Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-10-26

report. The committee, said Shevitch, |
recommended various amendments to |
the social and political demands, the
adoption of the preamble of the old
platform, and the issue of an address to
the people, which he proceeded to read.
Plattberg, Schubert and Rappaport
moved to substitute the address for the
former preamble. Shevitch objected
that while the address was a wel-wrt-
ten and sound document, it was best in
the present state Of affairs to make no
change. Sanlal explained that the COM
mittee had considered the ACCESSIBILITY
of improving the preamble of the old
platform, which had been originally
written in German and badly trans
lated into English. The result Of the
effort had been the production of the
document that had just been read; but
although the task of writing it had been
imposed upon him by his colleagues
after an exchange of views with them,
he not only agreed with Shevitch that
under the circumstances the old pream-
bic should be retained, but thought that
it was more perfect and more appropri-
ate than the document under discussion.
All it needed was good translation.
Remer moved to accept the report of
the committee as to the preamble. A
long discussion followed, and Seuberts
original motion to substitute the new
for the old preamble was carried by a
vote of Is to 7, Sanial, Shevitch, Zweib-
Ter, Fellermann, Christensen, Schleyer,
and Mrs. Crete voting in the negative.
All the amendments proposed by the
committee were then adopted success
sively after discussion.
The platform as adopted is here pub
lished again, because of two short but
important omissions in the WORKMEN' S
ADvOC ATE of last week.
THE PLATFORM.
The Socialist Labor Party of the
United States, in convention assembled,
reasserts the inalienable right of all
men to life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness.
With the founders of the Ameri-
can republic, we hold that the pur.
pose of government is to secure ev-
cry citizen i'll the enjoyment CT this
right; but in the light of our social con-
ditions we hold, furthermore, that no
such right can be exercised under a sys-
tenn of economic inequality, essentially
destructive of life, of liberty, and of
happiness.
With the founders of this repub-
lie we hold, that the true theory of
politics is that the machinery of gov
eminent must be owned and controlled
by the whole people; but in the light of
our industrial development we hold.
furthermore, that the true theory of
economics is that the machinery of
production must likewise belong to the
people in common.
TO the obvious fact that our despotic
system of economics is the direct oppo-
site of our democratic system of poll
tics, can plainly be traced the existence
of privileged class, the corruption of
government by that class, the alienation
of public property, public franchises
and public functions to that class, and
the abject dependence of the mightiest
of nations upon that class.
Again, through the perversion of de-
mocracy to the ends of plutocracy, labor
IS robbed of the wealth which it alone
produces, is denied the means of self
employment, and, by compulsory idle
ness in wage-slavery, is even deprived
of the neCessarleS of life.
Human power and natural forces are
thus wasted, that the plutocracy may
rule.
Ignorance and misery with all theil
) cOncomitant evils are perpetuated, tina,
the people may be kept in bondage.
} Science and invention are diverted
from their humane purpose to the en-
slavement of women and children.
J Against such system the S. l.. P one,
more enters its protest. Once more it re
i iterates it's fundamental declaration thai
private property in the natural sources
, of production and in the instruments o
labor is the obvious cause of all eco
nomic servitude and political depend
ence; and
Whereas, the time is fast coming when
: in the natural course of social evolu
ton, this system, through the destruc
tive action of its failures and crises OF
= the one hand, and the constructive ten
/ denotes of its trusts and other capital
/ istic combinations on the other hand
shall have worked out its own down
= fall; therefore, be it
HeSUtCeu, tldt we Gall upon Ine pee
: pie to organize with view to the sub
= stitution of the cooperative common
wealth for the present state of plan
= less production, industrial war and SO
= cial disorder; commonwealth in whicl
every worker shall have the free exer
else and full benefit of his faculties
multiplied by all the modern factors o
, civilization.
| We call upon them to unite with u
in mighty effort to gain by all prac
I ticable means the political power.
! In the meantime, and with view t
! immediate improvement in the cond
! ton of Labor, we present the following
"Demands':