The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1902-10-16
SOCIALIST PLATFOR M.

| tional convention assembled, reatfirms
its adherence to the principles of Inter-
national Socialism, and declares its aim
to be the organization of the working
class, and those in sympathy with it, in
to a political party, with the object OF
conquering the powers of government
and using them for the purpose of trans
forming the present system Of private
ownership of the means of production
and distribution into collective owner
ship by the entire people.
Formerly the tools of production were
simple and owned by the individual
worker. Today the machine, which is
but an improved and more developed
tool of production, is owned by the cap
italists and not by the workers. This
ownership enables the capitalists to
control the produc. and keep the work
ers dependent upon them.
Private ownership of the means of pro,
duction and distribution is responsible
for the everincreasing uncertainty of
livlinood and the poverty and misery Of
the workers, and it divides society into
two hostile classes-the capitalists and
wage workers. The once powerful mid
die 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 to the
capitalists the control of the govern
ment, the press, the pulpit and the
schools, and enables them to reduce the
working men to state of Intellectual
physical and social inferiority, political
subservience and virtual slavery.
| The economic interests of the capi-
talist class dominate our entire social
system; the lives of the working class
are recklessly sacrificed for profit, wars
are fomented between nations, indis-
criminate slaughter is encouraged
and the destruction of whole races Is
sanctioned in order that the capitalists
may extend their commercial dominion
abroad and enhance their supre macy at
home.
But the same economic causes which
developed capitalism are leading to So
cialism, which will abolish both the
capitalist class and the class of wage
workers And the active force in bring
ing about this new and highe~ order OF
society is the working class. All other
classes, despite their apparent or actual
conflicts, are alike interested in the up
holding of the system of private owner
ship of the instruments of wealth pro-
duction. The Democratic Republican,
the bourgeois public ownership parties,
and all other parties which do not stand
for the complete overthrow of the capi-
talist system of production, are alike
political representatives of the capitalist
class
The workers can most effectively act
AZ class in their struggle against the
collective powers of capitalism, by con
stituting themselves into political
party, distinct from and opposed to al
parties formed by the propertied classes
While we declare that the develop
ment of economic conditions tends tc
the overthrow of the capitalist system,
we recognize that the time and manner
of the transition of Socialism also de-
pend upon the stage of development
reached by the proletariat. We, there
fore, consider it Of the utmost import
ance for the Socialistic party to support
all active efforts of the working class tc
better it's condition and to elect Social
lists to political offices, in order to facili
tate the attainment of this end.
AS such means we advocate
/. The collective ownership of all
means of transportation and communi'
cation and all other public utilities AZ
we'll as Of all industries controlled by
monopolies, trusts and combines. Nc
| part Ol lUt TtNt'lut tItItllODi W w
used on the reduction of the taxes of the
capitalist class, but the entire revenue
to be applied first, to the increase OF
wages and shortening of the hours OF
labor of the employees, and then to The
! improvement of the service and diniin
ishing the rates to the consumers.
2. The progressive reduction of the
hours Of labor in proportion to the in
creasing facilities of production, to de
crease the share of the capitalist class
and to increase the share of the workers
in the product of their labor.
3. State or national insurance o
working people in case Of accidents
lack Of employment. sickness and wan
in old age, the revenue therefor to b.
derived from the government
a. The inauguration of u system Q
public industries for the employment o
the unemployed, the public credit to b
utilized for that purpose, in order tina
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