Biography/History

Founded in 1877, the Socialist Labor Party developed into the foremost socialist organization in the United States at the turn of the century and was the first American Marxist party to survive and maintain its existence over a long span of years. During the middle 1870s several attempts were made to achieve an effective union of socialist organizations in the United States. In 1876 delegates from four diverse groups--the North American Federation of the International Workingmen's Association, the Social Democratic Working-Men's Party of North America, the Labor Party of Illinois, and the Socio-Political Labor-Union of Cincinnati--representing a membership estimated at between 2000 and 3000 persons, in convention at Philadelphia consolidated under the name of the Workingmen's Party of the United States. At its next convention in Newark, New Jersey, in December of 1877, this organization reorganized and changed its name to Sozialistische Arbeiter-Partei, or, in its English version, the Socialistic Labor Party, a title which fifteen years later was revised to Socialist Labor Party. The German party name first chosen reflected the composition of the membership. In his History of Socialism in the United States, Morris Hillquit estimated that not more than 10 per cent of the members in the early years were American-born. Of the 90 per cent of the members of foreign origin, Germans formed the most numerous nationality segment and furnished many of the leaders, although the first secretary, Philip Van Patten, was a native American.

Throughout its early decades the Socialist Labor Party was frequently torn by internal factional disputes and controversies. One group of militant unionists led by F.A. Sorge of the former International Workingmen's Association withdrew in 1877-1878. Two other factions, syndicalist and anarchist in tendency, led by Albert Parsons, August Spies, and Johann Most, withdrew in 1881. Within the remaining membership conflicts were waged between the Lassalleans, the right-wing members committed to political action, and the Marxists, the left-wing revolutionary members emphasizing militant unionism. The Lassalleans controlled the party organization until 1889, but in the 1890s through the influence of new leaders, including Daniel De Leon, Hugo Vogt, Lucien Sanial, and Henry Kuhn, the party developed an aggressive program of its own along Marxist lines designed to appeal not only to the predominantly foreign-born members of the party but also to more native-born American workers. In striving to achieve party goals, De Leon and his associates emphasized that both militant trade unions and independent political action should be utilized in party strategy.

The shifting viewpoints of the party and its leadership are illustrated by its relationship with labor organizations and by its political behavior. Some members of the Socialist Labor Party, including Philip Van Patten, were members of the Knights of Labor. Others belonged to the American Federation of Labor. As individual socialists these members exerted some personal influence in both of these labor organizations. By 1895, however, there was an open breach between the Socialist Labor Party and these other labor groups. To compete with the rapidly growing American Federation of Labor, the Socialist Trade and Labor Alliance was formed under the party's auspices. Although the Alliance stirred troublesome controversy and dissension within a few AF of L locals, the Alliance failed in its appeals to the great majority of American workers. It was never able to mount any serious challenge to the American Federation of Labor, and its remnants joined in founding the Industrial Workers of the World in 1905.

In national politics the Socialist Labor Party gave its official endorsement to the Greenback Party in 1880, but four years later it supported none of the capitalist candidates for president and vice-president. It put its first national ticket in the field in 1892 with the nomination of Simon Wing of Boston for president and Charles H. Matchett of Brooklyn for vice-president. These candidates polled more than 21,000 votes. By 1894 the party was clearly committed to its own independent candidates and platform to promote a revolutionary industrial democracy. In 1896 Matchett was the party's presidential nominee with Matthew Maguire as the vice-presidential candidate. After a vigorous national campaign, the party's vote was approximately double that of 1892. In state and local politics, particularly in New York state, the party provided candidates for various offices in numerous elections beginning in 1879. Nevertheless, until the 1890s the party sometimes found it expedient to support progressive or populist candidates running under other party labels in some state and local contests. In 1892 the party had an estimated membership of 3000, a figure which doubled by 1898. In 1898 the party's own candidates in state and local elections received more than 82,000 votes, the peak of its political achievement.

