Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-04-11
Uac.G TOMS Letter

initiative anu referendum and REGAL
will sociaiize the government and al
It's laws will be the direct act of tbs
people. There would be no govern.
ment ownership of the industries Of
any kind without the consent of the
people, and no law of general imrort
would be worth a cent unless ratified
or endorsed by the people. I've been
asked how Will Socialism get posses-
sion of the land. I'll answer by saw.
ing thru the initiative and referen
dunn, which means by the command of
the people You talk about democra-
cy, there is no real democracy on top
now, and that is all that socialism
means or is, a zeal democracy.
Socialism is not the booger some i'm
agine. Gou all know, if You know
anything. that public sentiment is be-
ing created so rapidly in favor of mu-
nicipal ana national ownership that it
will not be long until the majority of
voters in many sections of our country
will be in favor of the new economic
Administrations in many municipal
ties.
There is enough sentiment created to
win on a municipal ownership plat
form if q fair chance is given the vot-
ers to express themselves on this is
sue. The final victory is inevitable.
There are too many espousing the
cause of the initiative, referendum
and recall for it to grow weaker and
become unpopular. | shall not argue
any of the four methods or theories ad-
vanced.
How will the government get possess
sion of our vast industries When the
people declare for a thing they will
find q uau m ooooYop1iob @bai~ ,.noc
and | believe we all can afford to trust
the people better than we can a few
men. Under a purely democratic gov
eminent not a single individual would
be unjustly treated.
You all know that nnder this pres
ent day capitalistic aud contract sys-
tenn men do not have a fair. square
deal. The socialist thought has been
smothered by the press Of the domi-
nant parties and the people kept in
ignorance of its aims and objects, and
it is the only party that really has
any claim to respect. 1t is the only
party that knows what 1t wants and
has the courage to go after it. No
man can really tell what the so-called
democlatic party in Tennessee wants
and it's about the same way with the
republican party. With all due re-
-spect to the democratic party, can any
man tell whether it will stand for pro
hibition or not OF course the poll
ticians want office and that is about
all the issue there is to the party. Ask
q socialist how he stands on the lia-
uor question, and he'll tell you plain
ly that if the people want liquor the
government must make it, own it and
then dispense it and De responsible for
1T, Under socialism the liquor traffic
would be so regulated and controlled
that much of the. evil attached to its
use would be eliminated. But under
stand me, | don't say the people would
allow it made at all. Men could not
jump up and make and sell things
without the consent of the people and
! seriously doubt whether they would :
commission the government to manu-
facture it or not. | am pretty sure
they would not for the women under !
socialism would all have a vote, and
they would knock it out beyond any
doubt. ! think social reform or social
revolution when it comes will clean
up and put out of business the evils
and nuisauces that are running andtde-
bauching our young men. Your sport
inghouses would have to go and
whoredoms cease for the majority of
the people wouldn't tolerate such t
things, and the officer who failed to do c
his duty would have to step down and
out. Your free love gangs would have t
to hunt high timber beyond any ques-
ton. Charging socialism is favoring v
free loveism is one of the most ignor-
ant charges | have heard. just ask t
yourself the question, if the people of
your country had to vote on whiskey s
a nd hnI1cna nE Ill 60 4, n u7ntl1 fhnu
vote them in or out. The people will h
be bosses on all questions where their
welfare is concerned, and not a few V
men at Washington or Nashville. This h
being the case it seems to me no. one t.
ought to object to Socialism OF the
rule of the people. Under Socialism I
the patrons of the public schools would fl
select their teachers instead of a board a
as now, which is actually responsible
to no one for what they do. Bossism 81
in your public schools would be kicked
overheard, and the people would at "
ten3 to their own business as they s
ought to do and should Go. How many
schools are there giving satisfaction? b
But very few it appears. | favor let
ting the people satisfy themselves b
about their teachers. Socialize the
schools and make them popular by let 4
ting the patrons hire the teachers. d
Don't force teachers they don't want n
en- the PEOPLE. Socialism means the
of the people in all things. Are es
competant' | think so. / am sat
isfed they would never vote heavy G
burdens on themselves NOR allow any N
man to feather his nest at their ex-
pense, The progressive wings of the al
democratic and republican parties, led tie
by Woodrow Wilson and Lafollette be- III
giu to see the light, while the other
wings led by Taft and Underwood re- sc
main in the dark. The social demo-
purity lets the office seek the
nan ana not the man the Office. This
of socialism almost puts graft
tut of business. The man who gets a
majority of all the votes cast is the 81
lomiuee for the office. About the first
# June the socialists will nominate OF
heir county ticket and they will nom
nate gooi men and they will elect ne
TEN in old Grundy county. Later on
y will nominate the Legislative tic IN
+,
I've tried to be plain and simple in m
,1ns...,. -o..I:u - H. K.;A1 10