The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1912-10-28
FOR CONGRESS:
J. HARRY CONVICTION
Why Victor Berger Believes In
Socialism.
OF TALBOT COUNTY.

In the November American Maya
zine appears an article entitled"The
Progressive's Dilemma" In 1t the
fact Is brought out that all the
candidates this fall are making
bid for the progressive vote. Au-
thorized statements appear from
leading progressiyes who give their
reasons for voting as they intend
to. Jane Adams and Herbert Gro
ly write in behalf of Roosevelt. Her
bert Quick tells why he is going to
vote for Wilson. Senator Charles
E. Townsend. Of Michigan. explains
his preference for Taft. Victor L.
Berger. the first Socialist who ever
sat in Congress, tells why he is
for Debs. Following is an extract
from his article:
"Why am I going to vote for
Debs? AS good man as Eugene
v. Debs is I am not going to vote
for him in the sense one is voting
for Wilson, Taft or Roosevelt
simply vote the ticket of the Social
list party. / have no hope that the
Socialist party will elect it's candi-
date for President in this election.
With us the Socialist movement and
its principles are paramount-net
the candidate.
1.-THE Socialist party stands for
the collective ownership of all the
social means of production and dis
tribution in the interest of the
whole people.
Socialists say that this step is
the necessary and natural outcome
OF the concentration of wealth and
OF the development OF capitalism.
s. sondsts Of Socialism In the
na1 tined that collective owner
slip 81 an industry was impossible
because the personal supervision
and control of the owner was alb
solutely necessary to the success of
any enterprise.
To-day we see that the greatest
undertakings are those in which
the stockholders and owners have
nothing to do with the management
of affairs and are only drawing divi-
dends.
"In all our large Industrial con-
cerns-stock companies, RAILROADS
and trusts-business is managed
and carried on by few paid offici-
ais. These men might just as well
be paid by the State, or the nation
Gas the case may be-, to carry on
the enterprise in the interest of
the people, as paid by few veal
thy men to carry it on for their in
dividual profit.
Moreover, we find that when
ever the nation, State or communi-
ty has undertaken to own and
manage any large industry, railroad,
mine. factory, telegraph, telephone,
mill, or canal, ETC., this invariably
redounded to- the benefit of the
commonwealth inherent weak
ness of our political spoils system,
Notwithstanding.
''This idea, carried out gradually
and logically, involves a complete
change of our economic and politi-
cal system.
political equality under the
present system is a snare and de-
fusion. The wage worker who de-
Ponds upon master or upon the
master class for an opportunity to
make living is rot on terms of
equality with his master.
Political Hbs.ty and econom;s
despotier, are incompatible.
THE Socialist party proposed to
supplement our political democracy
b. Industrial democracy.
mo one dreams of abol:shing pri-
sste property. On the contrary,
we propose to secur. private prop
erty to every citizen, to the many
million men and women who under
the r,eseLt system have no chance
Of ever having any. Productive
capital only is to be owned in com
mon, by the nation, the State or the
municipality as the exigencies of
the case may require. Business will
be carried on for use and not for
profit. This is the case now in
the postoffice, water works, public
school, ETC., wherever owned aud
managed by the people.
Such is the aim of the Socialist
party"
n I.l