The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-07-30
az CARL MOTE,

years ago the membership of the So
eialist party, which cast nearly 7oo.-
900 votes in 1910, was only 10000
Last year the same party. which was
organized at indianapolis in July,
1901, cast 1852 votes in this state and
cassed the Prohibition party, attain
cast
While leaders of the two old par
ties pause a moment after the prelim-
mary organization gossip has circu-
lated to the remote corners of the
state and before the exchange of ear
nest pledges to bind the campaign bar
gains Of 1912, the socialist party is
doing effective work which, it Is ex-
pected, will almost treble the vote
polled in 1909. In that year, the party
polled 11,94S votes and in 1910, 49,
632.
Conservative men, who are in touch
with the political situation in Califor-
mia, have predicted that the socialist
party will carry the state Of Califor-
MIA. J. Frank Essex. editor OF the Reg
lister, a local socialist newspaper. stat
ed yesterday that the party is certain
! to carry Los Angeles and elect the en-
tire ticket next year as the result of
the union labor troubles in that city
Los Angeles has population of 319,-
1873 or nearly 10000 more than Indi-
annapolis.
Milwaukee is in complete control Of
the socialists. Mayor Siedel and a ma
jority of the councilmen are socialists
The entire county ticket was elected in
1910, as we'll as thirteen members of
the state legislature.
In Indiana, the party is weakest in
the southeastern part of the state.
| The propaganda of socialism has not
| been received we'll by the farmers.
which is explained by Mr. Essex on
the grounds that farmers come less
into contact with the food monopoly
and see less of the class struggle,
than any other people. Mr.. Essex stat
ed that the farmers, wherever they are
found, are sentimental and hold close
| ly to the traditions of their fathers
They are not easily moved. he said,
and do not recognize their identity as
do carpenters, masons, printers and
factory employees. Oklahoma IL the sin.
gle exception to which he pointed. In
that state threefourths of the social.
lists are farmers. The party cast q, 00O
votes in Oklahoma in 1910
Mr.. Essex did not look with favor
upon the outlook Of the socialist par
ty in Los Angeles. notwithstanding
his conviction that a sweeping victory
is almost certain in 1912. He said the
party would gain several thousand
voters on sentimental grounds, alone
THE opposition to Gen. H. G.. Otis
the editor of the Los Angeles Times
to the union labor organizations OF
Los Angeles will drive thousands OF
workingmen into the socialist party
who have no conception of its princi
pies or tenets," said Mr. Essex
They will vote the ticket next year
under the impression that a millennium
will follow in the wake of a socialist
victory. Their disappointment with the
inevitable results is bound to react
setback in southern California.
Berkeley, California, was carried by
the socialists in the 1910 elections and
the party has made great Roadway in
the southern part Of that state. The
party cast As, 900 votes in the state a,
the last election.
| The socialist party is not interested
in the result of the present tariff agi
tation. Mr.. Essex made the statement
that the workingman is no better of
in a free trade country than in one
where a high protective tariff obtains
He explained that the prosperity Of
the workingman hinges upon the pur
chasing power of money and that ex
perience has demonstrated that a re
duction of the prices of foodstuffs
and clothing-the necessaries OF life
always in accompanied by cores
ponding reduction in wages.
What difference does it make" h
asked, whether a man gets 25 cents
day or 50 II 81 will purchase nj
more than Is cents? European coun
tries have proven conclusively tina
nothing is to be gained by remova
of the tariff on the products, the la
boring man must buy There he re
ceives small wages and he can blu.
no more, II as much, with the produc
of his toll as he can in countries sur
rounded with the most prohibitive tar
if WALL
Mr. Essex bases his prediction tina
the socialists will poll more than
million votes in 1912 upon a compari
son of the paid-up members of the par
ty and the vote in 1908. In that yea
there were $4,000 members, techni
' cally speaking of the socialist party
but the total vote was approximate,
t $500 or ten times the paid up mem
bership. At the present time there ar
100000 paid-up members and est
mating the vote in 1912 upon the com
! parative figures for 1909. the part,
| sho: ID cast 100000 votes