Montana news. [volume], May 21, 1908, Image 1

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Votefor the Party^of Your CIom
MONTANANEWS.
OWNEDAND PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF MONTANA
Abolishthe Capi^^talist System
VOL.VI.
HELENAMONTANA. THTRSDAY, MAY 21, 190*.
NO.29.
Debsand Hanford
AreNominated
GreatEnthusiasm Manifested at the Greatest Socialist Con^^vention Ever Held in America^Matters of Im^^portance Come Up and Are Discussed^at Great Length.
Chicago,III., May 15.^At an early^hour this morning Eugene V. Debs was^nominated for President an^i Benjamin^Hanford for Vice President amid wild^enthusiasm.
William1). Haywood refuted to al^low hia name to go before the conven^^tion, saying that he believed he eould^Serve the party best by remaining in^the ranks.
MemorableOccasion at Theater.
Andwe shall go marching, march^ing, marching, tramping over hill anil^dale, wading through bog and moor,^through the thickets of thorn and^furze as through the softer paths in^the rose garden*, up mountains where^the rocks are jagged and througn^swamps win-re the morasses are deep,^until at last we shall have plained
the red flag of human brother!I
uponthe dome of the capital :it Wash^ingtoii and upon every c ity hall in the^I'nited States.
Tims,in the words of Ml Spargo.
thered s|tre of human blot her!I.
tinspirit of the ^Parliament of Man.^the Federation of the World.^ raked^its head in ^ hicago yesterday
AnHistorical Occasion.
Itwas a solemn occasion. Few who^were there realize the great solemnity^of it. Hut. then. nobody ever did^realize the solemnity of really bin^things. Tins was only the inaugura^tion of the national Socialist eonven^tion in Chicago. To the mind of the^crass materialist it was merely a man.^John Spargo. talking to I lot of people.^Hut Clio, the must of history, may have^another word about that.
Itwas not ^democrat weather.^^That great old teacher of Socialism,^the Sun, who tries to show people that^the world is round and everybody in^it a pretty good sort of a fellow,^crawled up out of Lake Michigan and,^disdaining the other streets of CfclsjtsJJB,^sent his brightest rays down into Kan^dolph street.
Asearly as half past seven o'clock^the Socialist answered the call. From^Maine, from California, from ^^kl:i^homa, from Minnesota, they thronged
the streets and thrridors of the
(larricktheatre, exchanging greetings^and ideas. This was two hours before^the doors were opened for the big wel^come tendered the visitors by the CM^eago Socialists. Sleuths from the^Central station mingled in the crowd^looking for a man with an earthquake^concealed on his person, but tneir^sleuthing was vain for once.
PublicityMen Are There.
Minglingin the crowd were the rep^resentatives of practically every great^magazine and newspaper in America,^the magazine men, as a matter of^course, being Socialists themselves and^in sympathy with the movement.
Whenthe doors were opened the^great crowd thronged into the (larrick^theatre. It was an unusually quiet^crowd. Here and there a man was^bumming ^La Marseillaise,^ but that^was all. There was not the earnest^wire-pulling, the strenuous efforts to^^line 'em up,^ seen at republican or^democratic conventions. All was as^peaceful ae the peaceful day itself.
Thenthe curtain rose on an assein^blage which will pass down into hia^tory. In the chair sat Marcua H.^Taft, formerly candidate for circuit^judge on the Socialist ticket. Without^a word of formality, without cheering,^noise or applause, the gathering settled^down to the business of the program.^The euhllme eeraestnees of these men^and women, for aearly a third of tkose^preaent were women, beat its way Into^the mind of the beholder.
Therefor a Purpose.
Itwas easy to see that these people^meant business. There was no flap^^doodle. Tbeae men had come to Chi^eago with a purpoee. The very air was^heavy with that purpose.
Therepresentatives of one of the^greatest of the Eastern magazines, if^not the greatest, leaned over to his^neighbor and whispered, ^ Le Serhicnt^du jeau de piiume.
Thatwaa it. These men were meet^^ing with the same earnestness, the^same informality, the same deadly, al^^beit subdued energy, which has char^aetcrized that great meeting in the^tennis court in Paris one hundred and
nineteenyears ago. And the muse of^history haa yet to record what un^^heralded Mirabeau or Dan ton looked^with earnest eyes toward the atage of^the Oarrick theatre yesterday morning.
