The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-03
BIG SOCIALIST VOTE TO /
GET BETTER CONDITIONS
Former State Senator Thomas Says
Another Kind of Ism Than Amcri-
can Is Needed.
POSTAGE STAMPS SANE PRICE.
While Other Things Have Gone Up,
Government Has Not Rfsed On
Postal Scrvice-Says Government
Ownership VIII Solve Problem.

Speaking to a gathering that COM
fortably filled the auditorium of the
Mechanics Institute last night. form
er State Senator A. +. Thomas, of
Lynchburg. declared the larger the
vote for Socialism at the coming cleo
ton the more progressive viii be the
legislation of the next four years.
Mr.. Thomas spoke under the auspices
Of local Richmond of the Socialist
party. Other speakers were Mrs.
Frank L. Jobson, representing the
Equal Suffrage League of Virginia,
and Mrs. Sophie G. Meredith for the
Congressional Union.
Fred T. Maxey, Socialist candidate
for Congress, opposing Representa-
tive Montague, had been scheduled TO
address the meeting. but owing 10
illness could not attend. Senator
Thomas, whose general theme was
The High Cost of Living" spoke for
a short time in behalf of Mr.. Maxey,
and paid his respects to Congressman
Montague. who he characterized as "a
nice, kind, affable gentleman. entirely
uiiHttttl At3 titC Itp VI Ni4tsthslsb * 40
lation of the kind that will benefit the
people"
Predicts = ZOO. 900 Votes.
Whether you elect Maxey or not,
pile up a large vote for him; the
larger vote you give him. the more
progressive will be the legislation Mr..
Montague will attempt during his
term" said the speaker He applied
the same to the presidential situation
in Virginia. saying that Mr.. Wilson
would carry this State. but a growing
Socialist vote will do more for the
welfare OF tho people than the cleo
ton OF a President of either OF the
other parties.
Mr.. Thomas predicted the Social
lists will poll close to two million
votes in this election; will be the
strong third party four years hence.
and eight years hence the fight will
be between two parties. between So
cialism and Capitalism.
Problem of the Ages.
The problem of the ages has been
to keep the hands of the few out OF
the pockets of the many, Two per
of the wealth and 65 per cent OF the
people only own per cent Is that
a condition that is satisfactory" he
asked. only one-third own me
homes they live in and SO per cent
have no property interest in aeir
houses at all. We are fast becoming
"a nation Of renters and tenants. Is
this Americanism. about which we
hear so much?" he asked
If So he asserted. I'VE ought to
find some other kind of ism. The
main cause of the high cost OF living
is the increased amount of profits be
qn firrarrnf urtt wi
Coal has gone up SO per ton since
August Why Because The mine
owners found out they could get that
much by simply asking for it. The
people Of this country haven't the
communal sense TO demand that the
government own the mines and OPP
crate them AZ cos, lie the postoftice.
Stamps have not gone up. Two cents
is sun the price"
what Australia Did.
The beef trust here has Just de-
clared dividend OF 400 per cent OF
big profits taken out of the people.
Vet the labor government Of Australia
will not stand for gouging the people
like this They have purchased ships
and buying cattle for the people and
bringing IL 10 the people. The price
fell cent per pound in one day be-
cause OF the government ownership
OF ships and distribution Of cattle.
Bread in Australia only costs one
half what is does here because the
government has bought up the whole
wheat crop and is selling Il at cost
TO the people and thus preventing
specializing in II at fancy prices. Why
cannot the government do something
for the people here in America instead
OF always doing something to the
people.
The railroads are the greatest rob-
bers of all. In 1906. their annual
profits were $500 000 900 and we start
ed regulating them some more and to-
day they have doubled this sum taken
out of the pockets OF the people, and
the amount is si.2oo.eo0, 900. They
cannot compete and reguiat ton in
creases the cost as quarter century
of effort to regulate them has proven
We must have government ownership
OF railroads so that the people will
have the money in their communities
through lower freight rates instead
OF having this money taken away and
carried to the great centers like Wall
Street.
The Democratic party promised in
1912 to reduce the cost Of living by
lowering the tariff and busting the
trusts, They reduced the tariff 5 per
cent. which helped not enc bit and
they have now abandoned this PROPOSE
tion and talk no more about lowering
the tariff. Did they bust the trusts
Yes. the Supreme Court divided the
trusts into pieces and gave all the
pieces right back to the men who
owned them at hrst and the value of
the pieces OF the busted trusts put
together Is over double that of the
original shares and the prices have
all gone 1p- The remedy is govern
ment ownership of the trusts"
NT.nCEc