The independent-reporter., 1910-09-15
PRINCIPLES
ABLY PRESENTED
Before Brotherhood of
St. Paul and Guests
Order of Speaking Determined by
Drawing Names From Hat

Labor versus capital, prohibition
versus license, protective versus
revenue tariff, and some minor poll
tical questions, were discussed before
an audience of about two hundred
that met with the Brotherhood of St.
Paul in the NJ. E. vestry Friday night.
Speakers from the Socialist, Repub4i-
can, Prohibitionist, and Democratic
parties had been invited to present
the principles for which these or
ganizations stand. The order of
speaking was determined by drawing
the names from hat.
H. A. Dnsmore, president of the
Brotherhood, opened the meeting with
a brief explanation of the program.
and S. F. Emerson offered prayer.
Charles A. Burnor then read a care
fully prepared paper on Socialism in
which he made the following points:
Socialism means equal opportunity in
accordance with ability. Eleven
thirteenths of all the wealth pro-
duced is now absorbed by capital, and
many of the toilers cannot make a
decent living. Our present indus
trial system makes no provision for
the future We are largely what our
environment makes us, particularly
the environment of childhood. The
fire department post Office, highway
system, schools, libraries, etc, have
already been socialized, and the So
cialist party stands for extension of
the principle of collective ownership
as rapidly as it can be accomplished.
Speaking for the Republicans, Fol-
som Merrill explained the principle
of protection, as the cornerstone of
his political faith. He drew com
parisons with conditions in Japan
where skilled labor receives but forty
cents per day, and felt certain that
Americans would never consent to
open competition with the little yell
loN hiCii- OpCdhihe vi hi6il pt iAS6 AV
said that wages had risen and carried
commodities up with them. He re-
ferred to the national platform pledg-
es of 1908, recounted their fulfill
ment, and based his loyalty to Re-
publcanism on the fact that the party
stood for the things he believed were
4
ises.
Prohibition as the greatest moral
question was defended by S. F. En-
erson. This question he said should
take precedence over all others, and
he could never affiliate with any party
that ignored it, or was guilty of hy-
pocrisy in connection with it. Not a
hamlet in the country was under real
prohibition today, because liquor men
were permitted to use the mails to
secure business. The lottery men
had been shut out of the post office
and the liquor dealers should go, too
Mr.. Emerson then took up the other
planks in the party platform, com
menting briefly on each.
A. II. Yeaton closed the program
and kept the house in an uproar by
his witty sallies at the preceding
speakers, and their political theories
He stood for Democracy, because that
meant equal rights for all, special
privileges to none. He said that out
of every Sc that the tariff raised
prices to the consumer, the govern
ment got but 50. Sewing machines
made in this country were sold for
$35 here and $1S abroad. This he
denounced as extortion. Then he took
shot at the Sturgis law, praised
Sheriff Mooers, and wound up by say
ing; IF anybody offers you $5 cleo
tion day, put it right in your pocket
You'll need it this winter Then &c
into the booth and vote just as you
think is right" This advice az well
as references to the Sheriff brought
forth prolonged applause.