Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-06-15
SOCIALISM
NATIONAL ORGANIZER FOR so
CIALIST PARTY SPEAKS IN
BLUEFIELD.

]. l.. Fits, OF Atlanta. Ca. ma
tional organizer for the sociaIist
party in this country, made an sd-
dress to fair-sized crowd on Hig-
ginbotham avenue Saturday night
in which he set forth the principles
of his party. and in which he con-
ended for the doctrine OF the peo-
pie owning everything. He also
addressed a crowd at the city hall
yesterday afternoon The chief
poiat OF his argument was that the
men who WORK In mills and fac
tories should own them, and he
said in part:
Everyone 'dislikes the present
bad conditions, poverty. suffering.
ignorance. vice and crime. We all
want everybody to be well fsd,
comfortable. happy. strong. intelli-
gent and virtuous. Socialism. and
nothing but socialism can bring
about this change. That is why !
am q socialist. That is why you
will all be socialists whom you un-
derstand what socialism really is.
Socialism has been widely mis-
represented as being akin to anar-
chism dividing up. communism.
etc. Most of the objections CON
tain Just enough truth to sugar
coat the falsehoods. so that we can
swallow them without being mas
seated
Socialism is philosophy OF
human society, scientific interpre-
tation OF history, and political
program. Tonight I speak only OF
the political program or demands.
Socialism demands that the so
cially or collectively used indus
tries shall be owned by the users
These industries have been, are.
and naturally will continue 10 be.
used for the benefit OF the owners.
Therefore II is illogical for anyone
to dsnosnce the Rookefellers for
having their business used for their
benefit, while the masses suffer
When the Industries are owned by
all the people they will be used for
the good OF all
Socialism demands, second that
the workers in each industry (who
naturally understand that industry;
who know how hard, how unpleas-
ant, unhealthy asd dangerous the
work b. and who want better con
ditions OF labor and who under
stand how the work can best be
made easier. safer and pleasant -
the workers shall collectively man
age and control the industry: that
is, the workers shall elect and re-
call the officials whenever they
wish 10 do so; and the workers
shall have the right to make and
change the rules and regulations
for working, and to decide what
labor-saving machinery. safety tie
vices and sanitary appliances shall
be used. In fact the workers shall
have full control OF the work.
Industry is now controlled by
idlers, many OF whom are the old
world aristocracy and are general
ly ignorant of the conditions OF
labor. They need not care for the
welfare OF the lives Of the workers.
what they want is money. They get
IL. regardless OF the welfare OF the
workers. It IS sometimes cheaper
to kill laborers than TO provide
proper safety devices. Consequent
ly tens of thousands are wounded
every year in ppevsRtible industrial
accidents. When the workers con-
trol the Industries they will pro-
tect Themselves with ppoper safety
devices. ThUs socialism proposes
that the workers shall have indus
trial liberty; shall have industrial
equality; shalJ have the right by
their votes to control the Indus
tries in which they work. which
they understand and or which their
welfare and their very lives de-
pend Third. socialism demands
equal industrial rights and oppor-
tuniSies for all people"