Workmen's advocate., 1889-06-29
other Again they are disunited, and Capital scores another victory.

that is, the peOple-would gain by unit ing upon the propositions of the Social ist Party. In the first place, if they agreed to the general proposition that "those who perform all labor should enjoy the product of their toil," they would begin to ask themselves whether they do not now enjoy the product of their toll, and if not, why not The product of their toll belongs to their employers under present arrangements Out of that product they receive just sufficient to keep them wages, But that is only a small portion of the product. Knowing this they might then unite upon this proposition;
 That it is because the employing class Oa0n thc means of production that they also own the prodEct of the laborers whom they hire to manipulate the tools and raw materials owned by them selves, the capitalists.
 Further thought upon the subject would bring an intelligent people to ask themselves the question: "Would not the people own the product of their toll if they owned the capital which they have in the past created, but which is now in the hands of the employing class" And would not this question suggest an obvious answer? But further investigation would show that the own ership of the means of production would have to be public ownership, not private, if the people would keep con tro of them, for since cooperation in labor has already proved to be the most advantageous to the few owners of cap ital, it must be equally advantageous to the public when capital is public prop erty; therefore, with cooperative labor and common ownership of capital, the people would secure the best possible results from their labor. The laborers united under capitalist control to-day produce more than enough to support themselves in luxury, and the laborers, divided against themselves as citizens, permit Capital to take the bulk of the wealth produced while the laborers plod along in contemptible slavery, glad to accept the wages which capitalism and competition decree.
 When the people have united upon the truth of the above, then it should be comparatively easy for them to unite upon this socialistic proposition;
 The substitution (by law of public ownership for private ownership of land, instruments of labor, capital. Co., operative labor and production, and a guarantee to each citizen (worker) of a share in the product in accordance with the service rendered by him to society
 Having become united in sentiment thus far, the next step is to unite upon plan of aCtion--to decide upon a method.
 When it is considered that the right to hold land and capital as private prop. erty is upheld and protected by the laws and militant powers of the present State, whose administration is sup ported by the votes of the people. is it not most consistent to desire the acuui. sition of political power? Then let the workers unite upon that idea and the method is at hand-pohtical organiza- tion.
 Such political organization, with a platform embracing the common-sense propositions mentioned is found in the Socialist Labor Party. The nominees of this Party are pledged to the princi- ples of Socialism, and the votes of the people only are required to give them an opportunity to carry them into effect. rnI-.- A