davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18

amounts of government regulation, or of
publicity, or of restrictive legislation,
will arrest the natural course of modern
industrial development.
While our courts, legislatures and cX-
ecutive Offices remain in the hands of
the ruling classes and their agents, the
government will be used in the interests
of these classes as against the ~toilers.
Political parties are but the express
sion of economic class interests. The
Republican and Democratic and the So
called Independence parties, and all
parties other han the Socialist party,
are financed, directed and controlled by
the representatives of different groups
of the ruling class.
In the maintenance of class govern
mcnt both the Democratic and Rcpub-
lean parties have been equally guilty.
The Republican party has had control
of the national government and has been
directly and actively responsible for these
wrongs. The Democratic party, while
saved from direct responsibility by its
political impotence, has shown itself
equally subservient to the aims of the
capitalist class whenever and wherever
it has been in power. The old chattcl
slave owning aristrocracy of the South,
which was the backbone of the Demo.
cratic party, has been supplantcd by a
enid slave plutocracy. In the great
cities or our country the Democratic
party is allied with the criminal eie-
ment OF the slums, as the Republican
party is allied with the predatory
criminals OF the palace, in maintaining
the interest OF the possessing class.
The various reform" movements and
parties which have sprung up within
recent years are but the clumsy express.
SION OF Widespread popular discomfort.
!hcy are not based on ar intelligent un-
Outstanding of the historical development
OF civilization and of the economic and
political needs OF our time. They are
bound to perish as the numerous middle
class reform movements of the past have
pershed.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
Doctor Question at
Marting in Dispute

The miners have had some little
trouble at Marting on account of the
doctor. The company is now trying to
force all new men to sign a slip that
they will pay DR.. G.. S. Harley before
they issue check to them. They think
they can out do the men but we had the
boys and we had the grit and the money
and we don't intend to be beat. We
expect to do right and they lave to do
r~ightIbefole.w we give up. Our supcrin-
tendent.thinksnu hex i~s.isharpf but # he
would. U in the ground I.think he, is
green.enough.to.g iso.we- want. it &c
be known by every body SO if they come
in they will know just. what to look for.
Marting, w. Va A, Miner.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
HE TOOK THE A K
A Story Of William Black, the Novel;
list, and Mary Anderson.

A Story Of William Black, the Novel;
list, and Mary Anderson.
One time when Mary Anderson was
playing in 1.-THE Winters Tale" in
Dublin, William Black. the novelist,
who was very intimate with Miss An
derson and her family, insisted upon
assuming the part of one of the supers.
who was dressed as a very old man
with a venerable beard and locks that
fell Upon his shoulders. When Black
went upon the stage in this disguise
be walked about among his fellow
supers with unceasing restlessness
and. Judging by the wild motions of his
arms. seemed to be addressing to each
in turn an impassioned ~harangue. The
audience began to wonder who the
new actor was and what o. earth he
was doing in n play in which neither
Shakespeare nor the stage managers
eve intended him to appear.
Presently came the time when It
was the business of Perdita to distrib-
ute flowers among the peasants, among
whom Black had his place. Miss An
derson. carrying on the practical Jokes
of the family circle, had prepared a
surprise for this moment, and. having
distributed flowers among the less IA
vored supers, Ii handed to Black a
large cake crowned with q wreath Of
laurel. saying as she did SO. "You take
it," in allusion to his triumphs in the
contest of wits at the supper table.
To her CONSERVATION, Black showed
that he va quite prepared to carry
out the jest. for, taking the cake from
the hands of Perdita. he Immediately
distributed it in substantial portions to
his hungry fellow suppers. who, End
ing 1t to be of excellent quality, be-
gan to MUNICH 1t greedily under the
eyes of the house.-Exchange.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
THE WORKING PROGRAM
Of the National Party Adopted in
Nineteen Hundred and Eight.