Themeeting was called to order by^Taft.
EugeneV. Debt HI.
Thechairman announced that on ac^^count of illness Eugene V. Debs would^be unable to be present. This an^nouneement was greeted with shouts of^^What's the matter with Debs,^ and^the response was a rousing cheer. This^was followed by cheers for Haywood.
Afterthe singing of the Marseil^^laise by the assembled two thousand,^who crowded every nook and corner^of the (iarriek theatre, the first speaker^of the day, (lustave T. Fraenekel, sec^^retary of the Cook county Socialist^organization, was introduced to make^a speech of welcome.
Whenthe thunders Bf applause which^greeted hi* appearance had died down^liienekel addressed tile asscm I dage.
Speechby O. T. Fraenekel.
Comradechairman and comrade^visitors, friends and delegates: The^Socialists of Chicago today ^.end greet^ings to the Socialists of the world.^(Applause.) We are not only wclcum^ing you to Chicago as representatives^of the Socialists of the I'nited States,^but we are extending hands across the^world, and to the unknown world.
Theeyes of the world are upon^us. I do not think that there is a^single person in the I'nited States or^in the world, for that matter, who^knows anything about society and so^^cial conditions who is not looking to^(.'hicago this morning.
WillNot Submit Longer.
Wehave thus attined one of our^ends. Socialists are not willing to^live and to live submerged. We are^not willing to submit longer to the^rule of the capitalist class. We are^only willing to fight this battle to a^finish and we are going to do so. As^the representative of the Socialists of^Cook county, 1 bid you welcome to the^fray.
Comrades,the Red Spectre is in^Chicago. We are all glad that it is.^The Red Spectre is here to drive the^biggest nail into the coffin of cap^ItallMi that ever has been driven into^that fast molding encasement of tint^dead.
Thereare some cowards in Chi-^^'ic, '. The greatet coward is the cap^italist press. (Cheers and applause.)^The greatest coward in the world is^t'n- one who is always seeking to club^a man who cannot club back. Hut we^have a little club of our own now in^^ 'hicago.
Itmay be only a little stick as yet,^but that stick even President Roose^^velt cannot swing. That little shillc^lagh of ours is the Chicago Daily So^^cialist. (Tremendous cheering.)^Wanta End of All ^^ticks.
Rutif there is one idea which ap^^peals to the Socialist above all others,^the one thing we ask in the name of^humanity, it is that the world do away^with all big aticka, little aticka and^every other kind of a stick which^has ever tormented the human race.^(Cheers.)
HOTDEBATE OVER QUESTION OF^TRADE UNIONS
Anattempt was made in the So^cialiat convention to wipe out the com^^mittee on trade uniona and in a moment^the hottest real fight of the conven^tn.n waa an. At tke eld of the debate^the attempt to ignore the trade unions^waa voted down by aa overwhelming^majority.
DelegateQoebel of New Jeraey de^^clared that hia state had instructed the^delegation to oppoee any declaration^on the trade union question. He waa^followed by Delegate More of Penn^^sylvania who supported the motion,^declaring that in bie atate the appeal^of the Socialist party was made direct^^ly to the whole working claaa and no^distinction waa made as to organize!^or unorganized.
FightingLabor'a Battle.
JosephineR. Cole of California op^^posed the motion and declared that the^trade unions were fighting the battile^of labor.
Leeof New York declared that the^convention could not dodge the ques
tionthat it should not lodge it. Or^^ganized labor represents a far larger^portion of the working class than the^Socialist party. The International con^^gress ia concerned equally with the^trade unions and the political move^^ment and if there are any states where^the unions are nppoaed thoae states^ought to be told that they are outside^the Socialist movement.
SayaIt Is Disgrace.^Ida Crouch-Har.lett of Montana said^it was a disgrace that the Socialist^party waa even looked upon with^aversion by the organized workers.
VictorHerger of Wisconsin said he^came from a place where there were j^two wings of the working class move^^ment that worked in harmony and^where the Socialist party always sup^^ported the unions in their fights and^^no union men voted the Socialiat^ticket.
ststemoved that the telegram be re^^ferred to the committee on resolutions.^Then Ike debate began. The moat^noteworthy fact was that each and^every ^peakef on the floor was in favor^of sending a strong telegram of sym^^pathy and support to the Western Fed^^eration. The differences were as to^form, and the delegates proceeded to^amuse themselves with a friendly little^scrap over the form of the wording.