Although these membership and voting statistics seemed highly favorable, the Socialist Labor Party had in reality reached the zenith of its size and influence, for dissatisfaction with party policies and leaders was seething among members friendly to the American Federation of Labor, members evolutionary in their concept of socialistic thought and action, and members who resented De Leon's autocratic personality and firm party discipline. Led by Morris Hillquit, many of these dissenters withdrew in 1899 to form the Socialist Party, and from this schism the Socialist Labor Party never fully recovered.

Party history from 1900 to 1920 is highlighted in the chronology which follows.

1900 June 2-8	SLP national convention held in New York City. At this convention the SLP's National Board of Appeals was abolished, and Joseph Francis Malloney of Massachusetts and Valentine Remmel of Pennsylvania were nominated for president and vice president respectively.
1900 July 1	Daily People began publication.
1902	“Kanglet” controversy. This internal party conflict derived its name from the more serious 1899 split in which a large group (dubbed “Kangaroos” by Daniel De Leon) left the party. Although the 1902 controversy was much smaller in scale, veteran leaders such as Lucien Sanial and Hugo Vogt were among those who either resigned or were expelled.
1904 July 2-6	SLP national convention held in New York City. Charles H. Corregan of New York and William W. Cox of Illinois were nominated for president and vice president. This convention also approved significant changes in the method of party governance. The National Executive Committee was altered to consist of one member from each state which had a State Executive Committee (to have an SEC, a state had to have at least three local affiliates or “sections”). Regular meetings of NEC were to be held the first Sunday of January and July each year. To carry out the work of the party between sessions, a Sub-Committee was formed, consisting of members of Sections within two hours ride of National Headquarters.
1905 June 27-July 8	Industrial Union Convention held in Chicago which resulted in founding the Industrial Workers of the World. Frank Bohn and Daniel De Leon of the SLP were active in the formation of the organization.
1906 August	Henry Kuhn resigned as SLP National Secretary and was replaced by Frank Bohn.
1908 January	Frank Bohn resigned as National Secretary and was replaced by Paul Augustine. Bohn's close ties with the IWW, and his advocacy of unity with the Socialist Party, had led to increased conflict with De Leon and other party leaders.
1908 July 2-5	SLP national convention held in New York City. Martin R. Preston of Nevada and Donald L. Monroe of Virginia were the presidential and vice presidential candidates.
1908 September	IWW convention held in Chicago. According to the SLP, anti-De Leon forces illegally packed the 1908 convention. Consequently, a group favorable to the SLP formed a rival IWW organization headquartered in Detroit. The SLP continued close relations with the “Detroit IWW,” but severed connections with the “Chicago IWW,” or, as they frequently termed it, “the Bummery.”
1912 April 7-10	SLP national convention held in New York City. The presidential and vice presidential nominees were Arthur E. Reimer of Massachusetts and August Gillhaus of New York.
1914 January	Arnold Peterson replaced Paul Augustine as National Secretary.
1914 February 22	Daily People ceased publication.
1914 May 11	Death of Daniel De Leon.
1915 circa November	“Detroit IWW” changed its name to the Workers' International Industrial Union (WIIU).
1916 April 29-May 3	SLP national convention held in New York City. Presidential and vice presidential nominees were Arthur E. Reimer of Massachusetts and Caleb Harrison of Illinois. The convention also decided that the NEC would hold only one regular meeting a year, the first Saturday in May.
1917 January 6-7	Unity conference held in New York between the SLP and Socialist Party.
1918 May	The Weekly People lost its second class mailing privileges. Edmond Seidel was removed as Weekly People editor and replaced by Olive M. Johnson. The ensuing interparty conflict caused Seidel and other party leaders including Rudolph Katz, Edmund Moonelis, and Julius Hamer to either resign or be expelled. In addition, Section New York was expelled and reorganized.
1920 May 5-9	SLP national convention held in New York City. William W. Cox of Missouri and August Gillhaus of New York were the presidential and vice presidential nominees.