is the vital^principle of Socialism. Its mission^is to abolish class rule by making^all equal proprietors of the means^upon which all depend for employ^^ment, and without which there can^be no ^life, liberty and the pursuit of^happiness.^ This insures economic^freedom for every human being.^As no one would have private prop^^erty in that upon which another de^^pended upon employment, industrial^mastery and slavery would disap^^pear together and competition for^profit would give way to co-oper^^ation for use.
Therapidly changing economic^conditions are paving the way for^the transition from competition cap^^italism to co-operative Socialism.^Socialists are simply indicating the^trend of evolution and seeking to^prepare the way for its orderly re^^ception. The coming of Socialism^is with them not a debatable ques^^tion. That is not a matter of doubt^or conjecture, but of scientific cal^^culation.
Theevolution of the social or^^ganisation it a fact in nature. In^the ceaseless process one state of^society follows another in the se
quenceof succession. Capitalism,^the present system, was warmed in^^to life in the womb of feudalism and^sprang from the medieval system.^Within the span of two centuries^this system has practically reached^the climax of its development, and^the marvelous material progress of^that period exceeds the acheive-^ments of all the centuries since the^slaves of l'haraoh built the pyra^^mids.
Therapid centralization of cap^ital and the extensive co-operation^of labor mark the high state of^economic development. Indivi^^dual initiative and competitive ef^^forts are becoming less and less^possible. The day of small pro^^duction has passed never to return.^Notwithstanding all outcry, trust^and department stores, these great^modern agencies, increase in num^^ber and power. They are the in^^evitable outgrowth of the competi^^tive system. The efforts of the^small capitalists to destroy trusts^will prove as fruitless as the efforts^of the workingman to destroy labor-^saving machines when first intro^^duced in the last century.
Socialiststake the ground that^the trust in itself is not an evil, that^the evil lies wholly in the private^ownership and they propose to trans^^fer such agencies from private hands^to the collectivity, to be managed^and operated for the good of all.
Inthe last century millions of^workers were exploited of the fruit^of their labor under the institution^of chattel slavery. Work, being^done by hand, ownership of the^slave was a condition necessary to^his exploitation. But chattel slav^^ery disappeared before the march^of industrial evolution, and today^would be an economic impossibil^^ity. It is no longer necessary to^own the body of the workingman^in order to appropiate the fruit of^his labor; it is only necessary to^own the tool with which he works,^and without which he is helpless.^This tool in its modern form is a^vast machine which he cannot af^^ford to buy, and against which the^worker cannot compete with his^bare hands, and in the very nature^of the situation he is at the mercy^of the owner of the machine, his^employment is precarious, and his^very life is suspended by a thread.
Thenagain, the factory and mine^are operated for profit only and the^owner can, and often does, close it^down at will, throwing hundreds,^perhaps thousands, out of employ^^ment, who with their families are^as helpless as if in the desert wastes^of Sahara.
Thefew who own the machines^do not use them. The many who^use them do not own them. The^few who own them are enabled to^exploit the many who use them;^hence a few millionaires and many^mendicants, extreme opulence and^abject poverty, princely palaces^and hideous huts, riotous extrava^^gance and haggard want, constitu^^ting social scenes sickening to con^^template, and in the presence of^which the master hand of Hugo^or Dickens is palsied and has no^mission.
TheSocialist party is organizing^in every village and hamlet, every^town and city of every state and^territory of the union. It is appeal^^ing to the people. It will neither^fuse or compromise. It proposes^to press forward, step by step, until^it conquers the political power and^secures control of government.
Thiswill mark the end of the^capitalist system. The factories^and mill and mines, and railroads^and telegraph and telephone, and^all other means of production and^distribution will be transferred to^the people in their collective
capacity,industry will l^e op^^erated cooperatively, and every^human being will have the^^inalienable right^ to work and to
enjoythe fruit of his labor. The
I^
hoursof labor will be reduced ac^^cording to the progress of inven^^tion. Rent, interest, and profit^will be no more. The sordid spirit^of commercial conquest will be^dead. War and its ravages will^pass into history. Economic equal^^ity will have triumphed, labor^will stand forth emancipated, and^the sons and daughters of men will^glorify the triumphs of Social De^^mocracy.
EUGENEV. DEBS.
SocialistNews From^State Headquarters
ComradeMazlett's statement June^21 to July 31, 1905.
CommencedMontana work at^Glendive, June II, 1905.