The socialist party, in national conven-
ton assembled. again declares itself as
the party of the working class, and ap-
peals for the support of all workers
OF the United States and of all citizens
who %sympathize with the great and lust
cause of abor.
We are at this moment in the midst of
one of those industrial ~breakdowns that
periodically paralyze the life of the
nation. The m~uch-boasted era of our
national prosperity has been followed by
one of general misery. Factories. mills
and mines are closed. Millions of men
ready, willing and able to provide the
nation with all the necessaries and com
forts of life, are forced into idleness an,
starvation. Within recent times tho
trusts and m~onopolies have attained a,
enormous and menacing development
They have acquired the power to dictate
the terms upon which we shall be al
lowed to live. The trusts fix the pric,
of our bread. meat and sugar, of OH,
coal, oil and clothing, of our raw
material and machinery, of all tn,
necessities of life.
The present desperate condition of the
workers has been made the opportunit,
Tor a renewed onslaught on ORGANIZED
labor The highest courts of the countr,
have within the last year rendered de-
clslon after decision depriving the work.
ers OF rights which they had won by
generations of struggle.
The attempt to destroy the Wester,
Federation OF Miners, although defeated
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
MALIBRAN'S CAPTIVITY.
A Romantic Incident In the Career Of
the Great SINGER.

A Romantic Incident In the Career Of
the Great Singer.
The following incident Is told Of
Nine. Malibran, whose voice nee
upon q time excited the most unro-
mantle to folly
She was resting in her dressing room
at the thcate after singing in the
part of Desdemona, her passionate
soul still q%uiyering with the emotion
of the part and the tears and applause
of her listeners. A person entered
and begged her to so to her mother
who had een taken LII. A carriage.
not her own. was at the door. She
was whirled through the streets and
led. much to her surprise and fear.
into a strange house and to an excel
lent boudoir. hung and carpeted with
rose colored silk.
Here the beautiful songstress was
left alone after being assured by her
attendants thnt her mother was well,
that the message was q subterfuge Inc
sang something.
On q low seat sat a Tyre such as
that which thrilled in Malibran's fin
gers as she sang Desdemona's touch
ing song.
At first she determined to resist, but
after a short time her mind reverted
to the evening, n almos uncon-
sciously she took up the instrument
and sang the Romance de Saule." As
she concluded sounds Of enthusiastic
applause and trembling accents Of de-
light came to her through the sill
hanGings, and she was then conducted
by liverled servants to her carriage
and to her home.
The next morning she found on her
table a casket containing n magnif-
cent pair of earrings. and inside the
cover. written in diamonds, was the
word "Merci." But the event re-
NAMED a mystery to her forever.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
CRUDE ASTRONOMY.
Russian Peasants Have Queer Ideas Of
Sun, Moon and Stars.

Russian peasants Rave Queer IDEAS OF
Sun, Moor and Stars.
We have 1T on no less authority than
hat of Caesar hat the Druids taught
their disciples many things about the
form and dimensions of the earth and
the heavens and a body of doctrines
on the motions OF the stars. Even
death itself vas to them an astronom-
zeal fact. They held that from this
life we pass to take up Dur abode in
one of the heavenly bodies. That they
firmly held to this belief Is manifest
from the fact that they had no OBJ
lection to lending money to be repaid
in the other world. They looked upon
h passage of life in much the same
way as we regard q journey across the
Atlantic.
There is no doubt hat even now in
various parts Of Europe hi views of
the p%easantry as to the heavenly bod
les and celestial phenomena have
changed but little from those of their
predecessors of q thousand years ago.
A Russian contributed to the bulletin
of the Astronomical Society of France
has given the results OF his observa-
tons on this point extending over ten
years. The astronomical lore of the
Russian peasantry of the north, center
and south Is limited TO q knOWleOSe
of the existence of the sun and moon.
of three consultations, Of the Milky
way. of one planet. of comets. shoot
ing stars and meteors. The sun Is to
all n mysterious md beneficent being.
The moon covered with ice and
snow is ever In fight from its brother,
the gun Upon its disk may be cen
Enthusiastically portrayed b murder Of
Abel by Cain, the latter being done
to death by a pitchfork. Chill are
the lunar rays, and woe bettde the
child of man who shall sleep unpro-
tected thcrefrom! From the horns
Of the crescent muc useful informa-
ton as to the forthcoming weather
may be derived by the learned in such
things.
The stars are lamps or candles
which are lit and extinguished daily
by the Eternal. A shooting star is
the soul Of one who has just passed
away. Comets are heralds Of war and
famine. No Russian ever forgets that
the Napoleanic war followed the great
comet of 1S11.-Westminster Gazette.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
MINERS
CONVENTION
CONTINUED from Page y

