The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-04-18
COAL AND
ICE AT COST
What the Socialists Of
Milwaukee Are to
Attempt

| MILWAUKEE,, WIS, April Jos-N i'N''
! E Berger. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. and
spokesman of the Social-Democratlc
party In Milwaukee, To-Day issued
statement giving an outline OF tho
principles that will guide the Social
Democratic administration OF MI"
/ waukee during the next two years,
| beginning with tomorrow, when tae
Inaugural ceremonies Will take place.
Mr. Berger's statement In full, for
lows:
Q "A detailed review of what the So
al-Democratic administration OF MIL
wnukeo intends TO accomplish during
the next two years Will be contained
In the mayors inaugural message.
Il wish only TO state the general
principles upon which this party
stands and upon which We we're elect
ed on April o ], of course, Will not
repeat the platform.
| "In the first place. the Social Dem
ocratic party Of Milwaukee is an in
tesral part of the Socialist party Of
America In Wisconsin we are Off
I cially named The Social-Democratic
party which is the customary inter
nation name
The Socialist party OF America Is
| the American expression of the inter
national movement OF modern wage
] workers for better food better houses,
! sufficient sleep, more leisure. more
i education, and more culture.
The founders OF the republic de-
clared for political freedom.
But we call attention to the fact
( that since the birth of this nation a
revolution In industry has taken place
/ Formerly hand labor and individual
effort produced the necessities of man
! kind. Today machine labor and as
sociated labor are the means of pro-
ducing these necessities. And, while
In that former time It was the imper-
alive duty OF the government. 10 pro-
tect the individual In possession of
inc property he had produced. so to-
day IL Is equally the duty or the gov
eTiment to protect associated labor.
/ that is TO say the whole body OF
working people. in the possession Of
products of their toll
'The present system of social pro-
duction by individual ownership has
produced two classes-the property
less class and the capital class. The
middle class once the backbone of
l This great nation. is fast disappearing
in the mil Of competition and the is
sue Is now between the first two class
! cs All attempts to obscure this is
sue or TO delay the settlement arc
futile. for all other issues Will be
speedily absorbed by It Thus 1t de-
vclops that the battle for human
, rights has become a battle to deter
mlne which form of government We
shall have In tho futurc-plutocracy
, or democracy
Political liberty alone has become
inadequate; we must have both poll
teal and economic liberty. To sc.
cure this is the aim OF the Social
Democracy,
I'm city affairs, we stand for the
public ownership OF municipal utIl-
| tiles We are we'll aware. however.
that Milwaukee does not enjoy self
government and that, as a rule. 10
steps can be taken in that direction
ture at Madison.
In municipal affairs the Social
Democracy stands also for radical
changes that Will bring means OF pro-
Guction Into the hands OF the peo-
pie. II believes in self-eovernment
for the city. tho equitable taxation
in efficient sanitary inspection of
workshops and housds and in the
public control of the food supply In
the interest OF the public health and
In the highest development OF rea-
sonable public service At the prop
er time the Democracy Will In
ltiate these and other things.
I'VE call attention TO the fact thet
the measures We urge are in no way
complete cure for existing evils,
nor are they necessarily socialistic
measures. They are to be viewed
rather as palliatiyes. capable of being
carried out even under present condI-
t'ons Under no circumstances should
the working people rest content with
municipal improvements which arc
merely temporary in their nature and
must be entirely inadequate. They
Should move onward TO the conquest
of all public powers. to ap entire
change from the present system FOR
one which shall secure TO the peo-
pie, collectively. the means OF pro-
duction and distribution
The mainepring of corruption in
municipal affairs is found In the fact
that few aldermen or officials have
IN their power TO give away or sell
franchises TO capitalists who thereby
make millions. The temptation thus
offered our public officials 10 secure
q share in the millions thus given
away is too great for the average
man TO withstand. If the city should
operate its public utilities, the motive
aOd the opportunity for bribery would
be gone, even u minor evils and
breaches OF trust might continue, ow-
Ing to the corrupting influences OF the
capitalistlc system. which makes
n'oney-setting the sole object of life.
lie SocialDemocracy therefore, oh
Jects TO more competition fn public
ulllitles-more competition means
more corruption.
We stand for the public owner
ship of public utilities. but. until We
reEch this, we will enforce the Utmost
extension and possible service from
,hese utilities. as far as the present
laws will permit.
We look upon the contract sys.
tom also as a danger. II constantly
INDUCES contractors to bribe city Of
iiciais on the one hand, and to "a
plot their worlsmcn ON the other.
moreover, it is always In the interest
oi the city that citizens earn decent
wages; therefore, instead or contract
ors, the labor unions ought TO be en-
copraged The city should stand
pledged, az far as the charter ineT-