EXPF.NSFSRtCBtfTI
Hotel$4 no Glendlre$ 4 10
Far.-to HUM City 2 35 Miles City6 30
Huhand IS...,,.I 4 50 Forsyth14 00
FarrtoFor^^th . 1 35 Hillings14 45
Kaggage.meals ..141 Dean12 20
Fareto Hillings 3 05 Ked !.. -i.. 12 00
Baggage1 00 811th- Tip5 70
Fareto ColuniliuH 1 20 Bridger2 70
Hotel.Bridget-.... 3 50 Fromberg 130
Stage.Fromberg 75 Joliet 100
Hok-1ISO Colambas6 40
Stageto Juliet.... 75 Bin Timber 8 15
Hotel1 75
Banii ace1* TotalSW 30
Hotel.Billing-*... 100Sale of literature 14 60
FareColumbus... 2 50
Hotel3 00 Totalfl02 '
FareBin Timber. 1 20 F.xi-enses$131 *
Hotel4 25 Receipts102 '10
Total$38 '10 Balance due.... 2^ 00
Speakensalary, 'ij 00
Total$131 10
^
IdaCrourh-Hazlett's report for August.
FareLmngston. *1 Of Clyde Park$ 65
StageCokedale. 1 75 Ck.-d.il.3 10
Hotel75 Frldley9 60
FareGardiner 165 Gardiner8 35
StageJardine 4 00 Mill creek 6 00
FareLivingMon .. 165 Chestnut6 40
FareChestnut50 Boieman20 00
Hotel2 00 Belgrade2 30
'PhoneSS NorrisI 50
FareBozeman . . 25 McA lister 3 SO
FareNorris1 20 Jeffries6 80
Hotel120Virginia City.... 3 30
HotelMcAlister . 125 Sheridan4 00
Jeffries 2 00Twin Bridges... 3 6o
Stageloo Whitehall 3 35
HotelVirginity C, 4 5o Livingston18 .^
FareSheridan.. 35
Hotel4 5o Total$lo4 45
FareTwinBrldges 25Literature sold.. 8 oo
Baggage... So
Telegram25 Total$112 45
Hotel3 oo
FareWhitehall .. So
Hotel3 oo
Cxpenses$131 $a
Total$38 ^to Receipts 112 45
Speaker'swages 93 ooBal dne Hatlett. VP 41
Total$131 ^k
FromJune 21 to August 31, Com^rade Hazlett visited 36 places and^made 63 speeches. Owing to throat^trouble she was unable to work from^July 1 to July 12. During July she^gave away $2 worth of literature^and in August $3.80 worth was given^away, making a total of books and^pamphlets sqld and distributed by^Comrade Hazlett in July 230 cop^^ies, and in August 178 copies. I in^^structed Comrade Hazlett to give^literature away where she thought^adviseable to do so. Comrade Ha/^lett's work is highly satisfactory and^good reports are coming in from^everywhere she has been. We are in^hopes of keeping Comrade Hazlett^in the field until next spring.
reportfor September.
Anacondaf
EastHelenaI (o
MarysTille2 7,.
Helena^ M
Baxendale4 lo
6thward Helena. 2 3o^Pittsburg mine.. 2 35
Lewistowa34 25
K,in I., II13 85
Maidenlo BO
(MMKdge16 3..
Saleof literature 21 oo
Total$12^, as
Totalexpense.. $125 65^Surplus tt
IdaCrouch-Haze left's^Whitehall-Buttte$ 95
Hotel1 oo
Baggagetransfer 75^Fare Anaconda. 8o
FareHelena3 oo
Telegram 25
HotelHelena . 14 75^Car fare Helena.. 75^Fare Mxrys.llle 1 2o^Hotel ^ .... 3 oo^Baggage transfer 25
Carfax*1 So
Telephone 35
Telegraph.. .. 5^^^Fare to Lombard 1 ho
Hotel )5o
Telegram 5o
Incidentals2 oo
Hot.I4 ^h
Salary29 days... 87 oo^Total expenses $125 65
Duringthe month Comrade Ha/^lett gave away literature to the value^of ^2.30, making a total of 260 cop^^ies of books and pamphlets sold and^distributed. Locals were organized^by her at Whitehall, Baxendale,^Kendall and Maiden and local Gilt^Edge reorganized. 369 miles were^covered by railway travel and about^70 miles by stage.
Froma view point of finance, lo
calsorganised, literature sold and^interest aroused, the work accomp^^lished by Comrade Hazlett during^September was the most successful
everdone in Montana.
^
Sincethe last report the following^donations to the special organizing^fund have been received: Local^Red Lodge 35 cents. Local Gardi^^ner $1. Frank Miller $2. Local^Stevinsville $5. Local Maiden or^^ders one copy of the ^Evolution of
Man,rhe Origin of the Family,
PrivateProperty and the State^^^ml ^The Struggle for Existence.
