Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-10-19
THE PLATE NJ
AS ADOPTED BY THE { CHICAGO
CONVENTION.

Inc PURPOSE Ol DeMOcTatlc UOFerH-
ment Frustrated by Economic In.
equality Signs of the Times.
Capitalism Working Out Its Own
Destruction and Preparing the
Advent of the Cooperative Com.
mOnwealth- Social and Political
Demands.
As we 90 to press the Convention of
the Socialist Labor Party has just ad-
journed, and with the limited facilities
at our command, anything like fair ac-
count of its five days proceedings could
not be given in this number without
unduly delaying its appearance. A COM
plete report will, therefore, appear in
our next issue. In the meantime we
publish the platform as adopted.
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 III the enjoyment of this
right; but in the light of our social con-
Il hold fin he tbot
such right can be exercised under 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
ernment 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 i'll common.
To the obvious fact that our despotic
system of economics is the direct Oppo-
sile 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 necessaries of life.
Human power and natural forces are
thus wasted, that the plutocracy may
rule.
Ignorance and misery with all their
concomitant evils are perpetuated, that
the people may be kept in bondage.
Sclence and invention are diverted
from their humane purpose to the en-
slavement of women and children.
Against such system the S. l.. P. once
more enters its protest. Once more it re-
iterates its fundamental declaration that
private property in the instruments of
labor is the obvious cause of all eco
nomic servitude and political depend
eEce; 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 on
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
Resolred, that we call upon the peo
pie to organize with a view to the sub.
stitution of the cooperative common
wealth for the present state of plan
less production, industrial war and so
cial disorder; a commonwealth in which
every worker shall have the free exer
else and full benefit of his faculties
multiplied by all the modern factors OF
civilization.
We call upon them to unite with us
in a mighty effort to gain by all prac
ticable means the political power.
SOCIAL DEMANDS.
|. Reduction of the hours of labor in
proportion to the progress of production
2. The United States shall obtain pos
session of the railroads, canals, tele
graphs telephones, and all other means
of public transportation and communi
cation.
3. The municipalities to obtain posses
sion of the local railroads, ferries, water
works, gas works, electric plants anC
all industries requiring municipal fran
chises.
4. The public lands to be declared in
alienable. Revocation of all land grants
to corporations or individuals, the con
ditions of which have not been com
Piled with.
g. Legal incorporation BY the State: