JOURNAL OF THE IRISH LABOUR HISTORY SOCIETY

130 SAOTHAR 13THE DUBLIN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, 15 JANUARY, 1902 .Friends!On 15th January the Municipal elections will take place and you are asked to consider for whomto cast your vote. But, before you reach your decision we, Jewish Social Democrats, wish to say a fewwords.There are three candidates on the list for the Wood Quay Ward: you have here a Home Ruler, anothera publican, and one labour candidate of the Irish Socialist Republican Party, James ConnoUy, who issupported by the Dublin United Labourers Union.For which of the candidates will you vote on 15th January? For the Home Ruler, the candidate ofthe bourgeoisie?No, you cannot and you ought not do that! It is the bourgeoisie which always has the bag of goldbefore its eyes. Everything that stands in its way, everything that does not agree with its gut interestsit tramples underfoot no matter how sacred that may be. It is the bourgeoisie that arouses race hatred,incites one people against another and causes wars. The bourgeoisie is the cause of anti -Semitism; withits press it provokes hatred of the Jew and seeks to throw the blame for everything upon the Jew in orderto deceive the people and conceal its sins against its own people.No, you cannot vote for the Home Ruler, the candidate of the bourgeoisie! The Home Rulers speakout against the English capitalists and the English landlords because they want to seize their places sothat they themselves can oppress and exploit the people. No matter how nicely and well the HomeRulers talk or how much as friends of man they seek to appear or how much they shout about oppressedIreland - they are capitalists. In their own homes they s,how their true colours and cast off theirreVOlutionary democratic disguise and torment and choke the poor as much as they can. And you, Jews,what assurance do you have that one fine day they will not turn on you?You ought to vote for the Socialist candidate and only for the Socialist candidate. The Socialistsare the only ones who stand always and everywhere against every national oppression. It is theSocialists who went out into the streets of Paris against the wild band of anti-Semites at the time of theDreyfus case. In Austria and in Germany they conduct a steady struggle against anti-Semitism. Andin England, too, the Socialists fight against the reactionary elements who want to shut the doors ofEngland against the poor Jews who were driven to seek a refuge in a strange land by the Russiangovernment's brutality and despotism.The Socialist candidate is the only one for whom you ought to cast your vote.In conclusion, a few words to you, Jewish workers of Dublin. Upon you rests the obligation tosupport the Socialist candidate as much as you can. The aims of the Irish Socialist Republican Partyought to be close to you. These are your own interests, the interests for which every knowledgeableworker must fight These are the objectives for which every worker must strive. What does this partywant? It wishes to abolish that system of private ownership under which the working class iscondemned to labour, to create the wealth of the world and enjoy for itself absolutely nothing. It wishesto construct a system in which the worker shall have the right to benefit from his labour and live a free,happy and enlightened life without bosses and rulers over his body and soul.Jewish workers! No matter how small your numbers are you can achieve much. Do your duty andwork earnestly hand in hand with your Irish brothers. Canvass for votes, vote yourselves and persuadeothers to vote on the 15th of January for the Socialist candidate, James Connolly.You must cast your vote at the New Street SchoolJames Connolly, 26 Fishamble Street, Dublin.With Socialist greetings,The East London Jewish Branch of the. Social Democratic Federation.