The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-11-15
Editorial Page Of Che Caeoma Cimes
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The Steady Growth Of Socialism


The name of the socialist party first appeared
upon the ballot in the United States in 1885, when it
polled 206S votes. In the twenty-five years which
have since elapsed it has progressed rapidly show
ing these totals:
$780, 1881; 1892, 21,157; 1894, 33,133; 1885,
1884, $685. 81 749; 1900 9S417; 1902 225,903; 1904
4O3 1888; 1906 over 50O0O0 1908, over 100000.
It will be some time before all the figures for
1910 are available but it is known that the vote
scored large increase all the country. In New
York it grew from $4,000 to $1,000; in California
from 10000 to over $4,000. 1t is probable that this
years total reached the million mark.
Milwaukee elected the first socialist congress
man on November g.
The thorough-going socialist boldly declares
that the earth and the fullness thereof intended
not for the making of dividends but for the satsfac
ton of human needs. His program is frankly revo-
lutionary, though he prefers the ballot to the bullet
as a means to the end.
While the avowed advocates of socialism have
worked with wonderful energy and persistency to
promote the growth of their cause, they are by no
means entitled to all the credit for what has been
accomplished.
The socialist has partner who is working over
time to convince the world that there is no hope,
save in revolution.
The socialists partner is no other than old
FRIEND the Standpatrot-that is to say, the content
ed conservative who, hardened by rat years, insists
that calls for the best in the best of all possible
worlds"
This man stands stubbornly in the face Of all
progress He consistently opposes every human
aspiration for better things. For money, he asks
more and more to men, he comedies less and less.
He demands higher rates for railroad service
He ressts all attempt at the regulation of public ser
vice corporations.
He regards the Wisconsin proposal for govern
ment railroads, docks and steamships in Alaska as
unspeakable heresy.
He insists on higher rates upon all necessities of
life every time the tariff is revised.
With hundreds of thousands of children going
to school every morning without their breakfasts, he
declares that our trouble is not high cost of living
but cost of high 1ivng.''
He is fighting now for kind of ''open shop
which would crush labor unions to the dust leaving
the workmen to deal in his naked individuality with
organized dollars.
He says men shall work when and where he
peases for what he chooses to give them that they
shall starve with their women and children.
The Standpatrot is the greatest asset of social
ism. If he has his way the earth will be owned by
fewer and fewer, the many will be more and more
completely exploted-and the revolution will come
the and the sooner
The growing strength of socialism in every cleo
ton for the past twenty-five years means just this:
We are going forward.
Most of us would prefer to progress by evolrl-
ton, but if the Standpatriot continues to standpat
long enough and hard enough he will probably sue
coed in giving us revolution instead.