He called John H. Walker and White
liars" Walker took the floor in reply
and gave back as strong a speech as that
directed at him. Lewis threatened the ex-
pulsion of the Illianois officials and Wal
ker dared him to do it.
AS was expected President Lewis had
an opportunity to give his side of the
Illinois controversy today. AT the close
of Yesterdays session the roll call of del
egates had not yet been completed
Lewis expects to show that some of the
delegates yesterday made incorrect state
ments
Members of the international executive
committee will explain their actions in
regard to urge the adoption of the COM
promise agreement.
President Walker of the Illinois dis
trict made a strong reply to Lewis, as he
had ask for the opportunity to have The
floor for that purpose.
There was friction between Thomas
L. Lewis, president, and edward Perry,
secretary-treasurer, following Lewis Ell
ection of Perry from his office late Sat
urday. The discord between the interna-
tional officers, which reached a climax
when Secretary Perry criticized the adj
ministration in his financial report broke
an open verbal clash when Perry went to
Lewis office on business. Perry left
when ordered out.
The convention is waiting on the
special committee, which is expected to
report today.
A victory for Illinois was predicted
o,,orr tha caunra1 Ia1onatinnc nc a re-
suit of the presence tof John Mitchell on
the convention floor Mitchell's official
relations with Lewis are known to be
unfriendly. However, his close friends
do not believe the former president will
take an active part in the anti-Lewis
fight unless drawn into it.
Mitchill represents District IL, Spring
Valley, III. Mitchell expects to meet
with President Meyer, of the Western
Federation of Miners, and President
O'Connell of the international Machin.
lists union, in an effort to affiliate the
western miners with the American
Federation of Labor.
An uproar followed a statement made
by M. F. Purcell, member of the inter.
national executive board from Montana,
yesterday, that he mot only opposed the
Illinois compromise proposition, but
caused the adoption of an amendment to
refer its compromise to the Illinois strik-
ers for adoption or rejection"
This statement brought nearly half OF
the delegates to their feet in their en-.
thusiasm over the position taken by
Purcell.
President Lewis said:
There is one man in this convention
that you are not going to excite" said he
and that's the man who is holding the
gavel."
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
Retort FiIiaI.

In q warm argument n of the con-
testants had n DOC case. but he de-
Tended his position vigorously.
"Oh. yes" the other one chuckled.
you have your defense. but you've
lost. Losers always have their de-
Tense. Lincoln used to illustrate that
with q story about his boy Tad.
lincoln and Tad were lunching one
day in the White House..
Don't. eat your fish with your
knife. boy said Lincoln sternly. It's
not polite
but. father said Tad, is it polite
to stare at folks when they're eot-
ing?'"
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
Elephants Love For Finery

Strange as it nay seem. the elephant
is passionately fond of dnery n de-
lights to see himself decked out with
gorgeous trappings. The native princes
OF India are very particular in choos-
ing their state elephants and will give
fabulous sums for IN animal that ex-
actly meets the somewhat fanciful
standards they have erected. For these
they have made cloths Of silk SO heavi-
~ embroidered with gold a two men
are hardly able to lift them.-Pearson's
Weekly.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
THE MASSES IN sUBJEcT1oN.

