Montana news., 1905-02-15
Points Of Inter-
: est to Many

in convention had committed the or
ganization to Socialism. The same
is true in every instance wherein the
A. F. of L., turned Socialism down
and the capitalist press made great
howl about it. Let us see how it is
done. At one convention, believe
John Mitchell had 2, 100 proxy votes
in his pocket, and ! suppose Com
pers the same number; it matters not
as to the exact number. What / de-
sire to show is the foolishness of vot-
ing Socialism up or down in these
labor conventions. Those 2,
votes that Mitchell had in his pocket
to cast for or against measure we're
no expression of the sentiment or
understanding of the workers as to
their ideas of Socialism; but with
these 2,Ioo votes in a convention of
1000 delegates, do you not see that
Mitchell could carry any measure to
suit himself? Unions in electing
delegates to conventions usually
elect their best men," If that man
who attends the convention votes to
endorse Socialism, the impression
gains currency that his organization
is solid voting Socialist body, but
such impression is only a nightmare
to be proven false as soon as the re-
turns are in from the ballot box.
When the organization by referen-
DUN endorses the principles of So
cialism then this wrong impression
and foolish clap trap work of dele
gates from labor bodies endorsing
or downing Socialism will be thing
of the past. You are slightly mis-
taken as to my endorsing the Chi
cago industrial union move; in fact
am not quite clear on their propo-
sition myself as yet. | pointed to il
to show Comrade Miller of Gardi-
ner the trend of the movement and
especially of the prominent men OF
the Socialist party. | say it is prac.
tically what the S. l.. p, has advo.
Gated in their S. T. & L. A., but
shall not feel like endorsing it unit
after their convention in June and
see what they bring forth. For my
part, and / am a union man, / see
but little use of the Socialist spend
ing much time in this old unscientifc
union proposition. The industria
union organization is the right kind
if there are to be any, but it look:
now as if unionism must begin to &c
down and out, as the open shop pol
icy has surely started it on that road
How can a union win with the un
employed problem to contend with
Just answer that question in its entir
ETY. and the unscientifc grounding o.
the trades and labor unions is laiC
bare. Yes, let me repeat, that al
we need is one party for the workers
and that must be a class conscious
party, but let me say comrade tina
one might be a CRATER" and clas,
conscious. / met a tinhorn in Kal
ispell last fall, running a roulette
wheel, but you bet your life he wa
class conscious; we have some small
business men in this city who ar,
class conscious and realize that tn,
little fellow must eventually b,
ground down and into the ranks o
the wage worker. When the paper
you mention refer to the small bust
ness man as a CRATER, and exploite
of labor, etc, you should bear il
mind that this casts no reflection
upon the man in these lines who i
class conscious; the charge is mad
against that particular class, and tn,
few exceptions who are class con
scious are proof of the general rule
| do not know how long it will tax,
the wage worker to emancipate him
self at the ballot box; but ] do know