The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-26

SOCIALISTS ADJOURN.
Adopt Platform and Make Geo. d.
Brewer Chairman.


Following the meeting which was
held at noon Tuesday the council of
the Socialist party Of Kansas re-
assembled at the city council cham
bers at 2:30 and reaffirmed their
allegiance to the state platform which
the second and third day of April.
The Temporary organization which was
erected at noon when George D.
Brewer of Girard was made chairman
and w. A. Snyder, also of Girard, was
elected secretary was made per-
manent.
There was less than a score of
representatives of the Socialist party
present at the meeting at any time
and the apparent lack of interest In
the party council was explained by
Chairman Brewer who contends that
such meetings are only formal mat
tiers. The Socialist party council was
held Tuesday more as an act con-
forming with the state law governing
the primary election law than any
thing else.
The question as to the selection of a
state chairman by the committee was
threshed out thoroughly and a COM
mittee was sent to the Republican
meeting being held on the ground
floor of the same building for in
formation on the subject. 1t seemed
to be the sense of the meeting that
the matter of state chairman be left
alone for the time being notwith-
standing the report of the committee
which stated that such an official
should be elected at a meeting of
the state central committee held i'm
mediately following the party coun-
Gil.
The members of the state central
committee who were in the city held
a short meeting Immediately follow
ing the adjournment of the party
council and decided to allow the old
officials, George D. Brewer and w. A.
Snyder of Girard to act as chairman
and secretary Of the state central
committee until such time as the
committee sees fit to elect their sue
cessors. H4
The national Socialist platform was
endorsed and the following state plat
form which was adopted at a meeting
held on the second and third of April
was readopted:
We call attention the fact that our
country is involved in a serious finan-
cial and industrial crisis; factories are
closed; industries are paralyzed; mines
are shut down and thousands of willing
unemployment with its consequent pow
erty and need.
In the light of the above facts we
make the following demands and de-
clare the following principles:
F'irst-We demand the collective
duction and distribution which, If pri-
vately owned, would give power to ex-
plot, to the end that the workers shall
come into the full product of their toll.
Second-The democratic management
of such collective industries and utili-
ties.
Third-The most effective weapon
with which the working class can sue
cessfully oppose the capitalist class is
the ballot.
Fourth-The Socialist party. when
in office, shall always and everywhere
until this present system of wage slav-
cry is utterly abolished, make the ans
wer to this question its guiding rule Of
conduct: Will this legislation advance
the interests of the working class and
the. workers in their class struggle
against capitalism? If it does, the So
cialist party is for it. If 1t does not,
the Socialist party is absolutely op-
posed to IL.
Fifth--In accordance with this
principle, the Socialist party pledges
itself to conduct all the public affairs
of the state in such a manner as to
promote the interests of the working
class.
Especially are we in favor Of a
shorter work day, and are utterly OPP
posed to the use of the standing army
and state militia to interfere in labor
disputes.
Sixth-Equal political and civil
rights for both men and women.
The chairmen of the various con-
gressional committees who are yet to
be elected will compose the executive
committee of the state and will report
to Girard where state headquarters
will be maintained.