The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1901-10-03
rHE SOCIALIST PLATFORM.

The Socialist Party, in National convention
bed rearms it's adherence to the principles Of Inter
national Socialism, and declares its aim to be the
ganzation of the working GLASS; and those in sympathy
with it, into political party, with the object OF
querng the powers of government and using them for
the purpose of transforming the present system of pr
vate ownership OF the of production and distr
tion into collective ownership by the entire people.
Formerly the tools OF production we're simple and
owned by individual workers To day. the machine.
which is improved and developed tool of pro-
ducton, is owned by the capitalists and not by the
workers. The ownership enables the capitalists
troll the product and keep the workers dependent upon
them.
Private ownership Of the means OF production and
distribution is responsible for the increasing
certainty Of the livelihood and poverty and misery of
the working class and divides society into two hostile
classes-the capitalists and wageworkers. The once
powerful middle class is rapidly disappearing in the
mill of competition. The struggle is now between the
capitalist class and the working class The possession
of the of livelihood gives the capitalists the
troll of the government the press, the pulpit. and
schools and enables them to reduce the workngmen
state of intellectual physical and social nferiorty
subservience and virtual slavery.
The economic interests of the capitalist class dom-
nate entire social SYSTEM the lives of the working
class are reckessy sacrificed for profit, TO-
mented between nations indscrminate slaughter is
couraged and the destruction of whole is
toned in order that the capitalists may extend their
commercial dominion abroad and enhance their suprem
But the economic causes which developed cap
itasm are leading Socialism, which will abolish both
the capitalist class and the class of wageworkers And
And the active force in bringing about this and
higher order of society is the working class All other
classes, despite their apparent or actual conflicts are
alike interested in the UNFOLDING of the system of pr
vate ownership of the instruments of wealth produc
ton The Democratic, Republican, the bourgeoise pub
lie ownership parties and all other parties which do not
stand for the complete overthrow of the capitalist
tenn of production are alike political representatives
the capitalist class
their struggle against the collective powers of capital
ism, by constituting themselves into political party,
distinct from and opposed to all parties formed by the
properted classes.
While we declare that the development of economic
conditions tends to the overthrow of the capitalist sys
tenn, recognize that the time and manner of the
transition to Socialism also depends upon the stage of
development reached by the prolearat We therefore,
Party to support all active efforts of the working class
to better it's condition and to elect Socialists to political
offices, in order to facilitate the attanmant of this end
AS such MEANS we advocate
L. The public ownership of all of transporta-
ton and communication and all other public utilities,
we'll all industries controlled by monopolies,
trusts and combnes part of the of such in
dustries to be applied to the taxes Of the captalisc
class but to be applied wholly to the increase of wages
and shortening of the hours of labor of the employees
the rates to the consumer.
2. The progressive reduction of the hours of labor
and the Increase of in order to decrease the share