Itis just keeping our hand in for^the big fight with capitalism,^ said^one of the prominent delegates after^the trouble was all over.
Eventuallythe motion to refer the^telegram which Ouy E. Miller had^written to the committee on resolutions^was carried by a vote of 93 to
Thegist of the matter was expressed^by John Spargo of New York when he^said: ^I have the utmost respect for^Comrade Miller's judgment. I have^not yielded to any man in my admira^^tion for and support of the Western^Fedet.ttion of Miners, and I never will^yield.
FavorsCommittee Work.
Butwhat we desire by referring^this telegram to the committee on reso^^lutions is to prepare the very strongest^message of sympathy than can be pre^pared. We will go farther tahn Com^rade Miller has gone. We will send^them a message of sympathy that will^make the world take notice. But in^order to do this it is necessary to give^tlie matter careful thought in the eom-^j mittee Therefore I think it should go^^ to the committee.''
IBefore this clear and definite state^I ment of the necessity for reference to
, . .... , ,, a coniriitttiic there was quite a clash be-^^I cannot go back to Milwaukee,^,^...^. ^. 7. , ,
., , ^ ,. ..^ , ,, .'tween II i 1^i u i t ol New ^ ork and Miller
hesaid, ^and tell them that a Socialist
f^ olorado.
conventionhas refused to consider the^trade union question. I have bolted^many [parties before and will bolt one^more.
BarneyBcrlyn Speaks.
Dovon mean that this convention
i-not going to say anything on the ' rans-siis^Ii.-. 1 by^tr;ide union question t^ asked Harney ()^ Hints ^^
Inlasweff to a speech by the New^Yorker Miller walked up and down the^aisle and called out to the convention:^^Have you so soon forgotten that the^lieat 'ropaganda material that the So^eialis' Party has ever had has been^the Western Federation
Herlyn.
Where is the class struggle t It.^is at the factory door. When the boys^went out in the stockyards strike we^w re with them. We sent two Social^^ists to the legislature.
Wehave too many among us who^say we have nothing to do with the^trade union. How are you going to^talk to the working class if you can^say nothing on the trade union t
DelegateToole, of Maryland, moved^to amend the report of the rules com^mittee by changing the words ^trade^unionism^ to ^labor organizations.
Clarkof Texas declared that this was^a national convention and that he would^bow to its decision, but he maintained^th::t if there was to be an economic^movement that it must be one that^shall show the power of the co-op- j
erativnil moil w ea It h.
MeansRepudiation.
T..1. Morgan, of Illinois, said: ^If^you refuse to recognize the trade union^ipostion it means the repudiation of^Karl Marx, of the International Con-^gross and of every Socialist congress in^the world.
Theprevious question was moved and^two speakers allowed oil each side be^^fore vote.
Rogers,of Ohio, favored the appoint^^ment of committees because the trade^unionists, he said, were ready for polit^^ical action.
Cannon,of Arizona, said that the^delegates of Nevada wished to protest^against one union ^scabbing^ upon^another.
JosephCohen, of Pennsylvania, op^^posed the appointing of a committee.^^The Socialist Party of Pennsylvania,^^he said, ^fights the battles of work^^ers, but opposes making trade unions^a privileged element in the working^class.
Osborne,of California, said he^thought the committee on rules had^provided too many committees. He^did not think that a struggle for more^wages is a part of the class struggle.
Thevote was then taken and the^motion to appoint ^ committee on labor^organizations was carried by an over^^whelming vote.
Carey.Is Made Chairman.^James F. Carey of Massachusetts waa^chosen chairman for tke day. John^llagel of Oklahoma. V. I. Wheat of
Californiaand John Slayton of Cali^^fornia were the opposing candidates.^From the beginning the motto of the^convention seemed to have been adopt^^ed by common consent. It was ^get
downto business.
ChairmanCarey waa barely in the^chair before the convention got down^to business. Ouy E. Miller, one of the^victims of the capitalistic conspiracy^of Colorado and Idaho, and a com^^panion of William D. Haywood, brought^up the first real business. Miller gave^to, the convention a copy of a tele^grnm whirh he. moved to send to the^secretary of the Western Federation^^if Miners in Denver.
