The Advocate and news., 1898-02-02

stated that a State with five local
branches OF Ave members each will have
an equal voice with every other State
in the councils Of the Social DemOc-
racy, or twenty-five men may have more
power than $4,000. And you cali that
democracy. Verify doth 1t not seem
more like an absolute dictation by a
few the writer appears TO fear so much
AS to this talk of Western this and that
let's remember we are all citizens Of one
common country and we may be able
to learn something from the East and
even from Europe, as they from u.s. We
may find we can learn lessons from all
mankind. Let's not be too sure Of our
superiority. You know, proud spirit
goeth before fall, and "blessed are
the meek for they shall inherit the
earth"
Now, | am not anxious to enter into
a discussion as 10 the class conflict that
Is upon us to-day. The Socialist Labor
party believes the class consciousness
Of lne proletariat will finally achieve
the happiness OF all mankind in the CO.
operative commonwealth. The wage
workers probably number three-fourths
Of the population at the present time
Does Mr.. Clemens expect the co-opera-
tive commonwealth unless the great
majority OF this class are united at the
ballot box to vote 1t into power? And
Is not the Wage-worker the one who Is
most in need OF the cooperative COM
mOnWealth? And II so, Is it not the
greatest wisdom to go to the class which
only have the power by their ballots to
send the present system into limbo?
BY the abolition Of classes through
Socialism we change society to one class
the working class / am proud to say
| belong to that class-the wage working
Class-and for those who do not | have
chiefly pity or contempt. / expect to
belong to the working class as long as
live. AS to those who are not of the
working class, If there are any such Il
suspect there are) they have a chance
to join 1t by pitching in and working
for the cooperative commonwealth in
the ranks Of the Socialist Labor party.
understand In Germany we have more
than 100000 working In the ranks and
the universities are largely Socialistic
In their faculties. The Socialist don't
object to this. Kansas City section has
Just taken In lawyer. II Mr.. Clemens
iesires, believe his standing as a law
yer would not prove an insuperable OBJ
ecClon. AS to cooperative colonies,
he future will prove them only an in
-ensitlcatiOn Of present miseries. The
Of the Socialist Labor party
or the immediate improvement of the
Of labor embody about all the
relief the people can get |
hort Of the cooperative commonwealth. |
We all learn by our mistakes Until |
he Social Democracy begins to make
Mistakes 1t will be useless. 1t is quite |
'vident there is some hope for it. 1t
4Teady has started making them. If it |
asst long enough to learn by them it will |
DIN the S. l.. p, Why does Mr. Clemens
mention the S. l.. p. vote of 21,000 in |
1872 and not of 36,50O in 1896, and the
welling of the vote this year to over
$4,000? Is 1t through ignorance? 1t
Iurely cannot he. AS to the s. L. p.
'ft1cers never making tours, there have
,een two from New York in Kansas
Jity inside eighteen months, and I un-
lerstand their trips extended as far |
Is Texas. No officer of the Social De-
nocracy has been here that l am aware
'f. Above all, let US have facts, not
ancies, and having learned the truth
tand by it. believe If Mr.. Clemens
we're to make more careful investiga-
ions he might reverse his decision and
ecide Socialism could be best advanced
n Kansas by pushing the s. l.. P.
A WAGE-WORKER.
Kansas City, Mo-, January 10.