CH. Harrows of Oarneill sends^in an order for literature which in^^cludes Simon's American Farmer.
I'laCrouch-Hazlett's dates are as^follows: Winston (unorganized)^October 14 and 15; Cascade 'unor^^ganized) 16 and 17; Neihart ^ unor^^ganized I 18, 19 and 20, Kibbey (un^^organized) ||| Monarch 22; Belt^(unorganized) 23, 24 and 25; Great^Falls 26, 27 and 28.
Hallots on the question of the^partv taking over the Montana News^have been sent all local secretaries.^Locals not receiving ballots should^notify the state secretary at once.
Ittorts should be made to have as^laroe a vote as possible cast on this^question, as it is of great importance^to the movement in this state.
Discussthe question thoroughly,^do not form sudden conclusions,^which ever way you vote means^considerable, one way or the other,^to the future welfare of the party.
Planshave been made to carry^on aggressive work all through the^winter months. In order to success^^fully carry out the arrangements,^it will be necessary to have more^monthly revenue coming into head^quarters. The monthly receipts^should be increased 50 per cent and^this can be easily done if locals will^make a special effort to get the^members in arrears to pay up.
Moreand better work has been^done in the state during the past six^months than has ever been ac^^complished before and has cost the^organization less than the same^amount of work has cost, previous^to the past six months, but it has^been nip and tuck to make the re^^ceipts balance the expenditures.
Theparty in Montana in the past^has paid more than $ 1,000 for 13^speeches by one speaker. Today^we could keep seven good speakers^in the field one month for that^amount of money. Now, that more^can be accomplished, it is to be^hoped that the members will rally^to the call and donate as liberally^as they can, and push the fight and^extend our line of battle.
Getup subscriptions to carry on^the farmers' campaign. Plan to^have speakers visit the unorganized^districts in your vicinity. Get busy.^Get to doing aggreessive work. Line^up and prepare to do big things for^I Socialism this winter. A few more^copies left of ^Mills Struggle for^Existence^ price $2 postpaid. Reg^^ular price $2. 50. Hetter order one^before the supply is exhausted.
JAS.D. GRAHAM,
StateSecretary.
Associateof Gould^Inmate of Poorhouse
NewYork, Oct. 10.^Jefferson^Raplee, once a wealthy New York^banker and business associate of^Jay Gould, Commodore Vanderbilt^antl John P. Hlair, went to the poor^house here yesterday.
Rapleewas one of the best known^men along Kroadway in his day.^His father, who was Judge Raplee^of Yates county, New York, left him^a large fortune. In 1856 he openetl^a banking house at 137 Hroadway^which was capitalized at ^200,000^and did a yearly business of I500,-^000, which was a large sum at that^time. Since 1867, when this bank^made an assignment, after some un^^fortunate speculation, Mr. Raplee's^fortune although invested in a bank^ing venture, steadily diminished.^Three years ago he closed his last^offices at 136 Liberty street and be^^gan to live on the remnants of his^former wealth. He was unmarried.
Socialismin
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FergusCovirvty
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Thepropagan, rip through^Fergus county was one of the most^successful we have made in the^state. Fifteen speeches were made,^three locals organized, and over $90^taken in, in collections and litera^^ture sales. There were no expenses^except a hotel bill at two points.^Even the stage rides were provided^for. At Kendall a local was organ^^ized with 18 members. The organ^^ization meeting took place^in the union hall, with Comrade^Owen McCabe as secretary, and^Hob Hendry organizer. I never^saw a finer and more intelligent set^of young union fellows form a local.^They expect to keep up propaganda^meetings during the winter, with^literary features, including debates,^short speeches, economic study, and^questions by the members. Such a^policy will make a strong, well^posted local by spring, ready to^take an aggressive and intelligent^part in next year's campaign.
Ferguscounty has suffered enough^from fruitless labor parties and popu-^listic Socialism. It is decidedly a^county of the working class^one of^Heinze's pet counties. When this^class learn that it is the system of^work which exploits them, and not^the quarrels and corruptions of^either Heinze, Clark, or the Amal^^gamated, the conscienceless bosses^of capitalism can no longer use them^to consent to their own slaverv by^voting their assent to the schemes,^platforms, candidates, and weapons^of their masters. The working^class has its own program, and that^is to get rid of the capitalist When^it goes to voting that en masse, the^capitalists and governments they^make will take a tumble, and nobody^knows this better than the capitalists^themselves. That is the cause of^their continuous efforts to sidetrack^and villify the Socialist. But the^Fergus county boys are getting on to^their game, and its good-by Heinze,^and all of his ilk.
