The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-11-25
ELECTION MARKS AN EPOCH.

The people, through Thomas Jeffer-
son, smashed the Fcderalist party with
ats sedition law and anti-democratic
instincts. Six decades later the people
wrote slavery's sentence and smashed
the Wing party because liberty can
not compromise with traffic in human
beings.
Eight decades later-November,
1922-the people s political expression
marks the beginning of another era in
the nations life.
This election differs from all others.
It is the first time the United States
senate lost it's characteristic Of being
the haven for privilege.
The people have caused other po-
litical upheavels. The policies Of 9th
er administrations have been rcbuked,
but this is the first time privilege has
been challenged on the floor Of the
United States senate.
In every decade, in every genera
ton, the "old guard" was considered
invulncrablc. Before the civil war it
. was the bulwark Of slavery. Following
the civil war the agents for steel, for
textiles, for lumber, for the packing
industry, for coal, for the railroads,
were known and shamelessly pro-
claimed.
Presidents could be defeated and
congressman retired to private life,
but the senate system continued.
In late years agitation against these
political agents made some Roadway,
but they could yet stand on the SEN
ate floor and advocate handwriting
labor to its tasky remove taxes froa
wealth and urge ship subsidy for the
favored few.
The recent election has changed
this. The American house Of lords no
longer exists. The senate has lost its
characteristic. Industrial oligarchs will
not control that body when the new
congress convenes.
Another feature Of this election was
it's non-partisanship. Men who berate
organized labor for its non-partisan
attitude are jubilant over the people 5
victory, but fail to see that they are
celebrating a victory made possible by
non-partisanship.
They condemn labor's political
method, but they used that method
to record the third significant polit-
ical upheavel in the nations history.
Party labels were nothing to voters
at this election. The power Of party
discipline was nil. Voters "picked
off" the defenders OF privilege and
elected by large majorities honest men
who were on the same ticket.
Voters refused to obey party man
,dates and broke the party spirit. Con-
gresham Keller's party organization
condemned him for daring to impeach
Attorney General Daugherty. The peo-
pie ignored the politicians and re.
elected the Minnesota lawmaker. Then
they scratched Senator Kellogg on
the same ticket and elected DIR. Ship
stead.
Voters everywhere adopted this non
partisan policy. At no other election
was labor so victorious or it's policy
so completely sustained.
The election proves that if tho re-.
cent intensive campaign against
Daugherty's injunction will be contin-
ued, or the same agitation against
child labor or other social wrongs, q
public opinion can be created that
will break the back Of every opposi-
ton.
No force that reaction can assem-
BILE is powerful enough to withstand
= continuous intelligent agitation.
Its public press, its distorting eco
nomists, Its subsidized educators, and
its other tinsel and sham are impotent
before determined citizenship.
The lessons Of the recent election
should encourage every believer in So
cial justice to continue the fight for
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