Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-09-01
TIE SOCIAL DEMOCRACY.

OrganiZati on few weeks ago. Most
of the comment and criticism, both ia
vorable and unfavorable, has been in
splred by total misapDrehension of
the organization, its principles, Its
plans and its purposes. Columns have
been written about the failures of colo
niZatiOn schemes in the past. Other
columns have been written about the
impossibility of establishing new So
cial system outside the existing one.
The time and space given to such dis
cussion have been simply wasted.
That some of our critics know better.
but persist in Misrepresentation. from
motives of their own, is fact too
we'll understood to admit Of doubt; and
although some of these pretend to laugh
the scheme to scorn, the large amount
of space they devote to it makes it ap-
parent that they are not blind to Its
immense possibilities.
The Social Democracy is a great So
cial, economic and political organlza-
ton. 1t IS at once national and inter
national. Politically speaking, it is a
party within and for itself, and within
twelve months its national representa-.
tives will have formulated a national
political platform. Similarly. the vari-
GUS state representatives will have
adopted state platforms and the munic
ipal representatives local platforms.
The unit of organization is the local
branch. These are organized in each
ward and township. Five or more per
sons can organize local branch, and
the membership is limited to five hun
bred
The local branches have local or mu-
nicipal jurisdiction. From these are
chosen annually, in April, representa-
tives TO the state union, who meet an
nually in May at the capital of the state
to prepare platform, nominate candi.
dates. and transact other business per.
tanning to the state. The several state
unions elect representatives to the ma
tional council, and this body meets an
nually in June, to adopt a national plat.
form, choose officers, nominate candi.
dates, and transact other business per
tanning to the national organization.
The national council annually elects
an executive board of five members
which constitutes the executive depart.
ment of the organization. The decla-
ration of principles adopted by the late
convention is too long to be introduced
in full, and will therefore only give
two paragraphs, as follows:
1--WE hold that all men are born free,
and are endowed with certain natural
rights, among which are life, liberty
and happiness. In the light of exper-
fence we find that while all citizens are
equal in theory they are not so in fact.
While all citizens have the same rights
politically, this political equality is USE
less under the present system of eco
nomic inequality, which IS essentially
destructive of life, liberty and happl.
ness. In spite of our political equality
| labo" is robbed of the wealth it produc-
es. BY the development of this system
it is denied the means of self-govern-
ment, and by enforced idleness, through
lack of employment, is even deprived of
the necessaries of life.'
We therefore call upon all honest Cit
liens TO unite under the banner Of the
Social Democracy of America, so that
we may be ready to conquer capitalism
by making use of our political liberty
and by taking possession of the public
power, so that we may put an end to
the present barbarous struggle, by the
abolition of capita lism, the restoration
of the land, and of all the means of pro-
duction, transportation and distribu-
ton, to the people as collective body,
and the substitution of the CO operative
commonwealth for the present state OF
painless production, industrial war and
| social disOrder-a commonwealth
which, although it will not make every
man equal physically or mentally, will
give to every worker the free exercise
and the full benefit of his faculties
multiplied by all the modern factors OF
civilization and ultimately inaugurate
the universal brotherhood of man. The
Social Democracy of America will
make democracy, 1.-THE rule of the Deo
ple," truth, by ending the economic
subjugation of the overwhelmingly
great majority of the people,
BY far the greater part of the criti
cism has been directed against the "col
OnlZation scheme" and there are those
who still insist that this is all there |.
to the movement, or, at least, that thi:
is its chief purpose.
To all of these be it SAID that the pro
posed colonization scheme is simply on,
of the features Of the movement anC
has been assigned a special department
known as the COLONIZATION Depart
ment."
There never has been any intention
to organize isolated colonies, and the,
who have worked themselves up in de
scriblng the fate OF other colonies
and predicting calamity. have beef
wasting their time. They have beer
attacking the phantoms of newspape
reporters.
The purpose has been and Is, to mas
a sufficient number of our supporters il
a state to secure political control. an,