In proportion us the number of such
machin owners compare to all other
classes decreases, their power in the ma
ton and in the world increases. They
bring ever larger masses OF working PEG
pie under their control, reducing them to
the point where muscle and brain are
their only productive property. Millions
of formerly setf-employing workers thus
become the helpless wage slaves of the
Industrial masters:
The more the economic power of the
ruling class grows, the less useful does
it become in the life of the nation. The
overwhelming bulk of the useful work
OF the nation falls upon the shoulders
of the classes that either lave no other
productive property but their manual
and mental labor power the wage work
crs-or that have but little land and
little machinery outside of their labor
povver-thc small traders and small
farmers. The ruling minority is steadily
becoming useless and parasitic.
A bitter struggle over the division of
the products of labor is waged between
the exploiting propertied class on the
one hand and The exploited, propcrtylcss
class on the other. In this struggle the
wage working class cannot expect
adequate relief from any reform of the
present order from the dominant class
of society.
The wage workers are therefore
the most determined and irreconcilable
antagonists of the ruling class. They
are also the class which suffers most
from the curse of class rule. The fact
that n small number of capitalists is
permitted to use all the country's re-
sources and social tools for their in
dividual profit, and to make the produc-
ton of the. necessarics of our lives the
object of their competitive private en-
terprisc and speculatlons, is at the bot
tom of all the social evils of our time.
MODERN INDUSTRY PAINLESS.
In spite of the organization of trusts,
pools and combinations, the capitalists
are powerless to regulate production for
social ends. Industries are largely con-
Quoted in a painless manner Through
periods of feverish activity the strength
and health of the workers are merci-
lessly undermined, and during periods
of enforced idleness the workers are fire.
quently reduced to starvation.
Thu climax of this chaotic system of
production are the regularly recurring
paralyZc the nation every fifteen or
twenty years.
In it's mad and reckless race for profits
the capitalist class is bound to exploit
the workers to the very limit of their
endurance and to sacrifice their physical,
moral and mental welfare to its own in
satiable greed. Capitalism keeps the
masses of workingmen in poverty,
dcstitution, physical exhaustion and
ignorance. 1t drags their wives from
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
PROGRAM.

AS measures calculated to strengthen
the working class in it's fight for the
realization of this ultimate aim, and to
increase its power of resistance AGAINST
capitalist oppression, we advocate and
pleuse ourselves and our elected officers
to the following program:
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
Why Lulu Was Happy,

Lulu was but two and q half years
old when the first h~uckleberries she
had ever seen were placed upon the
table in a covered dish. When the
cover was taken off she clapped her
hands. exclaiming delightedly. ooh,
look at all the shoe buttons!"-DeIne-
atOr-
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
Very True.

A grandmother was reproving her
little grandchildren for making so
much noise. Dear me, children, you
are so noisy today! Cant you be a
little more quiet?"
Now. grandma, you mustn't scold
us. You see. If 1t wasn't for us you
wouldn't De q grandma at all."-uar.
per's Weekly.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
Force of Habit.

II understand hat all star cast was
rather languid."
yes; they played poorly for stars.
Even the life they put into the mob
scene was accidental and came about
merely through each of them trying
to grab h center of the ~stage."-Phil-
ade1phia Bulletin.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
Trouble Makers,

VIII men think" remarked the
knowing woman, 'causes fully one-
third Of all the trouble in the world"
Yes" rejoined the mere man. land
what women say causes the other two
thirdS.'-Chicago News.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
Knew Her Limitations.

