The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-11-29
SOCIALIST LEADERS
ARE DISCONNECTED
PRACTICE OF SOCIALIST THEoR-
les HAVE READILY EXPOSED
FALLAcY OF DOCTRINES
CEy Robert Compton,

Cialist leaders have, since election,
been actively diagnosing the social
ist party vote in the endeayor to learn
just why, while the total vote was
almost twice as much as 1t was four
years ago. that the party received
such decided setbacks in localities
6hich the leaders considered as
strongholds.
At first glance, the fact that the
socialist vote was doubled indicated
an advance gratifying to the eXpon-
ents Of socialism and disconcerting
to those who oppose it, but 1t is
known here that the socialist leaders
are far from satisfied with the show
ing that the party has made.
The vote is diagnosed By politicians
here as indicating a decided gain in
the number Of supporters OF socialism
as a theory but defeat for socialism
as a condition which has materially
shaken the confidence OF the leaders
Of the party. They say that where
socialstic theories have had fair
trial in practice the fallacy of the
partyg doctrines has been so readily
exposed that defeat was inevitable as
soon as the people had an opportunity
to Judge for themselves the actual
results OF the practice Of socialism.
The defeat Of Congressman Victor
Berger, the only socialist who ever
sat in congress, coming as it did in
a supposed stronghold, was the hard
est blow that the party suffered. Mil
waukee, which has had longer trial
Of socialism than any other city, for
a second time within year voted 10
curb the activities Of socialism. Sche-
nectady, New York, where year ago
d socialist mayor and member OF
the legislature were chosen, expressed
its distaGte for the experience under
the new regime by turning both out OF
office in no uncertain manner.
Another unexpected failure to gain
ground was seen in the returns from
Massachusetts where the Lawrence
strike, the Ettor trial and the other
clashes between socialists and the au-
thorities were exploited as vote-get
ting propositions, but the voters In
the mill towns took an opposite view
of teh situation and the Debs vote OF
1903 was cut in two.
James II Maurer, a specialist OF
Reading. Pa, who was elected to the
Legislature two years ago was defeat
ed for reelection; Albert Johnson OF
the second congressional district OF
the state of Washington was elected to
congress and attributes his success
to the relentless war he has waged
againt revolutionary socialism in his
anti ti-socialistic paper, the Home De-
fender
True, the socialists made gains in
some states and localities and elect
ed office holders, but almost invara
bly,, where socialistic doctrines have
been given a trial, they have lost,
while their gains are in places where
only the theoretic side of what the
party advocates is known.
One feature of the returns, disturb
ing to the party leaders, is the fact
that the vote of four years ago was
cut down in so many Of the farming
districts, evidently owing to a real
ization by the farmers of what the
socialistic platform, advocating the
conflscation Of all property, including
farm lands, and the inauguration of
government ownership would mean TO
them.
Deep thinkers in the party are also
worried by the effect upon the people
of such measures as that recently In
augurated by Theodore n. Vail, pres
ident of the American Telephone and
Telegraph company, in putting aside
ten million dollars as a fund for PEN
sious, sick benefits and life insurance
for his $4,000 employees. The broad
humanitarian principle indicated by
this action, the appreciation of the
rights of the working people and the
closer bond thus created between en-
ployer and employed, establishes a
condition which no arguments of the
socialists can well shake. The fact
that other big corporations are stead
lily adopting plans by which closer