Oklahomagot busy in a minute. A^member of the delegation from that
ImportantIssues
BeforeConvention
PlatformIs Thoroughly Discussed- Heated De^^bates Over Unionism, Farmer Resolu^^tion and Religion.
CHICAGO, MayThe question
ofthe adoption of the platform was^taken up piecemeal and the questions^of public ownership, of public utilities,^of the relation of Socialism to the far^^mer and the stand of the party on the^possible purpose of certain religious^bodies to stand as the last bulwark of^capitalism and as such to enter the^political field, were debated with the^utmost thoroughness.
FannersResolution Wins.
Theminority repprt on the farmers^resolution was adopted, aa presented^by Delegate Barsee of Oregon, which^declared that the farmer should be pro^^tected in his land possession while the^industrial society was passing through^the transition period from capitalism^to Socialism, and that all land should^finally be socialized.
TheHilquit substitute for the plat^^form declaration on religion, the sub^^stitute declaring that religion be con^^sidered a private matter, but that the^party should stand opposed to clerical^and political activity, was adopted^after a heated debate.
The immediate demand plank call^ing for the public ownership of the^means of transportation and communi^^cation was adopted after a hot con^^troversy, lusting for several hours.
CHICAGO,May 14^The subject ^rf^organized labor held the attention of^the Socialist national convention dar^^ing the first hours of the session today.^Industrial unionism was the bone of^contention. The committee appointed^for the purpose of drafting an al drees^to organized labor made its report^shortly after the body convened, and^this waa followed by a motion to in^^dorse the industrial form of unionism.^This is perhaps the most important^subject on which Socialists are divided,^and a warm debate began immediately.
Theconvention voted down the^amendment by a vote of 138 to 38^after a hot debate of about an hfiir and^fifteen minutes. This shows that the^convent ion does not recommend any^one form of labor organization.
REPORTOF WOMAN'S COMMITTEE^ADOPTED.
ihicago. May 14.^The report of the^Woman's committee, read by Comrade^Mi la Trepper Maynard of Colorado,
rin mending appointing a committee)
offive to appoint a National organizer
andt^mluct an active propaganda
f^ woman suffrage, was finally^adopted.
AnswerSatisfies Miller.
Thefact that they had not forgotten^was immediately made evident when^every member of the convention cheere 1^this statement lustily.
Millerseemed satisfied that he had^received his answer. There was not a^delegate in the hall who was opposed^to the proposition to send the telegram.^It was only the matter of form.
Thewestern delegates and the Chi^eago and Ilinois delegates almost to a^man were in favor of quick action,^but the New York delegation and agri^^cultural states carried the day against^them by one vote and the telegram was^referred to the committee on resolu^tions.
Asevincing the desire to get down^to business and avoid any future wran^gles of the same kind over the form^of resolutions, William L. (larver of^Missouri moled that the convention^adopt a standing rule referring all mat^^ters of the nature of the Miller tele^gram to the committee dealing with^the matter presented. This motion was^carried amid tremendous applause
SteveAdams Mentioned.
Thedebate over the reference of the^telegram to a committee brought out^one more forceful speech which warmed^the heart of every Socialist present.^In arguing against any delay. Miller^said:
Donot forget that although the^chief haa been freed and one great^battle won that the private in the^ranks, Adams, is still in peril and that^the fight must go and on until every^one of those victims of that dastardly^ispirney has been freed.
Thevery men who have been arguing^against Miller for a reference to com^^mittee cheered him the loudest of any^in the ball when this statement was^made.
TradesUnion Committee.
See.2fl Was next considered, provid^^ing that a committee on Trades Unions^consisting of seven members shall be^elected, not more than one member to^serve from each state.
(loebel,of New Jorsey: ^I have no^desire to make any speech, but my^state has adopted instructions on this^particular question that all delegates^coming here from New Jersey shall op^^pose any resolution on either craft^unionism or industrial uinonism, anJ^that is why I say that there should be^at least some thought given to this^subject. It is one of the most im^^portant questions, whether it comes up^in this shape or another shape.
Iam not in favor of appointing a^committee. I am not in favor of tak^^ing any action whatever on this matter.^I am in favor of making our appeal^to the working class through the So^^cialist party platform.
