The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-31
Tells What Is Necessary to Earthly
salvation and How to Ac-
complish Ii.
. CONFLICT OF DOCTRINES
l"WHAT GOOD WOULD GOVERNMENT
RAILROADS DO.- ASKED ONE.
Controversy Ends in Compromise
Amendments to the Party's


Inc war ClOuu SdtnSTeu ONci bhV PAONNcN
ings of the Socialist unity convention yes
terday afternoon about 4 o'clock. 1t looked
for awhile as if the bellicose forces would
wage a hercer battle than they did on Mon
day when the question of counting the
votes was under discussion. The cause of
the heated debate yesterday afternoon was
the report of the committee on platform
and a minority report of the same commit
tee introduced by Comrade Simons.
The report of the majority was read by
Comrade Margaret Hale, of Boston, and
it set out each plank of the platform and
the immediate demands of the party. Com
rade Simons asked to be permitted to sub
NIT a minority report emitting the i'm
mediate demands and substituting a few
additional planks that would point out more
clearly to the masses of the people the de-
sires of the Socialist party.
Comrade Simons INDUCED in %eloquence,
and his supporters punctuated his re-
marks by crying out, That's right" When
the speech was concluded over half the
delegates clamored for recognition from the
chair and the offers to speak on the sub
ject came so rapidly that it was necessary
for Chairman Carey TO ask the delegates to
write their names on a slip of paper. There
was an immediate stampede 10 the plat
form ana thirty or IOEly ildilltS were
handed to the chairman.
The desire OF the delegates to be heard
on the subject OF the platform made II
necessary for the convention to spend $40
additional rent for the hall in order to hold
a night session. There were few Interrupt
tons after the speeches began. 1t was
voted that the vote on the platform should
be taken this morning.
WHAT SOCIALISM MEANS.
The platform as submitted by the ma
jority of the committee is as follows:
The Social Democratic party of America.
in national convention assembled, reafhrms
It's adherence to the principles of interna-
the organization OF the working class and
those In sympathy with ii into a political
party with the object of conquering the
powers of government and using them for
the purpose OF transforming the present
system of private ownership of the means
or production and distribution into col
lective ownership by the entire people.
Formerly the tools of production were
simple and owned by the individual work
er. To-day the machine. which is but an
improved and more developed tool of pro-
d%uction, is owned BY the capitalists and not
BY the workers. This ownership enables
the capitalists to control the product and
keep the workers dependent upon them.
private ownership of the tools of pro-
duction and distribution Is responsible for
the ever increasing uncertainty of livelihood
and the poverty and misery of the working
class, and IL divides society into two hostile
classes-the capitalists and wage workers.
AhN CAAc0 - C4eSS - IdDlbl
disappearing in the mill of competition.
The struggle is now between the capitalist
class and the working class. The posses
sion or the means OF livelihood gives to the
capitalists the control of the government,
the press. the pulpit and public schools,
and enables them to reduce the working
men to a state Of intellectual, physical and
social inferiority, political subservience and
virtual slavery.
The economic interests of the capitalist
class dominate our entire social SYSTEM:
the lives of the working class are reckless
ly sacrificed for profit, wars are fomented
between nations. indiscriminate slaughter
is encouraged and the destruction of whole
races is sanctioned i'm order that the CAPT.
talists may extend their commercial do
minion abroad and enhance their supremacy
at home.
WORKING CLASS PRIME.
But the same economic causes which de-
veloped capitalism are leading to social
ism. which will abolish both the capitalist
class and the class of wage workers. And
the active force in bringing about this new
and higher order Of society is the working
class. All other classes, despite their APP
parent or actual conflicts, are alike inter-
ested in the unfolding OF the system of
private ownership of the Instruments of
wealth production. The Democratic, Re-
publican, the bourgeois public ownership
parties and all other parties which do not
stand for the complete overthrow of the
capitalist system of production are alike po-
litical representatives OF the capitalist
class.
THE workers can most effectively act as
a class III their struggle against the COL
lective powers of capitalism by CONSTITUTE
ing themselves into a political party, dis
tlnct from and opposed 10 all parties formed
by the ~propertied classes. Tn trade union
movement is a valuable aid in this struggle.
The interests OF the great majority of
farmers Of this country are Identical with
those of the wage workers of the cities.
The introduction of the complex instru-
ments of production in certain phases of
agriculture, particularly in transportation
and storage, and in the increase or mort
gage Indebtedness and landlordism, make
them even more dependent upon the capt.
talists for their very existence.
while we declare that the development
of economic conditions tends to the over
throw of the capitalist system, we recog-
nize that the time and manner of the tran
sition TO socialism also depend upon the
stage of development reached by the prole-
tariat. We. therefore. consider ii OF the
utmost importance Tor the Socialist Demo-
cratic party to support all active efforts of
the working class to better its condition
and TO elect Socialists to political Offices. in
order to facilitate the attainment of this
end.
MEANS TO THE END.
LAS such means we advocate:
Il. The public ownership of all means of
transportation and communication and all
other public utilities as well as of all IN
dustries controlled by m~onopolies. trusts
and combines. The revenue Of such indus
tries to be applied. first. to the increase Of
wages and shortening of the hours of labor
of the employees and then TO the improve
ment of the service and diminishing the
rates TO the consumers.
-. The reduction Of the hours Of labor in
proportion TO the increasing facilities of
production.
'3. State or national insurance OF work
ing people in case OF accidents, lack Of en-
ploymcn sickness and want in old age.
Il. The Inauguration OF a system OF pub
lie works and improvements for the en-
piOyment of the unemployed, the public
| credit 10 be utilized for that purpose.
-. The education of all children up TO
the age Of eighteen years. and state and
municipal aid for books. clothing and food.
&c. Equal civil and political rights for
men and women.
-. The initiative and referendum. pro-
portional representation and the right OF
recall OF representatives by their constitu-
ents.
IS. No more public land 10 be sold: all
lands now held by the United States TO be
retained under strict regulations as 10 inn
provement and cultivation; public credit to
be used FOR the Improvement of roads, irri-
CATION and drainage: public ownership and
control OF forests, irrigation and water
power, and public insurance for farmers
against losses caused by the elements"
\ TROUBLOUS TIME.
Comrade Simons. in explaining his re-
quest for the platform TO be amended by
striking out the immediate demands OF the
party and including a definite outline Of the
partys desires said the Socialist party does
not go out TO buy votes and II 1t did APP
proach the masses of the people there