Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1908-01-16
The Ballot and Not Terrorism the
Only Effective Weapon of
the Working Class
Address Delivered Before GOldfield
Miners Union by Ida Crouch.
Hazlett of Helena
Comrades and Brothers.

Comrades and Brothers.
Since we are just in receipt Of the
good news of the acquittal Of Charles
Meyer it seems as though 1t might be
fitting that his meeting should be turn
ed into a jubilee to celebrate the ex-
oneration of our comrades from the
heinous charge that have been heaped
upon them
The verdict Of the Boise jury is a
testimonial to the fact that the work
ing class is learning to use the capi
talist weapon-it is learning how to
handle the courts to the utter confus
ion Of its powerful enemies. The de-
termination with which the working
class have raised money, employed the
ablest legal talent obtainable, availed
themselves of every legal measure and
followed up very clue in defense OF
the men through which the employers
meant to stike at the heart Of great
organization, has bafaed all the re
sources that the ruling class has been
able to bring against them.
have chosen the subject announced
TO speak on here tonight because, in
this place-the labor union hall-and
under these conditions-the strike OF
Of a great organization, discourse
on such phases as the science and his
tory of socialism might possibly seen
tedious and cumbersome.
The socialist movement in this coun
try has come to be fairly understood
among the working class, through con
tinous speaking, the labor and party
papers, and a certain sort Of literature
distributed with tolerable thorough
ness-a least as to superficial knowl
edge of its leading principles.
The literature read has been mostly
very light and superficial, after the
"American Way" AS a result the
working men have generally drawn
their own individual conclusions as tc
what constitutes the essence, path and
program of socialism, and as a result
many chaotic abortions of the move
ment are constantly popping up. We
have but to point in instance to the
numerous checkered beliefs that today
parade through the minds of the work
ing class under the name of socialism
am here tonight as a representa-
tative of the Socialist Party, and shall
speak from that platform and on its
positions.
The subject for this evening is $50
cialism and the Labor Movement.
A comrade remarked that these two
prases mean the same, that socialism
is the labor movement. Unfortunate
ly il is not yet so in this country,
at one time heard Haywood say that
the labor movement was in a forma
tive stage in this country; that IL wat
difficult to tell just the direction II
would take; but that the socialist
movement at least knew its goal.
In labor's long, painting and bitter
fight with the capitalist oppressor 80
cialism has brought the struggle upon
the plane of consciousness. Socialism
has come into this blind and bruta
contest with definite program, clear
ing the way through the wilderness OF
primal chaos with its three grand ba
sic principles-the materialist coneep
tion of history, the theory Of surplus
vaule and capitalist accumulation, and
the working basis Of the class
struggle.
What lines are not effective in tnc
class struggle is what perhaps concerns
us the most here tonight in Goldfeld
and in the ranks Of organized labor
throughout the country.
With the triumphant close of the
Federation trials, the terrific test has
brought forth some lessons that should
be deeply impressed on the under
standing of every man and woman
that is obliged 20 work for living
There arc three of these to which
wish TO draw particular attention al
this time. They all have to do witt
consideration Of the best methods OF