The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1911-09-06
Socialists Lecture.

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On Monday afternoon, August %,
J. L. Fits. national organizer Of the
Socialist party, spoke in the court
house hero to very attentive audi
ence Of about 80 citizens, distributed
literature among them and cheerfuly
answered their questions. He organ
lied local, which will meet in Gil
bert on Saturday, September 9. at 2
O'Clock.
Mr. Fits 10 . native of South Caro-
lima, frst honor graduate Of the
South Carolina Military Academy,
and has taught in public schools and
literary and business colleges. and has
iectured nine years in nearly all parts
Of the United States. Here are q few
points hs made:
Socialism has been WILDLY misrep-
resented by the capitalists and their
agents and dupes. Many objections
are raised. such Is anarchy, dividing
up, destroying individuality. destroy
ing incentive to work, destroying the
home, etc. Such objections are partly
or wholly false, often containing just
enough truth to sugar-coat the false
hood, 20 that it can be swallowed, and
get in it's deadly work on the mind.
"If you would learn astronomy, 60
to those who read and write books or
astronomy, who can plat the courses
of the stars, and predict eclipses, re-
turn of comets, etc. So, if you would
learn the science of Socialism, 60 to
the socialists who understand it and
who wants you to understand it also.
SOCIALISM embraces philosophy
of life, scientific Interpretation of
history, forecast Of the future socie-
ty, a world wide, rapidly growing Or
ganization, and a political programme.
"The political programme is based
on three fundamental demands. More
than these would be some crank's idea
such as a particular labor check
scheme, which may be good, but which
is no essential part of socialism. Less
than these, is some politicians scheme
to head off socialism, or steal a plank
Of the socialist platform to use In
patching up the rotting ladder on
which he hopes to climb into Office.
The stronger socialism becomes, the
more of our planks they will be forced
to adopt, such as public ownership and
regulation and pensions. The de.
mands are:
81. Collective ownership. The col
iectively used industries are now prl'
yately owned by Rockefeller and
few other capitalists, and are naturally
logically used for their benefit. If it
is right for them to privately own
such industries (railroads, factories,
mills. mines,, markets, etc., OH which
the prosperity and the life of the peo-
pie depend, thea it is right for them
to force us, with the whip of hunger,
to operate these industries for their
benefit, and not for the public good;
and It is wrong for the people or the
government to regulate or interfere
with their management of the. busi-
ness and taking what profits they
please. Two wrongs cannot make a
right. The industries should be used
for the benefit of the whole people.
Therefore they should be owned by the
whole people collectively. Then we
will own the goods we produce, and
use them, instead of giving them to
the idlers.
"2. Collective management. The
people shall elect and recall directors,
managers, fort men, etc.. make rules
and REGULATE, Ms for working, decide
upon the prices of labor, crops and
goods, and in every particular, shall
control the industries. For the first
time in human civilization, we will
have genuine democracy, industrial as
well as politics.
50. Equal rights and opportunities.
Just as all, the poorest as the richest,
now have equal rights on the public
roads and streets, 80 all the people