The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-04-12
MARKHAM CLUB SOCIALISTS
Continued from Page Two)

jidly fulfill its educational purposes
with a small membership, It's vitality
does not depend upon numbers. but
rests upon the Soundness OF its mem
bership Herein lies the secret, so In
comprehensive to many people, of the
extraordinary vitality Of the Socialist
Labor Party, in spite OF the smallness
OF its membership.
Political society pre-supposes, even
If ii does not wholly guarantee, to It's
citizens, the right TO agitate for
changes within itself Yes, even by
the precedent of the Declaration OF
| independence and the American Rev
olution, to agitate for its overthrow. 1t
is by political agitation therefore that
VIC must and can reach the masses.
But that Socialist party does not
deserve the name that carries
on this agitation with sensational and
bombastic phraseology and that de-
, pends on this to arouse momentary en-
thusiasm to catch voters only That 1t
is poor stuff, even to catch voters with,
was certainly proven at the last cleo
tion, But in stages of extremity in
country, 1T may arouse popular anger
and outbreaks Of rebellion; but such
movements are not revolutionary, and,
If they ever become so. it is only after
years of protracted and disastrous
struggle. The Paris Commune and the
rebellions in various parts Of Russia
Of late are examples OF such outbreak
or spontaneous anger. without the
knowledge or power TO carry them to
successful issue. The true revolu-
uonist of today must be a political agi-
tator. But every effort in his political
agitation must be In the direction of
educating the workers 10 come togeth-
er In an economic. Industrial organiza-
tlon, through which they can take and
nold the means OF production The day
mat enough workers have knowledge
! enough to form and maintain such an
organization. they will not waste their
time debating the question WHETHER
the strike and boycott are the proper
weapons by which to get something
now They will make but one strike:
the strike at the polls that abolishes
capitalism and only one boycott the
boycott of the capitalists profits.
The masses must incline towards
Socialism before IL Is possible to ac-
complish the revolutign; but he who
Is not prepared to stand with an in
slSniicant minority almost to It's day
oi triumph, may as we'll at once aban
don the Standard. The champions Of
truth and justice have ever been in
the small minority.
OF all the comical people that fas.
ten upon the movement. the most com.
lcal are they who attempt with matbe.
maucal precision to figure ont the
day OF the advent of the Co.operative
commonwealth. Say they. There are
as many Socialists next year. four times
dhy There are so many people Ev-
cry Socialist surely can make n So
cialst year. That will make tvice
many Socialists next year. four times
as many the following year, and eight
.imeS as many the year after, etc At
.uis ratlo all the people Will be Social
lSts IN the year nineteen hundred and
so ana so. TO convert one Socialist
year might seem reasonably small
onoueh as the result of any Socialists
ehoI's' out no revolutionary move.
iient ever progresses according 10
eucn mathematical rules. IL Is ever n
i"ct onat only few people ut any tjmo
can see much further than the entire
mass. These Will have Ia stand nrac.
uoaliy alone AS teachers and agItators
..il tne cay the mass is ready to move
ihey are the laborers ON the reyolu.
,lonary held The Socialist agitator
mas 10 hold up TO the masses the mir.
ror oi their own ignorance. slavIshness
misery and lack OF class conscious.
ness; TO show The abuses of the capi.
: 'aiiSt system aud the uscIessness Of the