The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1897-06-26


''Resolved, That the American
Railway union take immediate
astion to carry into effect the
I1ans of it's president and adopt
tie broader. policy commended
is. the following declaration of
principles:
Labor, manual and mental,
being the only creator of wealth
and civilization, it rightfully fol-
lows that those who perform all
labor and create all wealth
should enjoy the results of their
efforts, but this is rendered i'm
possible by the modern system
reproduction. Since the discov-
cry and application Of steam and
electric power and the general
introduction of machinery in all
branches Of industry the indus
trial operations are carried on
by such gigantic means that but
few are now able to possess them
and thus the producer is sep
arated from his product.
{ .:'"While in former times the in
dividual worker labored on his
own account, with his own tools
and was the master of his pro-
ducts, now dozens, hundreds and
thousands of men work together
in shops, mines, factories, etc.,
cooperating according to the
most efficient division of labor,
but they are not masters of their
products: The fruits of this CO.
operative labor are in a great
measure appropriated by the
owners of the means of produc-
tion-to-wit, by the owners of
machines, the mines, land and
the means of transportation.
This system, by gradually ex-
tinguishing the middle class, nee
essarily leaves only two classes
ofmen in the country great
class of workers and the small
class of great employers and
capitalists. -:
EQUALITY NOW ONLY THEORY.
1--WE hold that all men are born
free and are. endowed with GER
tain natural and inalienable
rights, among which are life, the
means of life, liberty, industrial
freedom and the realization OF
Happiness. In the light of ex-
perience we find that while all
citizens are equal in theory they
are not in fact. While all citizens
have the same rights politically,
this political equality is useless
Under the present system of eco
nomic Inequality, which is essen
TALLY destructive of life, liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness. In
spite of our political equality la
Dor is robbed of the wealth it
produces. By the development
of our system it is now denied
the means of self employment,
and by enforcedidleness, through
lack Of employment, is even de-
.prived the i1ecessaries OF life. To
the obvious fact that our des-
potic system of economies is rdi-
rectly. opposite to our democratic
system Of politics can be plainly
traced the existence of a class
that corrupts the government,
alienates public property, public
franchises and public functions
and. holds the mightiest of ma
tions in. .abject dependence. l~..
"Human power and natural
forces are wasted by this system
which makes profit the only
object in business. Ignorance
and misery, with all conconit-
ant evils, are perpetuated by
this system which makes human
labor a ware to be bought in the
open market and places no real
value on human life. -.
"Science and invention are di-
verted from their humane. pur-
poses and made instruments for
the enslavement of men and the
starvation of children.
"We therefore hold that in the
natural course of social evolu-
tion this system, through the de-
structive action of its, failures
and crises on the one hand and
the constructive tendencies of its
trusts and other .capita1istic
combinations on the other, will
annihilate the middle class-the
basis on which this system rests
land thereby work out it's own
downfall.
AIM OF SOCIAL DEMOCRACY.
"We therefore call upon all cit
liens to unite under the banner
of the Social Democracy ofAmer-
ica, so that we may be able to
conquer capitalism by making
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