The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-05-02
SOCIALIST NEWS AND PROGRESS !

Inc trade. union movement of Amer
lea is surely increasing in strength,
numerically and financially, and play;
ing its part in the great struggle tor:
the emancipation Of the working class,
There are times when the ardent So
clalist becomes impatient at the appar-
ent and surface indications of slow pro-
gress, and manly we'll meaning COM
rades have lost their temper and as
sailed individuals and organizations
without considering existing conditions.
The result has been that the Socialists
themselves have been thrown on the
defensive, and were forced to explain
and define their attitude and lose valu-
able time in their attempts to prove
that they were friends instead of enc
mics.
In the first place America is a new
country, sparsely settled compared to
Europe. Here, up 10 within a few
years ago, the mechanic displaced by
machinery, or if he engaged in some
small business venture and was wiped
out by large, centralized capitalism,
could go West" He felt that he
could keep his feet on the earth and &C.
quire land and secure a measure Of in
dependence. Hence, trade unionism
lige Socialism, had little attraction for
him. IndiVidualism appealed to him
with stronger force than collectiveism
He could see that his material inter-
ests would be better served by depend
ing upon his own initiative powers than
by allying himself with the becoming
part of an organization, political or in
dustrial. And he voted always with a.
single eye to make it easier to become
big capitalist some day, and the
quick-wited, office-seeking politician
encouraged this theory. The politician
by appealing to the patriotism, pride
and self-reliance, ETC., prospered and
waxed fat while his poor dupe strug-
gled with increasing economic difficult
ties.
The average worker even joined the
union with the expectation Of securing
high wages, saving money and becom-
ing rich and independent and cutting a
big figure in business manr's govern
ment.' For years, Of course, the rad
ical element in the union fought, elo-
quently and persistently for the adop-
ton Of resolutions to overthrow the
wage system and introduce a cooper
alive commonwealth in the near future
in fact, the labor conventions and the
leaders,, SO called, were so far ahead of
the procession that they were hardly
distinguishable from the standpoint of
economic and political evolution. They
could drive the horse to the trough, but
they could not force him to drink The
grand truths enunciated in resolutions
and preambles and platforms were
Greek and Choctaw to the rank and file.
Indeed the average unionist, egged on
by politicians and ward-heelers, and
promises that Tabor would be saved
by being given petty Offices or having
lmmateria1: or unconstitutional bills en-
acted into law, did not hesitate to de-
nounce and martyrize the conscien-
tlous and advanced official who dared
to expound new principles and ideas. 8
: So there is: little to be gained by. un-
duly 1ty crittcising and ampooning officers
Of unions, VIII o; il: most instan are
either mo more intellectual tina s;E the
rank l I and Ale opposed to becom,innllg,
targets Tor abuse and viii fieat ion u he
great IS, repeat itsel 7to
Diane IS 4 pro sness haa
Ebeen.mat because ;ot ma