THS SOCIALIST PRESS
Published *1 ‘20 Third Are.
POSTOFEICE BOX 630
The Official Organ Of and
endorsed by Fairbanks, 01
ncs and Clearv Locals^ So
cialist Party.
W. J. N icley. Manager.
Subscription Rates,
On® ye«r $5.00 Six months ?3.C0
Three months, $2.00One month
$1.00
Saturday Get.
ET*? ^ r A ” r t y y
A <TCX*\ J V Vv ciy
There is printed on the first
page of this issue a letter addr s*
Fed to the workers of A.aska,
which we would urge every work
ing man and woman to read, and
having read it give it sober and
earnest thought.
As the letter states we area
gain about to be called upon to t:
erejse the right of franchise
right that has been tern from ru
ling classes through centuries of
turmoil and struggle, and having
been won at great cost, shouid be
appreciated and sacredly used.
The voice of the political charla
tan is heard again in the lane
sounding in our ears the same
Old .song, with little variation
from those we have heard since
the time when the memory of
man runneth r.ot to the contrary.
Vve are giver! the usual bombas
tic, spreadeagle slush) we hear
parties and men glorified, we are
told of great achierement, of
great resources of great wealth,
and if we are listening to those
in power, of great prosperity.
We can acknowledge there has
been great achierement; and
that there are great resources and
great wealth; but must deny that
tiiere is great prosperity;
The working class which con
stitutes the vast majority of the
people, never did enjoy prosperi
ty, and under the present econo
mic system of society; never will,
and while this condition lasts
there can be no real prosperity.
The great wealth we hear so
much about is in the hands of a
few and will remain there. A
workingman here and there may
get up in the world in a material
way, but there is no doubt but
the working class as a whole is
steadily losing ground and prac
tically lace Lo face with starva
tion. J his is absolutely true and
all the politicians under the sun
cannot alter the ugly fact. The
Socialists while in a minority can
not alter it, nor do they pre
tend that they can. They can and
do however, stand for a principle,
the principle of the co-operative
commonwealth; the workers’ ow
nership of the earth and once
they are in power we will see
the fruition of that principle. Wc
will see the end of poverty, of
war, of crime and despair, and
not till then. We will see the
earth an Eden as it ought to be;
and in the meantime the Social
ists will do all they can, and more
than capitalist politicians will do,
grievously upon the workers’
shoulders.
The coining election is a good
time for the working man ti
break away from old party bon
dage. It is a good time for him
to make a start in using the
franchise in the sacred cause of
economic emancipation for him
self and his class.
Gaustad and
His Mates
Mr. 0. P, Gaustad, who is run
ning for senator on the nondes
cript ticket called non-partisan
acknowledges that he was iq i<
movement last fall to cut wages,
for the reason, he says that liv
ing had become cheaper, but the
excuse he gives for abandoning
-he idea is rather iame. Because
of the advance in prices last
spring the operators, he, says,
came to the conclusion that it
would not bo right to cut wages;
but he did not explain why if the
operators could pay $5.00 a day
with high prices for supplies, they
eo«i!d not do it with low prices.
Mr. Gaustad claims much cre
dit lor always employing"white”
men -not because he likes them
better but fob the reason that
they are better workers,
He also claims credit for pay
ing $7. a day during the strike a
few years agc--not however from
altruistic motives, but as he says,
in order to get the “best men.”
And he always worked 10 hours.
Altogether Mr. Gaustad is a
typical operators’association man
with the requisite ideas, and full
purpose to get as much as he can
for as little as he can. He is a tit
running mate for Driscoll and
Collins, whom we already know
too well and for Alaltby, the al
leged lawyer and Snow, the real
ex-deputy marsha'.
Gaustad, Collins, Driscoll,
Malt by, Snow, Ye Gods! what a
joke somebody has attempted to
perpetrate upon the tf'Orkingclass
voterfand all others for that mat
ter.) Labor legislation wo Id re
ceive short shrift if that bunch
of unbranded political mavericks
get a whack at it. If Wickersham
has a millstone of like dimen
sions and density about.his neck
in other Divisions he is a goner
sure, t aitpetre couldn’t save him.
We would like to call attention
to the warning to Socialist voters
against political tricks, issued by
the Socialist Campaign Commit
tee printed on the first page. For
ways that are dark and tricks
that are vain, the old party poli
tician like the heathen Chinee, is
peculiar, so it behooves everyone
who would vote the Socialist tic
ket to be on the lookout, If
enough Socialists are elected to
tne legislature this fall, at next
election we will have a ballot
that can’t be monkeyed with.
When you finish reading this
paper pass it on to your neigh
ber.
P reamble and P latform, Socialist Party
Of Alaska, Campaign 1914.
Alaska, the last of the great American frontiers,the home of the pioneer, the country of the hope
uil prospector, is rapidly becoming a thing of the past.
the dog team trail of yesterday is about to be supplanted by the steam and electric methods of
transportation.
