Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-07-04
DIRECT ACTION.

Agitator Ettor, in jail at Lawrence.
Mass, charged with accessory before
the fact to murder for inciting the
strikers TO riot. in an interview with
a special correspondent 70 The Out
look had this to say on the political
game:
They tell us to get what we want
by the ballot. They want Us 10 play
the game according to the Established
rules. But the rules were made by
the capitalists. They have laid down
the laws of the game. They hold the
pick of the cards. We never can win
by political methods. The right of
suffrage is the greatest boax of his
tory. Direct action is the Only way"
That is fair expression of the po-
sition of the Industrial Workers of
the World. There is a halt truth in
what Ettor says of the political game.
But We part company with him on his
opinion of suffrage. If the rules of
the game have been laid down by the
capitalists it is only because the great
body of American citizens have failed
to exercise their electoral privilege
intelligently. The election laws of
this country are such that every citi-
can can exercise his Judgment at the
polls with the same force as any
other citizen. If he is unable to do
so in practice the fault is Outside the
law. If we admit half OF his con-
tention as true-the stacking of the
cards-is it established by custom.
not by law, and remedy lies within
the law. The abuse grows not out
OF the election laws, but Father out
of the rules of party Organization.
Whatever advantage the capitalist
has gained has been through party
manipulation. No one Questions the
charge that party organization is cor
rupt No one questions hut that
nominations have been so manipula-
ted through party organization that
when it came to a general election
the voter was left to a free expression
which was in fact no eXnression at
all. He cast his vote without let or
hindrance for the candidate of his
party, and whichever way the cleo
tion turned, the capitalist won. Not
because there was no proDer remedy
at law, but because the individual
voters were so divided AGAINST their
best interests by blind party service
that the cards were stacked through
party manipulation, in the nomina-
tion of candidates out of harmony
with their principles.
We will go further We will agree
that direct action is the only way. -
Direct action through politics under
the law. The fault lies in the indi-
rection of our political action
through party organization. The die
tum of the organization has been al
lowed to displace the Individual judg-
ment of the elector Thus the party
is the midium through Which "capi-
talism" has stacked the Cards. Com
trolling party organization, it controls
all.
There has been a great struggle in
American politics for fifteen years.
1t has been struggle between the
people and capitalism for control
of the party organizations. The
struggle has been mostly under the
old system of party CONVENTIONS and
the people have generally failed.
The primary system has now been
tried far enough to demonstrate that
it produces a fair expression Of popu-
lar sentiment, and is not susceptible
10 absolute control by Party bosses.
1t has demonstrated very plainly one
other thing. Wherever an expression
has been recorded through the pri>
mary it has been a decidedly pro-
gressive sentiment-tbat is progress
sive as the term is used in contradis-
tinction to standpatism-and the gist
of the progressive septiment is the
same in the democratic, Socialist and
republican parties, insofar as it re-
lates to governmental Control, that
is, the right Of the people 20 control
their government and governmental
agents.
Direct action" is guaranteed
through the primary IN practice. so
far It is handicapped by narty prima,