The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1901-08-08

other classes and parties, to clearly point
out both the good and the evil of con-
and show how the evil may
be eliminated and the good retained.
We note with satisfaction the progress
made in the development of industry;
but we have now reached the point
where the system OF private ownership
blocks the way to further progress. The
only salvation is in pushing the evolu.
ton to its logical conclusion. We reject
the democratic middle class policy of
destroying the trust and. SO throwing
civilization backward. We would pre-
serve it and improve it and open it to
all.
IA clear understanding OF the causes
that will lead to the consumation and
that have led to the social revolutions
in the past will reveal the mission of the
modern proletariat or working class.
In every age there is dominant ruling
class which shapes and controls the So
cial and industrial organization in its
own interests. At first the interests of
this class are in accord with the advance
of society," but the time comes when
their interests are at variance with So
cial progress. The economic develop
ment which produces this contrast be-
tween the interests of the ruling class
and the social interests, also develops a
class whose interests are contrary to the
ruling class and more in accord with the
social development. A contest is sure to
follow, and in the course of time the
class more in accord with the changed
conditions is bound to triumph. The
final step, however, whether peaceful or
violent, cannot take place until econo-
mic conditions are ripe for it. Let me
illustrate this principle by appealing to
history. In the middle ages the ruling
class was the landed nobility. This no.
bility determined the character and
form of all social institutions and of
economic servitude. The whole social
system rested upon form of land own
ership. This particular form, called
serfdom, attached the laborers to the
land as serfs. In this period the landed
nobility ruled supreme and looked with
contempt upon all laborers and traders.
In course of time the towns grew into
cities, trade and commerce developed,
and the small tools of production be-
came gigantic machines. These new inn
plements became the dominant factor in
production, thus giving into the hands
of their owners the means of overthrow
ing the landed aristocracy. The mer-
camille class, despised in its infancy, dis
placed the nobility and became the rul-
ing class because their interests were
more in accord with the economic devel-
opment. The landed nobility, by its
contempt and i'll treatment Of the mer-
which was sure to lead to the destruc-
ton of the former class. The old no.
bility fulfilled its mission and disap-
peared. Feudalism gave way to capital
ism. Its overthrow was caused by the
class which it despised. History is re-
peat'ng itself. Capitalism, like feudal-
ism, has developed the class which is to
work its own overthrow.
eve have seen how the landed nobil-
ity and capitalists have performed their
work in the social evolution. The mod
ern prolitariat or working class have
mission to perform, and that is the abo-
lition of wage slavery. While there are
numbers OF other classes who perceive
the truths of socialism and have Joined
the cause OF progress in advance, vet
the majority of these classes will have
to be thrown headlong into bankruptcy
before their eyes are opened. But the
whole middle class is hopelessly doomed.
The time has now come for the prole- |
tariat or working class to work out its
own destiny. In all previous revolu-
tions the class below has overthrown the |
class above, thus emancipating itself by
subjecting others. The new servitude
which arose as the result of other revo-
lutions was caused by a continuance Of
pirate property IN the instruments Of pro-
duction; but the working class can only |
emancipate itself by socializing the in
struments of production and distribu-
ton. By abolishing this private own
ership the cause OF economic depend
ence and servitude will disappear. That
the end of capitalism is near is evil
denced by the rapid concentration OF