gressive parties, these parties stand
forth as the several political expressions of the several divisions of
the capitalist class. The funds of all these parties are furnished by
the capitalist class for the reason, and only for the reason, that they
represent the interests of that class.

Professional politicians of whatever party are very much alike and in
one respect at least they are like workingmen, they serve the interests
of their masters, and for the same reason.

The patriotism of professional politicians is reflected in the material
interests of the master class and this fact has become so apparent that
their noisy theatricals have lost their magic and now excite but the
scorn and derision of intelligent working men and women.

The Republican, Democratic and Progressive conventions were composed in
the main and controlled entirely by professional politicians in the
service of the ruling class.

There were no working men and no working women at the Republican
convention, the Democratic convention, or the Progressive convention.

These were clearly not working class conventions. Ladies and gentlemen
of leisure were in evidence at them all. Wage-slaves would not have been
tolerated in their company. They represented the wealth and culture and
refinement of society and they were there to applaud and smile approval
upon the professional politicians and patriots who were doing their
work.

But there was a fourth convention held this year which did not attract
the wealthy and leisure classes. It was a convention great in purpose,
though not big in numbers. This convention was held at Indianapolis and
represented the working class. The delegates who composed this
convention were chosen by the workers and paid by the workers to
represent the interest of the workers and to clear the way for the
workers in the present campaign.

The Socialist convention was the only democratic convention and the only
progressive convention held this year; the only convention that
represented a dues-paying party membership and whose acts before
becoming effective must be ratified by a referendum vote of the party.

The Socialist party is the only party in this campaign that stands
against the present system and for the rule of the people; the only
party that boldly avows itself the party of the working class and its
purpose the overthrow of wage-slavery.

So long as the present system of capitalism prevails and the few are
allo