He-Now that we are married, pet,
do you love me enough to cook for mel
She-Enough. darling7 love you en-.
tirely too much for that-Boston Tran
script.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18

ton and speculation. 1t demands the col.
lective possession. control or manage.
mcnt of land to whatever extent may be
necessary to attain that end. 1t is not
opposed to the occupation and posses.
sion of land by those using it in a Use.
full and bona-fidc manner without ex.
ploitation.
s. The collective ownership of all in.
dustries which are organized on n ma.
tional scale and in which competition has
virtually ceased to exist.
4. The extension of the public domain
to include mines, quarricI, oil wells,
forests and water power.
S. The scientific rciorcsting of tim
Der lands and the reclamation OF swamp
land. The and so reforcstcd or reclaimed
to be permanently retained us a part of
the public domain.
O. Tho absolute freedom Of press,
speech and asscmblagc.
INDUSTRIAL DEMANDS.
!. The improvement of the industrial
conditions of the workers:
(a) BY shortening the workday in
keeping with the increased productive.
ness of machinery.
% By securing to every worker a rest
period of not less thar Il day and a
half each week.
(c) BY securing a more effective in
spection of workshops and factories.
(d) By forbidding the employment OF
children under sixteen years OF age.
(e) BY forbidding the interstate
transportation of the products Of child
labor, of convict labor and Of all unin-
spected factories.
81 BY abolishing official charity and
substituting in its place compulsory in
surance against Unemployment. illness.
accidents, invalidism, old ag" and death.
POLITICAL DEMANDS.
S. The extension of inhcritanr" taxes.
graduated in proportion to th" amount
of the bequest and to the rcarness OF
kin.
9. A graduated income tax.
10. Unrestricted and equal suffrage
for men and women, and we pledge our
selves to engage in an activ" campaign IN
that direction.
IL. The initiative and referendum,
proportional representation. and the
right of recall.
II. The abolition of the senate.
10. The abolition of the power
usurped by the supreme court OF the
United States to pass upon the con-
stitutionality of legislation enacted BY
congress. National laws to BE- repealed
or abrogated only by an act Of congress
or by referendum of the Who'll" people.
ID. The abolition OF the veto power
of the president.
IS. That the constitution be made
amendable by majority vote.
16. The enactment of further measures
for general education and for the CON
servation of health. The bureau OF cin-
cation to be made a department. me
creation of a department of public healuL.
IL. The separation Of the Presen!
bureau of labor from the department Oh
commerce and labor. and tn" establish
ment of a department of labor.
IS. That all judges be elected by Inc
people for short terms. and that te
power to issue injunctiou- should ~
by Immediate legislation.
10. The free administration OF Jas'Er.
Such measures of relief rs NC ma! "
able to force from capitalism are bu!a
preparation of the workers to seize ~
whole powers of government. IN o'ts
that they may HEREBY lay hold OF ts
whole system of industry. and '"''
come into their rightful inheritance.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
Poor Consolation.

FOOT C0nSoIatIon.
Mrs. Benham-You have torn my
train! Benham-That's all right. Your
train is long enough to be in two Sec
~tions.-Judga.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18
What Do Socialists Stand For
THIS TELLS YOU.

their homes to the mill and factory. 1t
snatches their children from the play
grounds and schools, and grinds their
slender bodies and uniformed minds into
cold dollars 1t wantonly disfigures,
mains and kills hundreds of thousands
of workingmen annually in mines, on
railroads and in factories. 1t drives
millions of workers into the ranks of
the unemployed and forces large num-
bers of them into beggary, vagrancy and
all forms of crime and vice.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-18

Human life depends upon food, cloth
ing and shelter. Only when these are as
sured are freedom, culture and higher
human development possible. To pro-
uee food, clothing and shelter, land and
machinery are needed. Land by itself
does not satisfy human needs. Human
labor gets raw materials and food out of
the soil by creating machinery and using
it upon the land. Whoever has control
of land and machinery has control of hu-
man labor, anu with it of human life and
liberty. ia8
Today the machinery and the land
used for industrial purposes are owned
by a rapidly decreasing minority. So
long as machinery is simply and easily
handled by one man, it does not make it's
owners SO powerful that they capI
dominate the sources of life of others.l
But when machinery becomes more and
more complex and expensive, and re-
quires for its effective operation the or
ganized effort of many workers, its in
luence reaches over wider circles of life.
The owners of such machinery become
the dominant class.