Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-09-10
NOMINATE A TICKET.
Iowa Socialists Organize and
Adopt Platform.
HITEMAN NAN HEADS THE TICKET
Platform Pledges the Party to the ov.
erthrow of Competitive and Capital
istic Systems and the Substitution
of the Cooperative Plan.

Des Moines, Sept. 6.-The socialist
party of Iowa, successor to the social
democratic party of last year, was or
ganiZed here yesterday, with delegates
present from seventeen counties.
The platform pledges the party ITO
the final and complete overthrow of
both The competitive and capitalistic
system and the substitution therefor
of the cooperative commonwealth and
the collective ownership of all means
of production and distribution"
The following ticket was nominated:
For governor, James Baxter, Hiteman;
lieutenant governor, w. A. Jacobs
Davenport; judge of supreme court, A.
+. Thompson, Centerville; railroad
commissioner, H. C. Middlebrook Rock
Rapids; superintendent of public in
struction E. E. Stevens, Burlington.
The state central committee was or
ganized, with A. w. Kicker of Lone
Tree chairman.
The Convention.
The convention met yesterday in
the assembly hall. John W. Bennett
of Sioux City was made chairman Of
the convention and l.. B. Patterson of
Des Moines chosen chairman. A COM
mittee on credentials was appointed,
which body returned a report finding
fifteen counties represented in the
convention and eighteen delegates
present. The report was adopted. The
counties represented We're Jasper,
Woodbury., Appanoose, Lyon, Musca-
tine, Dubuque, Boone, Scott, Johnson,
Hamilton, Monroe, Taylor and Wap-
clio.
A committee on platform was ap-
pointed consisting of R. S. Spurrier of
Taylor, A. W. Kicker of Johnson and
w. A. Jacobs of Scott.
A committee on constitution consist
ing of DR.. N A. Baker of Wapello "A
T. Thompson of Appanoose and E..
Holtz of Dubuque was appointed to
draft constitution
The party is now known as the So
cialist party, although it has formerly
gone under the name of the social
democratic party. A unity convention
held in Indianapolis the latter part of
July decided in favor of merging all So
cialistic parties under one general
| name and the Iowa party felt inclined
to follow the action taken in national
convention. Adjournment was had
| in the forenoon from - o'clock until
1880
| Upon reassembling the question of
the seating of Rev. w. F. D. Lummins
of Polk county as delegate in the
convention came up. Delegates from
other parts of the"state claimed that
Polk county already had it's full repre-
sentation and that to seat Lummins
was not only against precedent, but IN
/ fair to other delegates as we'll.
| Half an hour was taken up in the
discussion of the matter and a num-
Der of motions, substitutes and amend
ments introduced At length Lum-
Minis arose and stated that he did not
care to have a vote in the convention
and did not believe that this privilege
should be extended to him, but that he
did appreciate the courtesy of allowing
MIN to take part in the discussions.
The Platform.
| The report of the committee on reso-
| lutions was then heard and the follow
! ing platform adopted without a dis
senting voice:
| ~ SoSSitsitSNiS PetItS VI ioN q. III
convention assembled hereby ratifies
and endorses the action of the conven-
ton OF the united socialistic party held
at Indianapolis July 30.
In accordance with the provisions
thereof We declare our allegiance to
the principles of International social
ism. We believe socialism to be a
scientific solution of the labor problem
and that it will provide an ethical con-
struction of society whereby equality
and existing justice will be meted out
to every individual. We declare our
unalterable opposition to the competi-
ton for bread and to the capitalistic
control of the means of production
and distribution, and to secure a sys-
TEN whereby want, misery and poverty
shall be forever eliminated we pledge
ourselves to the final and complete ov-
erthrow Of all competitive and capital
Iistic systems and the substitution
thereof of cooperative common
wealth and collective ownership OF
| all means of production and distribu-
! ton
This is our construction of social
ISM Anything more is unnecessary;
anything less would fail of the accom-
plishment OF our purpose. Our move
ment is revolutionary only in princi-
pies and ethics. Our methods are
peaceful and our appeal is to the rea-
son and conscience.
1--WE recommend to the voters OF
Iowa the study of our national plat
form as a plain statement of the gen
eral and specific demands of our par
ty."
JUDGE TRlMBLE BUMPED.