The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-04-02
Social Democracy In Its Platform
Charges the City Council With
Corrupt Dealings.
FUSION GETS A KNOCKOUT BLOW.
Delegates Refuse to FusesWith ANY Other
Party-John Berns Is Named as the
Nominee for Justice of the Peace.
(From Thursdays Daily

we're thrown broadcast last night
when the Social Democratic party of
the city held its convention at the City
Hall. The platform adopted by the
party is the most unusual one ever
adopted in Kenosha and it will attract
more than passing interest.
| The convention drew full house to
the City Hall and every ward in the
city was represented. Joseph Binne-
man acted as chairman Of the conven-
ton and Claude Harris was selected as
secretary.
| John Berns, a Social Democratic
Header who is employed atthe Simmons
factory, was nominated for the office of
Justice of the Peace on the first ballot
The only thing of interest at the con-
vention was the platform and the
resolutions against fusion.
The following platform was adopted
by unanimous vote:
"The Social Democratic party of
Kenosha, in convention assembled, af-
firms its allegiance to the principles of
international socialism as expressed in
the platform adopted at the National
Convention of the Socialist party at
Indianapolis, Indiana.
"We cali the attention of the wage
workers to the fact that the Social
Democratic party is distinctively a
wage workers party. That it stands
| for the rights of all men to life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness; which
rights we assert can not longer CO.
exist with the right to own, as private
property, those things that all must
have in order to exist. Either the
rights of men to live must give away
to the rights of private ownership of
the essential means of life, or the
rights of private ownership of such
means must give away to the rights of
men to live"
"Neither the so called Republican
nor the so called Democratic party
openly stand for any particular class.
They pretend to stand for all classes,
but their actions after election have In
variably been in the interests of the
capitalist class, of which class their
| leaders are numerous.
"We ask the wage workers to re-
member that the law of our country,
state or city is our king whose COM
mands we must obey. That our Con-
gressmen, Assemblymen and Council
men are our king makers. And we
call attention to the fact that under
the Republican and Democratic parties
our king making bodies are composed
of men from the capitalists class, or
men who hold property rights more
sacred than human life. Hence no
legislation, except in the interests of
capital and the capitalist class, can be
expected from them.
"We condemn the policy of the old
party City Councils of Kenosha of Civ
ing away the streets of our city to pri-
vate users for railroads, thus marring
the beauty of the streets and incon-
veniencing the general public; such in
stances as the railroad on Newell
street for the sole benefit of the Chi
cago Rockford Hosiery Company; and
| similar 1uStduCc 1OT tue OGuGuI OF
Allen tannery.
"We also condemn the action of the
past City Councils in granting the use
of our streets to street railway corpora.
tons, and exclusive right to electric
and gas lighting companies for long
terms and without adequate compensa.
ton to the city. And we charge that
corruption and bribery were resorted
70 to secure these rights.
"We also condemn the present Coun
Gil for its dilatory, unbusiness1i like and
indecisive method of dealing with the
present street lighting problem. AND
we warn the citizens of Kenosha thai
unless they rise up and condemn such
action the evil will not only continue
indefinitely; but that the electric
lighting company will ask and be
given an extension of their present
contract with the city for street
lighting
Recognizing that the power to be
obtained even by success in this cam
paign is limited, nevertheless we
pledge our candidates, if elected, to dc
all in their power to further the inter
ests of the working class.
"These are the principles upon
which we ask the support of the plain
working people to the workingman's
political party"
The following resolution puts an
end to all talk of fusion with the old
time Democracy:
Resolved, That since the Social
Democratic party is an international
party, committed exclusively to the in.
terests of the working class and All IN
tegral part of world movement, il
cannot locally or otherwise fuse or
ally itself with any other party with
ont losing its essential character. We
therefore unreservedly condemn all at
tempts looking towards such fusion
Professor J. ]. Thompson tells us
the new radiation from the radioactive
suDctances is a mixture of Roentgen
rays and cathode rayS and must