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

The Socialist Party, in National convention assem-
bled, rearms it's adherence to the principles Of Inter
national Socialism, and declares it's aim to be the
ganzaton 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 means OF production and distr
ton into collective ownership by the entire people.
Formerly the tools OF production simple and
owned by individual workers. To day, the machine,
which is improved and developed tool of pro-
duction, is owned by the capitalists and not by the
workers The ownership enables the capitalists to
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 GLASS; and divides society into two hostile
classes-the capitalists and wage-workers 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 means of livelihood gives the capitalists the
troll of the government, the press, the pulpit, and
schools and enables them to reduce the workingmen to
state of intellectual, physical and social nferiorty
subservence and virtual slavery.
The economic interests OF the capitalist class do
nate entire social system; the lives of the working
class are recklessy sacrificed for profit wars are TO-
mented between nations ndiscrminate slaughter
couraged and the destruction of whole races is
toned in order that the capitalists may extend their
commercial dominion abroad and enhance their suprem
acy at home.
But the economic which developed cap
talism leading to Socialism, which will abolish both
the capitalist class and the class of And
And the active force in bringing about this and
higherorder OF society is the working class All other
classes despite their apparent actual conflicts,
alike interested in the upholdng 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 sys
tenn of producti,n alike political representatives of
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
tenn, recognize that the time and manner of the
transition to Socialism also depends upon the stage of
development reached by the proletaria We therefore,
Party to support all active efforts of the working class
Offices in order to facilitate the atanmant of this end
AS such MEANS we advocate:
1. The public ownership of all of transporta-
we'll all industries controlled by monopolies
trusts and combines part of the revenue OF such in
dustries to be applied to the taxes of the captastic
class but to be applied wholly to the increase of wages
and shortening of the hours of labor of the employees
and to the improvement of the SERVICE and diminishing
the rates to the consumer.
2. The progressive reduction of the hours of labor
and the OF in order to decrease the share