The dre«mr, of the lonely prospector are giving way to the ugly realities of wage slavery and job
hunting. The nightmare of Capitalism already haunts the workers of Alaska, Capitalism is fast en
croaching upon the last outposts of American Territory. It is only a matter of time until all the ac
companying ivils of this system will be rampant in the Golden North- Already many1 of the unem'
ployed now surging along the Pacific Coa st and oven extending clear back to New York are look
ing forward to Alaska as their last hope and salvation.
And not these ahme, but thfc oppressed and dispossessd of European countries, have their eyes
on this land with its fabulous wealth.
The Panama Canal makes it possible to embark from a European seaport arid come straight a
dtoss and land oh the Pacific and Alaskan Shores. ' "
(liven the following factors: the necessity of Capitalist extension; a land of untold resources, an un
numbered host of laborers competing.for jobs, it requires no prophetic vision or second sight to
foresee what will be the inevitable consequences'. There is no inherent virtue in the land of the mid
night Sun that exempts it from the dire effects of Capitalism; and realizing as \\ e do that the pre
sent system of exploitation is a menace td society, a curse to the working class, we declare our un
compromising hostility to the present system and proclaim our demand fora new and complete reov
ganization hi society, based primarily on the rights of the workers and producers as the possessing
class.
In view of this demand, we believe that the workers should organize both on the industrial and
he pmitlcal fields. Capitalist development has made trade and craft organizations inadequate and the
Industrial form not only unites the workers more closely together,but contains possibilities In the di
recting of preparing the workers for the control and management of the industries afteir they be
come the Collective property of tlffe’ working class.
_ Ownership and the power to produce are trie essential factors to obtain economic security and jus
tice. The working class already possess the latter. It must set about ,to obtain ownership. Title
deeds come through the acts and approval of government, They are defended through the various
functions of government. It is therefore necessary for the working class to organize politically in
a party of its own class tor the purpose Of capturing the powers of government, through which it
1 may secure and defend its rights.
| \Ve appeal to the working class of Alaska,' and all thosa who are in sympathy with that class to ^
unite with ds in our effort to establish the wefrkerd in i>o!itical power, in order that thev may be able
to protect and servo .their own interests.
The realization of this aim will mean the abolition'of the class struggle, the doing away with
economic insecurity, and the establishment of a co-operative order of society.
Odr ultimate aim is the Collective Ownership of the means of production and distribution by all
the people. Our methods, industrial &nd political organizations.'
In order that we may conserve cur immediate interests while we are still under Capitalism, we
make the following demands and urge all those who are in accord with the aims and objects of the So
cialist Pfifty to support the candidates standing on this platform:'
Ws endorse .and reaffirm our alle- ]
fiance to the Constitution of the Na
tional Socialiut Ferty of the United
States and the National Platform adopt
«d at Indianapolis, Ind,. in 1U12,
We demand the immediate enae^mcpt
of the Initiative and Referendum and
Reralt.
We demand that on the presentation
of 15 per cent of the voters of the pre
eeding election, a referendum be taken
at once on the subject under considera
tion.
We demand that all laws enacted by
the.^laa^a Legislature bp-referred to j
a referendum of the people of the ter- j
ri‘«ry. >: I.
We demand the establishment of the j
Australian llallot System in all the va
rious elections held in Alaska.
tye dejntnU^from the Federal Covern
ment a law giving labor a prior lien
on any mining grounds, dumps, machin
ery qnd equipment used in operating,
regardless as to who is operating said
ground, whether it be Owner or lessee,
The Government shall stand tha expense
of enforcing the abovi lien law.
We demand that the Government
own, dorelop andcperate all coal mines
Socialist Candidates.
For Ijelegate Fb
Congress;
John M. Brooks.
"r- ■ •
ForthoLegislattire
Fur S&nator
H. Ringdahl,
For Feprosent’vesi
Dan McCabe,
A. A.' Nelson,
W. E. Waugh,
Charles Rogers.
'in Alaska, und that ho leases or eor. -
tracts shall be made by the Govern
merit with privatejindividuals or corpo
rations,and that h’1 work in and around
the mines sliall Jhe done under the direct,
supervision of the Government. We
further demand that coal be furnished
‘to the People of Alaska at the cost of
production and distribution through
’Government oWne(| coal,yards to be >s
tablished wherever feasible.
,
We demand the abolition of the road
tax and the poll tax.
We derrtandthat the Government on
ly shall build and operate the Railroad
and not lease it out to private individ*
uals or firms or corporations.
We demand an eight hour day in al?
industries in Alaska.
, We demand a law forbidding any dis
crimination,against & man or woman
because of his or her uuioi) affiliations
or activities* or his or her political or
religious beliefs.
We demand the election of a Mining
Inspector for each Judicial District of
Alaska.
iU'itf 6? tiliinovt, TilsjD.iY, &l, tiu.