CharlieJohnson, that solid mater^^ialistic thinker, drove me from^Kendall over to Maiden, where the^hospitable home of Comrade Bob^McMillan and his wife shone with a^warm welcome. Two excellent^meetings were held at the school^house. The second evening a local^of 18 members was formed, Com^^rade George Wieglanda secretary.^This local is also going to run on^the plan of literary propaganda^holding its meetings Sunday eve^^nings. As there is no church in the^place, nor anything to inform antl^elevate the mind on Sunday, these^meetings will prove of untold bene^fit to the community as a source of^education on social evils and their^causes, child labor, sweat shop hor^^rors, the prostitution of young^maidenhood, crime and penal in^^stitutions, and the Socialist teach^^ing carries, what no other ethical^instruction embraces, the only cure^for the ills of society^antl that is^a chance to earn an honest living^by honest work with full pay for the^productive power of the labor.
TheMaiden local is going to ex^^change visits, speakers, antl debates^with Kendall, and we expect ^some^^thing doing in Fergus^ this winter.
AtGilt Fdge two meetings were^held in the large hall, The first night^it was crowded. The second night^was stormy with snow and rain but^an excellent interested crowd was^out to listen to a long explanation^of the scientific fundamentals of the^Socialist philosophy. Comrade^^Shortv^ Lewis presided. He and^Comrade Seeley are capitalist em^^ployers of labor now, owning and^operating a prosperous coal mine^nearby. But they don't forget the^principles of evolution and freedom^which they advocated so enthus^^iastically as humble wage slaves,
coiningthe wealth of others. Com^^rade Lewis is secretary of the new^local, and Comrade Lars Anderson^organizer. The last mentioned^comrade is bubbling over with zeal^for the new society, and expects to^take the Simons course of study in^Chicago soon.
Thestage was late coming into^Lewiston Saturday night, and as it^was a cold evening it was supposed^to be too disagreeable for a street^meeting. But the meeting had been^advertised, antl a crowd was wait^^ing, so more work was done, more^literature sold, and more collection^taken. They're the right sort at^Lewistown. After the street meet^^ing a meeting of the local was held^at the cottage of Comrades Art and^Kd Harvey. Sunday afternoon an^^other talkfeast was held in the same^place.
Mondaymorning Comrade Cragg's^spanking bays took us to Moore.^Comrade A. J. McDonald was here^also and assisted in the meeting.^Moore is one of those melancholy^propositions^an infinitesimal rail^^road town of some dozen or so^houses that is having a ^boom,^^Two banks are being built, and the^silly people imagine that means^^prosperity^ for them. The speak^^er made an inquirv to the crowd as^to why the banks were built, and^went on to show that they would^soon own the whole surrounding^country, as the farmers were con^^tinually pushed down by the buy^^ers of their produce, that were often^the banks themselves, till they could^not pay out, and were forced to^borrow of the banks, that slapped on^a mortgage, and soon owned the en^^tire business. Senator Meyers of^the Carbon county banks boasts^that he owns five hundred out of the^twelve hundred farms in Carbon^county. No wonder Mrs. Meyers^goes to Europe while the farmers'^wives slop pigs and feed calves to^send her there.
Thistalk of course did not suit^the merchants and bankers of Moore^and the little two-by-four editor that^the bank of Lewistown had sent out^to stultify the minds of the people,^and keep them contented with the^beautiful system, felt called upon to^make % timorous protest to the^speaker after she descended from^the chair. He objected to her ar^^raignment of the capitalist school^with its limited opportunities for the^children of the poor, and made the^amazing statement that it was the^republican party that gave free^schools to the country. As the in^^stitution of the American public^school commenced decades before^the grand old party was ever heard^of, and its agitation was promul^^gated bv the first union demands in^1820, such imbecile drivel repre^^sents the sort of pap that is sapped^down the throats of the babes of^capitalism to keep them quiet while^the big man robs them.
Butthe diminutive editor was^jarred. His paper the next week^was mostly about Socialists and^what he thought was Socialism. If^ever an infortunate editor ^had'em^^the Moore aspirant to that distinc^^tion was the luckless victim. As to^shrieks ^Deer Lodge isn't in it. In^the first place he tried to hide behind^the petticoats of a woman as the^reason why he wouldn't debate^when challenged. Then follows the^most absurd misrepresentations of^the speaker's statements. He uses^the word logic as though it might^justify his spasms, while he con^^tradicts its application with prime^^val ignorance in every sentence.^But the capitalists don't hire uni^^versity men for such cheap John^shows. There are too many freaks^gasping for a pittance. And as
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