Workmen's advocate., 1886-12-26
THE LABOR PARTY. ITS MISSION IN THE LABOR
 MOVEMENT.
Political Power for the Workers, Practical Measures 10 Increase Future Success Its Aim
 Must Be t0 Abolish the
 Wage System.

The unprecedented growth of po- litical corruption on the part of public officers, has been a great stlm- ulus to the success of the Labor Party. It has been the first and strongest incentive for workingmen to enter into political action, and many are thereby led to believe that the only mission of the Labor Party IS to sweep out political corrnptlon. Those, however, who possess 2 deep CT insight into the relations of men to the social conditions of to day, will at once perceive that it is d mathematical impossibility to hay} honest government without changinq the present political and social con ditons Bribery will be rampant as long as these conditions exist.
 The aim of the Labor Party must hence not be sought for in this di- rection; but its prime object must be 10 qajn controlof He political poae- CT, which would enable the party to make laws for the workingmen. This has been iustinctiyely felt by workingmen and has been Il basis for united action.
 The question now presents ltselt: What is the great mission of the La Dor party. and what shall be done after we have attained the power 10 make laws? Shall we continue the endless struggle against employers to gain petty concessions? No. A thousand times no,
 IIe must secure Me fWl fMtS of 0ar labOr tor 0HrSelres, and abotlSh the w0ge SYSfem.
 In order to attain this 1t is neces- sary to abolish the wage system and to introduce a perfect system of CO., operative production and distribu- tion. Every other measure is a de- fusion.
 Recognizing this we must acknowl- edge the necessity of putting this demand into the platform of the Labor Party.
 All side issues should be recog- nized in as far as they agree with the true solution of the labor question, but Me 0bOlii0n 0f Me Wage system shOuH be Me fundamental priHcipIe and piaah in Lnb0r's Platt0rm. If this does not occur, the Labor Party of to-day will find an early grave, and meet with the same fate as it's innumerablc predecessors.
 There is another great mission for the Labor Party to fulfill, and that is to perfect our political system and constitution. Our present system gives us freedom to vote for repre- .entatives, but not to make laws ey- cept through them. When we have elected them they are no longer our servants, but our masters, for we have absolutel ly no power over them. Such a system is not worthy of our civilizations; it is a humbug.
 If we would be truly free We must have the right to propose and repeal laws, and to vote on all laws of i'm portancc, also the right to recall our officers and representatives for neg feet of duty.
 A certain number of citizens should also have the right to demand the submission of proposed laws to the vote of the people, This IS t"e l demOcrGcy.
 i Under the present system great re- forms are often prevented. An eX- ample will illustrate this. There is large, suffering class of wage-work- CTS clamoring for relief, but they cannot get it before they build up a new party, which takes years to ac- complish. If the other political sys- tenn, called the referendum and iui- tiative, were now in existence, the wage-workers would only need to combine to the number required for submitting laws, and they could sub init their proposals to the vote of the