The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-30
City Platform of the Socialist Part
of Charleston.

We the SOCIALIST ParlE OF Inc Il!:
OF Charleston do hereby endorse the
National and State Socialist Plat
form of 1908.
The. people of this country are
rapidly awakening and recognizing
the fact that too little attention has
been paid to the management of the
municipal affairs in most of the lead
ing American cities. The great mass
of the people themselves ore til
blame for this general neglect of
civil iu y cni lack =: higher
standard uf A'vIc pride.
The oil -. teal party machines
degenerated into Instruments of
graft un:il the term of public Office
became synonymous with graft.
Under such misgovernnent' the very
| Foundation OF our democratic form
| of government is bounl to suffer Sc
verely. Tia cause oc this political
bankruptcy IS cue to the general neg
| lect of lntv on the part OF tile neo.
pie, who bl'ndly and carc.csslv en-
trust the management OF their mil
nicipal affairs to the marcenary Do-
litical machines of Capitalism.
The result of this deDlor"bla state
of affairs is general decentralization
and political corruption. under the
innncrcc and guidance of caritalis:
corporation interests
| Tho present Bi-Partizan System Of
\ government rs now exist in tho city
tof Charleston have failed to provide
the city with n progressive municipal
administration. But has done moth
ing more than a partnership between
the corrupt politician of the two old
parties, placing the entire city adj
lministration in the hands of the ma
Ichino politicians and placing the peo-
pie at the mercy Of the special in
tterest. In view of the fact that the
great majority of the people are
working class take n more active
lpart in the political struggles. in
order to bring about the desired pub
lie improvements.
| Both old parties have become the
lagnncies of the capitalist class and
carry on their political work, to the
great detrime emit of the woalth-pro-
ducers.
Municipal government is insti-
tuted for the protection OF the peo-
lple. not for the purpose of becom-
ing the instrument of community by
capitalist cliques and corporation in
terests.
The Socialist Party. while realiz.
ing that Socialism in its final effects
will benefit all the people. insists
that no political party can represent
the interests of all people under the
lpresent capitalist conditions. Thc
socialist Party takes pride announc
ing that its supreme efforts are t.
defend and represent the interest:
of the working class.
II is with this clear conception o
Iour political mission that we ente
this municipal campaign to brin!
about the reforms and improvement:
in the management of the public af
fairs and to strengthen the politica
Organization of the working class
with a view of increasing the powe
land influence of the wealth produC
ers. so necessary in the great strue
gle for the emancipation of labo
from the bonds of wage slavery
The working people of Charlesto
n must get together like our comrade
in Milwaukee under the Banner G
the Socialist Party and take posses
sion of the City Hall by means G
their united vote.
III For immediate relief we advocat
the following measures:
81 We denounce the present so-calle
81 Bipartisan city charter.
81 We stand for the enactment of
new charter. which will more full
give to the people the following:
Home Rule.
The Initiative, referendum and re