The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-11-16
Why Victor Berger Believes in
Socialism,

In the November American Maga-
zine appears an article entitled THE
Progressive's Dilemma" In it the
fact is brought out that all the cam
didates this fall are making a bid for
the progressive vote Authorized
statements appear from leading pro-
gressives who give their reasons for
voting as they intend to. Jane Ad-
dams and Herbert Croley write in be-
half Of Roosevelt. Herbert Quick
tells why he going to vote for Wilson.
Senator Charles f. Townsend, Of
Michigan, explains his preference for
Taft. Victor l.. Berger, the first So
clalist who ever sat in Congress, tells
why he is FOR Debs. Following is an
extract from his article:
why am 1 going to vote Cor Debs ?
AS good man as Eugene " Debs is
| am not going to vote for him in the
sense one is voting for Wilson, Taft
or Roosevelt-I simply vote the tick
cts Of the Socialist party. have no
hope that the Socialist party will elect
its candidate for president in this cleo
ton. With us the Socialist move
ment and its principles are para
mount-not the candidate.
''The Socialist party stands for the
collective ownership of all the social
means of production and distribution
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 de-
velopment of capitalism
antagonists Of Socialism in the
past claimed that collective ownership
II an industry was impossible because
the personal supervision and control
of the owner was absolutely necessary
to the success of any enterprise.
To-day we see that the greatest un-
dertakings are those in which the
stockholders and owners have MOTH
ing to do with the MANAGEMENT of
affairs and are only drawing dfvi-
dends.
I'm all our large industrial concerns
stock companies, railroads and
trusts business is managed and car
ried on by few paid officials. These
mem might just as well be paid by the
State, or the nation Gas ehe case may
bee, to carry on the enterprise in the
interest Of the people, as paid by a
few wealthy men to carry it on for
their individual profit
Moreover, we find that whenever
the nation, State or community has
undertaken to own and manage any
large industry, railroad, mine, fac
tory. telegraph, telephone, mill, or
canal, etc, this invariably redounded
to the benefit Of the commonwealth
the inherent weakness Of our political
spOils system, Notwithstanding.
This idea, carried out gradually
and logically, involves complete
change Of our economic and political
system.
Political equality under the pres
ent system is a snare and delusion.
The wage worker who depends upon
master or upon the master class for
an opportunity to make living is not
on terms of equality with his master.
Political liberty and economic des-
pOtiSm are incompatible.
THE Socialist party proposed to
supplement our political democracy
by industrial democracy.
mo one dreams of abolishing pri-
vate property. On the contrary, We
propose to secure private property to
every citizen, to the many million
men and women who under the pres
ent system have no chance of ever
having any. Productive capital only
is to be owned in common, by the ma
ton, the State or the municipality az
the eXigcncies of the case may require.
Business will be carried on for us and
not for profit. This is the case now
in the postotfice, water works. public
schools etc, wherever> owned and
managed by the people.
such is the aim of the Socialist
party"