East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-03-15
PARTY DISCIPLINE.

Editor East Oregonian:
The socialist party has set prece-
dent that shows it to be a leader in
| progressive party discipline. The 9TH
| er day a man was expelled from the
socialist party He was not plain
comrade He was a socialist alder
man in city council where he had
served the socialist party for some
! time. His name is Edward Thomas
and he was alderman of the city coun-
ell of Lead. South Dakota, Lead is
the seat of the Homestake mining
strike. which has been waged for
some time Edward Thomas. the So
cialist councilman, decided to scab on
his fellow workers, The socialist par
" Immediately considered the matter,
expelled Thomas from the party and
then sent to the city council of
Lead South Dakota, his resignation
as alderman. From the reports l
| have got the meeting of the city
council on the evening when the So
| cialists presented the resignation of
Alderman Edward Thomas was dra-
| matte.
Soon after the meeting was called
to order and all the aldermen were in
their seats. a committee from the To-
cal of the socialist party presented
the mayor and, the city council with
the resignation of Alderman Edward
! Thomas The mayor read the resig-
nation and asked the aldermen what
should be done with ii. Alderman
Cooper. elected by the miners union.
moved that the matter be indefinitely
tabled Alderman Scheike also elect
ed by the miners union. seconded the
motion. Alderman Mayo then arose
to ask Alderman Thomas if he had
signed the resignation submitted
Alderman Thomas said that he had
signed that resignation when he had
been nominated by the socialist par
ty. Alderman Scoggan said that he
understood to his surprise that man
elected on the socialist ticket was
forced to place his resignation in the
hands of his party before taking Of
flee. He said that he was not a So
cialist but he believed in the plan the
socialists worked upon. He thought
all officeholders should be under
similar contracts. The vot for lay
ing on the table the question of the
resignation was then taken up and
the union aldermen and all but two
other aldermen voted for tabling the
matter Then Mr. Thomas found his
voice He thanked the members of
the council for the confidence they
expressed in him. Nevertheless he
said he still believed in the right of
a constituency to recall its Officers
and when he had signed his own res
, ignation he believed it was right so to
do. 1t made for cleaner politics and
ne did not wish to be inconsistent and
to continue now in Office after the
party had acted upon his resignation,
He said he had Travelled far on the
. dry and dusty road of life and had
stopped long enough at the weH OF
socialism to drink of its refreshing
waters. He said socialism opened up
2 a new world, a world where there was
neither bursting granaries nor starV-
o ing people. where one did not see dia-
mond-bedecked dogs on automobile
cushions on one hand and starving
! babies on the other. where vice was
= not garbed in silks and satins and vir-
Z | tue in calico rags, The action of the
, socialist party had not changed his
hopes of seeing that dream world a
reality He hoped his colleagues
a would not think him ungrateful if
V he refused to hold his seat under the
e circumstances. He was pleaded with
by the mayor and his brother coun-
II cilmen to break his contract but at
d last Alderman Thomas gave his final
Is answer and said good night as he left
= the hall.
Such is the story of this interesting
drama. 1t has its pathos and is an
example of socialist discipline it is
e heroic. But unfortunately, this sad
e drama is destined to be played again
1t and again in the progress of oul
W movement and in the interest of the
real producer. You employ doc
- tor when you are sick, carpenters
l. to build houses, machinists to make
machines. shoemakers to make shoes
= printers to print, but when it comes tC
= filling your public offices you steT
up to the polls and vote for any ole
II thing your bosses put up for YOU NO
one man in fifty knows even the name
if the training that is needed to lit
s man for legislative position. Sociol
IL ogists are the only with any possible
q knowledge of making laws for so
ciety. No other training fits one fol
this work Lawyers are not sociolo
gists and are never competent law
Is makers If you would elect men wei
n studied in sociology whether demo
Gratis or republicans or any other be
lief or vocation you would get results
that would astonish you. Why no
h.
dispose Of our political fakirs.
Respectfully,
]. b. DESPAIR,
Pendeton, Oregon, March ID.