The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1915-07-01
orably dealt for our success.
Our Party Different.

Our Party Different.
We have the advantage in organiza-
ton. We are in fact the only genuine
political party functioning as such at
all times; the only party with thor
ough going permanence and stability.
All other political parties organize for
the political season only, for looting.
and then vanish before the light of
the gray dawn of the morning after
1t is significant that the Socialist
party is the only party with printed
bank checks, with financial credit and
liquable assets. 1t means much that
we are the only political party with
pay roll, with clerks, secretaries and
committees transacting the national
state, county and even the precinct
business of the party, on duty at all
times. We are the only party with a
distinct literature. Shelf after shelf
of our books are in the public libra
ries; but, unless the journals and
brokers' ledgers of Wall street may
be considered literature, one would go
long way to find books of the re-
publican and democratic parties. We
are the only political party with a
science, and with such a science that
makes it necessary for the colleges
and universities to have separate de-
partments teaching it. Moreover, we
have students and teachers of those
institutions organized into the Inter-
Collegiate Socialist Society; but who
ever heard of an intercollegiate Re-
publican or Democratic society? Not
to enlarge, we are the only party with
hearty emotion, with high resolves
and historic mission.
Individual Socialists Do Not Acquire
Offices to Which Elected.
Not the least political difference be-
tween the Socialist and other parties
is the attitude toward public office.
With the old parties such positions
Fare regarded as properties in which
the individual acquires tenure for a
term of years, just as one acquires a
leasehold in realty, patent right, or
other property privilege. The indivi-
dual office-seeker looks upon his cam
paign as an investment of time and
money for which he expects to reap
adequate returns when he lands the
job. Sometimes he borrows the money
needed in the form of contributions"
from Interests who expect him to re-
pay them when he gets in; and he
does, MANIFOLD, and then makes what
he can out of it for himself. Periodi-
cally the people at election time de-
eide to turn the scoundrels out of
these properties, but, unfortunately,
they decide at the same time to turn
another set of scoundrels in, likewise
for term of years. 1t is simply I'M
, avoidable that the new set must make
what they can out of their newly ac-
quired properties.
WHEN A SOCIALIST is ELECTED
When a Socialist is elected how
ever, it means the acquisition of the
office by his constituency, for them
selves; or, to state it differently, it
means that the people decide not to
vest the most valuable properties they
have in individuals. The office-holder
under the Socialist system becomes
merely the caretaker of the property;
and with enough powerful offices in
the hands of Socialists to carry out
our regulations, the unfaithful would
find himself peremptorily ousted for
disobedience or malfeasance. This is
accomplished in two ways: First, his
acceptance of the nomination is an
acceptance also of the condition that
he file his undated resignation from
the office to which he is chosen; sec.