Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1912-10-31
WEST VIRGINIA FOR THE WORKERS
SPEECH or ACCEPTANCE OF
WALTER B, HILTON
SOCIALIST CANDIDATE FOX
GOVERNOR OF WEST VIRGINIA

Comforting upon me the highest
honor that you have, an honor which
is the more deeply appreciated by
me as it was unsought, you have also
given me an equally great responsi-
bility. l can only hppe that your
confidence will give me strength to
bear the responsibility. H.
1 hold that the duty of every So
cialist is to give, to- the limit of his
ability, all that is in him to the
cause of Labor, the cause that is the
only reason for the existence of the
Socialist Party. Those who lay aside
the thought, of self, and spring to .ac-
ton at the call of duty are alone
entitled to the name of comrade, for
there can be no personal issue that
can compare with the new issue that
called our party into being, and
which, until its end, will merit all
plish-the Issue of Capitalism.
So let us sink every other thought
but that; let US shelve every other
hope but the hope to end Capitalism.
Could we do this, perfectly, we could
carry plutocracy's breastworks in
West Virginia, unchain the plodding
farmer from his pillow, lift forever the
burden that bends the back Of the
miner, straighten out the crooked
fingers Of the timber worker, end
the slavery of our women, release
our children from the factories and
shops, let light into. the darkened
tenements of the poor, fresh air into
their gasping lungs, and solid food
into their complaining stomachs.
Just as long as we fail to win, just
so long have we failed in our duty,
for all the workers of West Virginia
want tn sweet release of Socialism;
they only wait for US to bring them
the glad tidings.
Then let US put a word in every
ear, a pamphlet in every hand. Let
us make every tree, and rock and
cipation. Let us see in every day a
place for the preaching of our .prOpa-
ganda. Let US tell our nefghbors,
our shopmates and our friends of this
thing that we have learned. And let
their failure to accept but spur US
IN to further and more fiery effort,
for it Is but proof that we have failed
know what we want, they will be
with us for the plain and simple rea-
SON that they want the same thing.
Let us talk to them of West Vir-
ginia. They may not be interested
in lands beyond the sea, for the
sweet brotherhood that claims the
world as country and mankind as re-
/ ligion is only known to Socialists.
Let US disarm their prejudices Of
race and creed and country, by
showing them the workings Of the
memorable law of capitalism about
them, in their state, their county,
their town, their very fireside.
And the crimes OF capitalism in
West Virginia are heaped up higher
than the hills that gave the name
of Little Mountain State" Here,
with our state seal Boosting 'Moun-
taineers are Always Free!" we have
been enslaved, robbed of the fruits
Of our handiwork, and crushed in
our aspirations. Here an oligarchy
has grown up. and kings, sitting on
their thrones Of coal, and gas, and
lumber, rule as absolutely as eyer
ruled the crowned monarchs of the
old world from which our ancestors
and our brothers fled.
West Virginia, after half a century
Of Independent Lire, starting its gov
eminent with all the good fortune Of
a welcoming nation and a clean ledg-
er, favored by nature as few spots
in this old world are favored, with
countless millions of feet of gas
squirting from our hillsides, with
oceans of oil beneath our feet, with
o1o1 auo,,nh fo-IaC& tho uorld for