The Advocate and news., 1898-01-12

national headquarters, each distributes
literature that costs money, and as each
seeks to occupy the same territory as
the other occupies work Is duplicated,
while the socialist sects, like the re-
ligious sects in missionary fields, put in
in a good share of their time and ex-
pend a good deal Of their energy fight
ing one another Meantime, all the
money to keep up these rival headquar-
ters and to pay for this wasted literature
and wasted energy comes, almost eX-
clusively, from people who must actually
eat less, though they have not enough
If they eat all Of it, in order to give
something to the cause Of socialism it.
self.
When we consider the source of So
ciallsms revenue, this useless squan-
dering Of funds is outrageously wicked.
Socialism Is not two things, but one.
The only differences are about details;
socialists do not differ as to what we
call scientific socialism. AS details are
purely speculative, and as they must
be worked out by the people themselves
at last and may be altogether different
from any yet proposed; and as OF all
people socialists should be least bigoted
and least disposed to adhere, like hide
bound conservatives, to some program
or creed simply because, early in the
movement, some great leader with the
light he then had proposed 1t, 1t Is
clear to me that there should be but one
national organization Of American so
cialists and that every socialist in Amer
lea should be vigorous member of that
organization.
Whether they unite in other States
or not, Kansas socialists should get to-
gether and get ready to exercise
the influence to which their num-
bers entities them. Thinking OF
this, | have at times meditated
an effort to unite all in a new
organization; but l have given up that
idea because l saw that l would be but
adding still another to the organiza-
tions already too numerous, and that
the remedy would tend to give the dis
ease a more virulent character So,
although Notwithstanding all the work
l have done for the cause l had never
been member Of any organization
since the days Of the international,
more than ten years ago, resolved to go
into one of the existing organizations,
and work there to bring about unity.
In looking over the field made up my
mind that the Social Democracy had
most future hope in 1t and was more
liberal than the socialistic labor party,
and in September, after week spent at
st, Louis with the national officers,
cast my lot with the. Social Democracy
and began to work for 1t in Kansas.
Almost Immediately discovered the sad
lack of union in this state
Brethren, let us reason together, and,
in Kansas at least, put an end 10 tnls
wicked waste of energy and OF means
coined from the self-sacrifice OF the
poor. Let us candidly look at each Of
the organizations and determine which,
on the whole, is best for Kansas social
lists, and then let us go into 1T and work
against capitalism instead OF against one
another.
I am too recent "joiner" to be very
much Of a partisan; and having said my
say in this appeal, am ready 10 near
what others have to say. II there Is any
plan for uniting all Kansas socialists in
a single organization, l am willing to
abandon my organization and go into 1t.
At present shall be a Social Democrat,
for I do not believe any better organiza-
ton can be organized for Western men.
It is liberal. Except in one conspicous
particular, it's declaration Of principles is
in substance, where it Is not in words,
identical with the platform OF the social
istic labor party. 1t is young, and young
men are going into 1t and will contro! It.
It is plastic, and can be moulded. 1t has
no old members to run things" as
against the young crowd" Its national
convention will consist of one, and only
one, delegate from each state and each
territory being therefore small and
deliberative body, and no one state, Dy
a greater representation, can control IT,