The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-04-12
Any question concerning Social
Ism answered. Address all COM
munIcations to X. S. Hilliari,
1896 Hcrrlck Avenue.

.:-.i..:
'rhe following letter is such clear
exposition of the work for all Social
lists that the MARKHAM club is glad TO
publish 1t in the department in fuli-
An open letter to the revolutionary
proletariat OF America. Greeting:
This letter is addressed to those
who are, and, perhaps, for years have
been, engaged In the revolutionary ag-
itation and education In this country
AS we stand aside and take a re-
sumo OF the present situation In tne
Labor movement, there are undoubtec-
ly those who feel disheartened and
who feel that the battle for the eman-
cipation of the working class IL hope
less battle. Indeed. II would be
strange tribute to human endurance
II it wore not so. Within the move
p,ent there Is strife, hatred dlscord,
ueachery, baseness, personal ambi-
tions, ignorance and sentimental stu
pidity. and the working class at large
often appear as II they were In a
state of hopeless lethargy, and slav
isb submfssiveneSs.
The election returns Of 1908 were
probably startling to those within the
Socialist movement who drew their
conclusion from superficial observa-
tions. 1t might well be termed sor-
rowful spectacle that the working
class. in spite OF disastrous panic.
In spite of shut-downs. lowering OF
wages and miserable conditions In
general should march In an over
whelming majority 10 the polls and
vote, In the fourth successive pres
idential election and after twelve years
OF continual power, for the represen-
tatives of the Republican party. And
this took place, too, in the face OF a
redoubled and energetic Socialist agi-
tation and the ultra radical position
and tremendous effort of the Demo
cratic party, supplemented by the In
fluence of Gompers and his American
Federation
Apparently, indeed, the working
class stands shattered and awed be
fore the Plutocratic altar.
But these are only observations TAX
en- from the surface. a little more
prying Into underlying economic
causes cannot fail to reveal moro
cheerful picture. The working class
Ia neither shattered nor awed. The
election returns have simply proved
that no amount of bombastic phrase
ology will induce the American work
ing class tc Jump from the frying
pan into the fire Steady conservatism
yet possesses the grandeur OF Nigh
ty river that flows obediently in the
ancient pathway Scattenbrained
radicalism VIXEN broken loose has all
the terror OF conilagration. The
Democratic party is shattered because
the middle class that IL represents is
hopelessly shattered economically. 1t
possesses neither the power to attract
nor to threaten and be obeyed. So
the working class voted for Taft be-
cause he represents the class that
controls industry, the class that has
the power, and openly avows that 1t
will use It's power to throw the ma
jorty OF the working class into invol
untary idleness followed by starvation
and misery II the Republican party is
ousted at the POLLS.
Only the Socialist movement pos
sesses the power 10 oppose the Plu-
tccratic class and its party. But even
the Socialist vote fell off at the last
election in almost every important In
dustrial center Yet we socialists
ought to know that 1t is the in
dustrlal centers that must carry the
movement TO success. II we are rev.
olutionists. In deed as well as in
words, We should not fail TO take to
heart the lesson that the last election
has taught. A Socialist Party cannot