NoSpecial Significance.
Moore,of Pennsylvania: ^The state^of Pennsylvania, on several occasions^in its state conventions, has declared^that the working class movement in^that state stands for the entire work
DUCHESS ESPOUSES SOCIALISM.
TheDuchess of Marlborough has l^^come deeply interested in the tehories^of Socialism and leaders of the Social^Democratic federation hope to add her^name to their organization soon, is the^rumor about the young duchess, who^was Miss Consui la Vanderbilt of New^York.
Thereport ads that since the^duchess has been studying the terrible^conditions of the poor in the east end^of London she has been studying, too,^various proposals and theories for the^amelioration of those conditions.
Whilediscussing the problems of^poverty with her friends recently the^duchess startled them often by ad^vocating advanced Socialistic doctrines.^She praised theories whose practical^application would subvert society^in^the broadi st sense of the word^as now^constituted, would destroy great aeeum^ulated wealth and would overturn the
;Coatlnuednn I'svr Two. Third Col.
highcaste into which the ducheaa^entered by her marriage.
Thearistocratic set^her set^is in^^clined to scoff at the duchess' newly^developed discontent with the existing^order of things.
Theypoint, as a terrible example, to^the lovely Countess of Warwick, once^regarded as the quintessence of aristo^^cratic pride ami beauty, who is stead^^ily ostracizing herself by her revolu^^tionary tendencies: who goes to work-^ingmen's meetings and to gatherings in^the slums and utters sentiments which^the most fervid Socialist applauds.^Once the countess was in the very^centir of the regal set, now King Ed^^ward forbids even the mention of her^name in his hearing.
Soto her the duchess' friends point^as a warning that she must proceed^warily in her benevolent plans if she^valuis her social position.
TheDuchess of Marlborough is a^passenger on the Lucania en voyage to^lies* York.--London Clarion.
ACONTRAST BETWEEN AMERICA^AND NEW ZEALAND.
TheChicago Daily Socialist presents n few important contrasts, as fol^^lows:
HowWe Do Things in America. How It Is Done in New Zealand.
Nominationsby machine.^Government by party bosses.^Spoils system.^Political corruption.
Monopolypressure to control govern^^ment.
Concentrationof wealth iu the hands
ofthe few.^Dollar the king.^Government loans to banks.^Hanks for private profit.
I'njustdiscrimination in freight rates.^Railroads, telegraphs and telephones
forprivate profit.^Organization of capital in the lead.
Frequentand costly strikes and lock^outs.
Industrial conflict; disputes of labjr
audcapital settle.! by battle.^Ten-hour day.
'ontract system in public worke.
Tsxatioafor revenue.
Farmers and workingmen divided at
theballot box.^Monopolists and politicians in control.^Life insurance a private graft.^Fire insurance for private profit.^Coal mines owned and operated by
thecoal trust for private profit.
(iovernmentaid for railroads and^monopolies by favoring laws and^'' pup.''
Panicsrecurring regularly as the Wall^Street gamblers and speculators^drown confidence in a flood of^^watered^ stock and ^undigested^^securities.
Thepoor house.
Nominationsby popular petition,^(iovernment by the people^Merit system.^No political corruption.^Covernment pressure to break down^monopoly.
Diffusionof wealth in the hands of
thepeople.^Manhood the king.
iovernment loans to farmers, mer^^chants and laboring men.
Postalsavings banks.
Nodiscrimination in freight rates.
Railroads,telegraph and telephones^for public service.
Organizationof men in the lead.
Nostrikes or lockout*.
Industrialpeace; disputes of labor and^capital settled by judicial decision.^Kight hour day.
IHreetemployment end co-operative^methods.
Taxationfor the public good.
Farmersand workingmen unite at the^ballot liox.
Thecommon people in control.
(iovernment life insurance.
Governmentfire insurance.
(Iovernmentownership and operation^of coal mines for the benefit of all^the people.
(Iovernmentaid for home makers by^settling people on vacant land and^advancing money at low interest to^home builders.
Panicsprohibited by government tak^^ing practical control of the chief^bank and standing behind it with the^credit of the nation. (New Zealand^^ lid not have a panic in 1893. All^the rest of the world did.)
Oldage pensions for the deserving.