United labor bulletin. (Denver, Colo.) 19??-1915, 1910-05-26

enat party.
1t is eminently proper for laboring men
as for all other voters to affiliate with
political parties, but in doing so they
should be sure to affiliate with that party
which is most likely to frame its plat
form and select candidates to carry out
the principles in which he believes and
for which he stands. 1t is high time that
organized labor in Denver should realize
that Republicanism is nothing, Democ-
racy is nothing, but principle is every
thing. 1t is high time that organized
labor should get together and stand as a
principles which you have advocated so
long, and to vote as unit for such prin-
ciples on election day. 1t is of little
moment to talk about the rights of labor
for three hundred and sixty-four days,
and vote against them on election day.
Let both of the dominant political par
ties know that they can get no support
from organized labor, and those parties
will hasten to bid for the labor vote.
Successful political action does not
shall form a new political party. 1t may
be best accomplished otherwise. Time
alone can settle that question.
The recent election is full of signif-
canoe to organized labor as well as to
the community at large. The adoption
of the initiative, the referendum and the
recall is a mighty stride toward govern
ment of the people, by the people and
fn hn fpfa
and placed before the people a ballot so
complicated and voluminous that it was
hoped thereby to puzzle and bewilder
the voters TO such an extent that the will
of the people could easily be defeated.
The ballot was so complicated that the
politicians representing the interests
were afraid TO even ask their followers
to vote at all upon the many PROPOSE
tions submitted. The people were in
structed by the mayor and other bosses
to vote for the candidates of their choice
ana to vote against all OF the proposi-
lions submitted TO the people. Never
| theless, a majority OF the people had the
intelligence. the patience, and the char
acter to find out what the proposed
amendments stood for and to vote with
some degree of intelligence upon them.
I
ferent propositions were submitted, and
that the people analyzed these various
propositions sufficiently to vote with
comparative intelligence upon them, we
should take new hope that popular gov
ernment shall not fail. Upon every ques-
ton submitted to the people at the recent
election the majority vote was in favor
of the people and against the interests.
1 10 ~ ba
graduated Denver upon the triumph OF
human rights at the last election. 1t is
a matter of profound congratulations that
upon all the questions which were de-
cided, the members of organized labor
were generally found voting for the peo-
Pile and against corporations and politi-
cal bosses. Organized labor has its own
special interests, but, in a larger sense.
organized labor is interested in every
movement TO restore government to the
people.
In the meantime. let every man re-
solve that he will no longer be primarily
Republican or a Democrat or a Social
list. but that his first allegiance will be
to the people, and when the political
party to which he has adhered in the
past shall nominate an undesirable can
didate or adopt an undesirable platform.
he shall reserve the right to oppose such
candidate and such platform. Let him
resolve to support his friends and oppose
his enemies, wherever met, ana the day
will speedily come when this government
will be restored to the people. In the
meantime, it is to be hoped that organ
ICED labor will not adopt any rash or Ill
advised measure to invoke the initiative.
the referendum or the recall for the
mere sake of showing that 1t can be
done. Do not follow the advice OF po-
litical demagogues who may attempt to
make themselves solid with labor by
causing you to take up some hasty or
ill-advised measure under the new
amendments, Be willing to go slow. pro
vided you constantly so in the right d.
rection. The principles OF organized
labor must eventually prevail. but those
principles are idle breath unless they
are wrought into public law. sustained
and supported by honest and efficient
public officers whose interest will re-
lquire their enforcement Get together
stay together, vote together and vote
right.