The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-04-13

| @sR
For Board of ,Arairs-P. Norwood
Virgins.
| For Councilman-1st ward-Lou.
Schwartz. H. I. Bailey.
End Ward-D. r. Draper. H. T.
Basin.
srd ward-D. S. Tickle, W. c.
Morris.
4th ward-c. C. Bradley. j.. F.
Lewis.
9Th ward-c:e A. pPitzer. Jno Means.
9th ward-Dn CalLovett, C. il.
Boswell. hni:,"%
7th ward-Geo. NJ. Rathburn. w.
w. Irwin. f,'
9Th ward-B- d. Young. S. E. Nc,
DougaI.@ ,R"g
| 9Th Ward-L, NJ Knight.
10th Ward-Fred stuntz, Garfield
Woods.
City Platform CT, tho Socialist Party
| of Charleston.
We the Socialist Party OF tho Cit?
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 are to
blame for this general neglect of
civil siu onl lack re- higher
Standard "f CIVIC pride.
The oil ~: teal party machines
ldegenerated into Instruments of
graft until the term of public Office
became synonymous with graft.
Under such misgovernnent the verv
foundation of our democratic form
of government is boun1 to suffer Sc
vcrely- tn. cause os this political
bankruptcy is cue to the general neg
lect of duty on the part OF the peo-
pie. who bl'ndly and carc:esslv en-
trust the management of their mu-
nicipa1 affairs to the mercena,y no
litical machines of Capitalism.
The result of this dcplorabla state
of affairs is general decentralization
and political corruption. un.1er the
influence fand guidance of capitalist:
corporation interests.
The present Bi-Partizan system Of
government as now exist in TIE city
! of Charleston have failed to provide
the city with a 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
| ministration in the hands of the ma
chine politicians and placing the peo-
| pie at the mercy of the special in-
terest. In view of the fact that the
| great ma jority of the people are
I -, ,1ax t,Ir fftrss
part in the political struggles. in
order to. bring about the desired pub
| lie improvements.
Both old parties have become the
agencies of the capitalist class and
}carry on their political work, to the
great detriment of the wealth-pro-
Iducers.
| Municipal government Is insti-
tuted for the protection of the peo-
pie. not for the purpose of becom-
ling the instrumen { of community by
tcapitalist 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
| present capitalist conditions. The
Socialist Party takes pride announc-
ing that its supreme efforts are to
lefend and represent the interests
If the working class.
1t is with this clear conception of
our political mission that we enter
this municipal campaign to bring
about the reforms and improvements
lin the engagement of the public af-
fairs and to strengthen the political
Organization Of the working class,
with a view Of increasing the power
and influence of the wealth produc-
ers, SO necessary in the great strug-
gle for the emancipation of labor
from the bonds of wage slavery.
The working people of Charleston
must get together like our comrades
Lin Milwaukee under the Banner oil
the Socialist Party and take posses
sion of the City Hall by means OF
their united vote.
For immediate relief we advocate
the following measures:
We denounce the present so-callet
Bipartisan city charter
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
cal1.