Montana news., 1907-06-20
PROPAGANDA OF THE DEED.

v. II. "onoheyy aohnB P'oo"ohs W
the Western Federation of Miners,
while Charles Meyer is in Jail, has
stated in regard to Orchards confes-
sion of his many crimes, that he does
not doubt in the least but what Or
chard committed all the crimes that he
says he did, but that he will utterly
fail to connect the Western Federation
with single one of them.
Already Orchard stands forth through
the revelations of his own misdeeds
as the arch criminal Of modern times.
To a socialist he is no marvel. He was
simply a man with consuming energy
and an ability to do things; who came
up against the crimes of capitalism;
who found he could make more and
have more friends by committing
crimes than he could by work. The
man who works is out of luck in the
capitalist system, and Orchard discov-
cred a more interesting path. His lack
of scruples and his success has placed
him in demand with those who wanted
the resistance of the work slaves crush
ed. Now his value to this gentry is
greater than that Of gold and rubies.
The greatest sin If the Western Fed
Grafton in the eyes of its plutoeratic
antagonists was the socialist flavor
with which its unions were mixed, "po-
lities in the union" or, as Attorney
Hawley put it, "the attempt to con-
control government in those parts of
the country where it was organized. >"
That a serving class should aspire
TO government control has throughout
history been ever the capital sin.
Democratic institutions we have new
er had. The working class has gained
one weapon from the struggles of the
past, and that is the ballot. In Amer
lea il has not yet learned to use that
ballot. The working class is not con
scious that il is a class apart except
when il comes to industrial contests.
II has ben hypnotized by the song of
"freedom" and equality" The ex-
elusive political issue of class pro-
gram based on class needs, has but a
feeble echo as yet in the hearts of
American working men.
But within the toiling members of
the Western Federation Of Miners has
Of Las ba af oil
ism, and some attempts or some declar-
ations for class political action.
Now with men that have even faint
ly seen the light Of what solid polit-
ical class action could mean, and who
are heralding forth their faith under
the name Of socialism nothing could be
more incongruous and inconsistent with
their attitude than the charge Of this
holocaust Of blood with which Orchard
is seeking to deluge them.
Let us imagine for a moment that
these charges are all true, that the
Western Federation has devoted itself
TO a reign Of terror as a means Of pre-
vailing against its capitalist oppres.
rs,that it has accomplished the doom
of twenty.six human beings and much
destruction of property, violation Of
trust imposed in it, and misappropria.
tion of the funds Of the organization
for deeds OF violence and revenge.
Where would be the organization be
any aheadi The evils from which the
working class suffer would be no whit
abated The workers would still be
disorganized so far as intelligent ac.
tion to control government is concern.
cd, and without this united, trained
and purposeful movement, would still
be voting for the political crooks that
the capitalist manipulators provided
for them.
With all their leading opponents dead
others would rise like Banguo's ghosts
TO take their places. There is no 80.
luton to the dreary problem Of work.
ing class suffering The economic re.