Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11
some rabor Demands.


says the Clarion OF today. Labor ia in-
side Something will happen" And It is
worth while TO pause a few minutes and
consider what is the program of labor in
order to determine what the laborites
. really want to happen.
Tho labor party has striking policy of
economic reform. which is nothing less
than state socialism, or the nationalsm
NJ the means producing all wealth. The
labor party ruthlessly pushes the question
of free trade aside. NJ minor importance
and demands the Ownership of the land
by the people" and the consequent aboli-
tion of the Landlord class"
Socialism is not necessary qualification
for labor representation committee can
didate, but the inspiring force Of the labor
representation committee is socialism and
the propa gandists Of the party are such
capable socialists as Mr.. Philip Snowden
and Mr.. Ramsey Mcdonald
In list of seventy candidates which Mr..
kier Harlie has prepared there are. he
says. fifty-three avowed socialists.
The aggressive socialist program is n
thing for the future. when the labor party
has secured a majority OF the liberal seats
as men like Mr. Hardie believe that Il will
do. For the present the labor party ap-
-pears 10 be content with a comparatively
nt1nest list of reforms calculated 10
strengthen its hands I'm possible future
wars with capitalism, and it may he liber-
alism as well as unionism. Kier Harcie
divides the party's program into funda-
mental reforms which are left for the fu.
ture and merely expedient measures, which
are for earlier treatment. The latter in.
cludes
Registration reform,
Womens suffrage.
Payment Of members.
on the first point the liberal party vii
agree. since there is a widespread DISCUS
with the existing law. which disfranchlse,
an elector for at least eighteen months 4
he moves his residence from one side o.
the street which may be IN one constitu
ency. 20 the other side which may be il
another
Payment Of members, Mr.. Handie thinks
ought TO be left for a while I'm order I,
enable labor organizations to retain thei
hold on the members, whose salaries /
pays. MIR. Hardie thinks that the labo
party is easily able to pay $50 member
of Parliament $l,coO year each.
Fundamental Program.
The fundamental part of the labor party
program includes, as a beginning:
Adult male and female suffrage
frotecuon or TRACE union tunQs.
Free meals for school children
Grants 10 employed distress committees
Five million dollars per year for reclaim
nation oI toreshores, reaf1orestation, etc.
Secular education. etc.
Old age pensions SO, ,VOo, COO a year
Graduated taxation.
Local veto ana local option to municipal
ize public houses
Reduction OF military expenditure.
tnrettered freedom for municipalZatioT
But this is the fringe OF the auestio
only. The labor committees are advocal
ing:
Wholesale reduction of mining rents an
royalties.
Naturalization of railroads
Public ownership OF the land.
These are only some of the things whic
both the friends and foes of labor adm
go a long ways toward state socialist
Even Lord Rosebery. long before the ger
eral elections said that ali good either
were more or less state socialists durin
these latter days.
One OF the very first questions whic
will come up for discussion and settlemei
in the new Parliament is the educationi
question. This question is one which Civ.
promise of causing Sir Henry Campbell
Bannerman moro trouble than he has ev,