Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1915-07-17


scented the ideals of the Labor Party
of England than it did of any purely
Soeialistic organization, anywhere.
The word Democratic, which the Soci-
alists have been endeavOring to eli
inmate from their title, during the
present session of the legislature, is
entirely misnOmer. So far as the
party is Socialistc it is antagonistic
to democracy, in any correct or pure
sense. So far as it is Democratic II
is utterly and wholly antagonistic to
Socialism. When say true sense,
mean the true American sense in
which Democracy should be under
stood in this country. The Milwaukee
organization is primarily a political
autocracy, with Victor Berger as it's
autocrat and his council of 100 as the
gentry who enforce the rules upon
the larger body of active members.
SOCIAL DEMOCRATS SINCERE.
In thus celebrating the meaning of
this political element in Wisconsin |
do not attack the institution of Social
Democracy itself, but merely give it
a proper definition. During the past
| fifteen years, the sO-called Progressive
of Wisconsin have, in most of the
things in which they have departed
from tradition, followed the Social
Democratic or purely Socialistic pro-
paganda. They have followed it as
demagogic politicians, and the differ
ence between them and the Social De-
mOcrats has been chiefly that the lat
ter were sincere while the former
were neither well informed, or candid
nor straightforward For many years
| Milwaukee has had the SOcialistic
scarecr0w shaken at every election,
and the cry that 1.-The Socialists will
get your" has been the watchwOrd for
the cheap Socialists who were sailing
under Democratic, Republican, or
Non partisan" banners. This cry and
Others Of similar nature have so far
lost their force that hundreds of Mil
waukee voters have done just what |
have done myself, for number of
years, voted for Socialists with quite
as much freedom and sincerity as for
the other class of political Jack-in-the
box. | have voted for Mrs. Berger
several times. She had the largest
vote of any candidate for the school
board at the last election, and it came
from all classes. and therefore had no
significance as Social Democratic
manifestation.
WOMEN HAVE RIGHTS.
There is another interesting aspect
Of Mrs. Berger's election which deser
yes more than passing attentj on The
women of Wisconsin have had the
right to vote upon all school questions
for many years, and the suffrage ele-
ment is glad to make it appear that
they are deprived of full suffrage by
the dominating and unjust influence
of male voters. During all the years
that women have had the opportunity
to vote upon school questions they
have exercised 1t in very small degree.
| Mrs Berger owes her election and her
majority, over other men and women
chosen to the school board at the
same election, to the votes of men. Ii
the women of Wisconsin can learn
lesson from Mrs Bergers faithfulness
To her public duties, they should re-
aliZe that there has been no discrimin-
alton against her because of sex. Rat
her, the discrimination has been in
her favor because she has been faith
full to the Biblical injunction of doing
her duty in small things.
ABOUT GOVERN Phillip.
During the last week the situation
at Madison has developed little
more fully. if possible, the probabili-
ties of a factional deadlock in which
all parties concerned seem entitled to
their share of the blame. SO far as
the governor goes. he has begun to
put some tacks into his utterances that
will assist in justifying him in going
the limit to prevent eXtravagant APP
preparations. But fear that he has
started in at too late an hour TO &C
complish anything of Affirmative
value. 1t is to be hoped, however, that
he may succeed better in the breech-
ing than his text, he can hang up the
! whole machinery of the University
aud the state government until the
people OF Wisconsin have time and
opportunity to realize that this thing
is up to them. In state where
: politics are MeNicanized and the loot
is divided up among bands of political
banditti the governor can Mt least cut
OFF supplies and direct attention, un-
mistaksbly, to the men and measures
that obStruct honest and economical