consciousness of their interests and their power as a class, filled
with the spirit of solidarity and thrilled with the new-born power that
throbs within them; scorning further affiliation with the parties that
so long used them to their own degradation and looking trustfully to
themselves and to each other for relief from oppression and for
emancipation from the power which has so long enslaved them.

Honest toil, useful labor, against industrial robbery and political
rottenness!

These are the two forces which are arrayed against each other in deadly
and uncompromising hostility in the present campaign.

_Corrupt Capitalist Politics._

We are not here to play the filthy game of capitalist politics. There is
the same relative difference between capitalist class politics and
working class politics that there is between capitalism and Socialism.

Capitalism, having its foundation in the slavery and exploitation of
the masses, can only rule by corrupt means and its politics are
essentially the reflex of its low and debasing economic character.

The Socialist party as the party of the working class stands squarely
upon its principles in making its appeal to the workers of the nation.
It is not begging for votes, nor seeking for votes, nor bargaining for
votes. It is not in the vote market. It wants votes, but only of those
who want it--those who recognize it as their party and come to it of
their own free will.

If, as the Socialist candidate for president, I were seeking office and
the spoils of office I would be a traitor to the Socialist party and a
disgrace to the working class.

To be sure we want all the votes we can get and all that are coming to
us but only as a means of developing the political power of the working
class in the struggle for industrial freedom, and not that we may revel
in the spoils of office.

_Political Power._

The workers have never yet developed or made use of their political
power. They have played the game of their masters for the benefit of the
master class--and now many of them, disgusted with their own blind and
stupid performance, are renouncing politics and refusing to see any
difference between the capitalist parties financed by the ruling class
to perpetuate class rule and the Socialist party organized and financed
by the workers themselves as a means of wresting the control of
government and of industry from the capitalists and making the working
class the ruling cl