— 30 —
without daily bread, but might find employment, and by earning their bread increase consumption which in turn would increase production and the confidence in better times; they might find it if those who have employment were not compelled by their task-masters, or their own wants, to work all the way up from ten to fifteen hours, and, of course, at starvation wages, too. The greater amount of leisure would enable our workers to devote more time and energy to the study of Labor problems and Scientific writings, and to recreation in family life and party festivities; and as less hours mean higher wages—a natural law, proven by the history of all Labor organizations—they would have their means for higher aspirations gradually enlarged. The Normal Workday is equivalent to a new Declaration of Independence, this time the independence of Labor from Capital.
These two measures need not stand in the way of other measures devised by our Congresses, but should be ever present to the mind of every member of our party. They are, as has been shown, not of a present only, but also of a perpetual future importance—the foundation of the Socio-Democratic policy of the future.
We must conclude—the rest of our Platform will explain itself.
We do not strike any bargains with any of the old parties—they have all alike been the tools of that private Capitalism which has made this land of plenty one of misery, and threatens the destruction of the Liberty of all of us and of the Republic itself. For that same reason we cannot compromise with the Greenback and Granger organization though we sympathize with some of their aims and with all organizations of real laborers. The platforms of these two latter bodies do not strike at the root of our complaints, and are even yet imbued with the Capitalistic spirit. We cannot yield any of our principles which were formulated by the united experience and wisdom of the Laborers of many countries. We cannot afford to waste time with such slender reforms as these bodies propose, and which are more difficult to carry out than our programme, because they contain no great moral principle, and are opposed by the Capitalistic class with no less energy than are our ideas.
What is needed is a regeneration of mankind, and the universal enthusiasm which an insight into its necessity alone can stir up. There is no shorter way to the great goal than a universal enlightenment of all the Workers of all the prominent countries in regard to the necessity and means of our grand effort of Emancipation. Whether we will or not, we must choose that way, because the growth of Capitalistic oppression hurries to that gulf in which we
