In 1910, the new state of Oklahoma had a larger Socialist Party membership (pop. 1,657,155, members 5,842) ) than New York State (9,113,614, members 5,402), far more newspapers, and could regularly achieved around 20% in state elections. After a contraction, the Party would grow again in Oklahoma, counting almost 10,000 members in 1916. Adopted at the Annual State Convention, Oklahoma City, December 28-29, 1909, here is a sense of the majority politics (there were many political ‘tendencies’) of the Party in that period.

‘State Platform of the Socialist Party of Oklahoma’ from The Chicago Daily Socialist, Vol. 4 No. 80. January 28, 1910.

The Socialist Party of Oklahoma reaffirms its adherence to the principles of International Socialism and declares itself to be in perfect accord with the last national platform of the Socialist Party. We believe that the only manner in which the workers may permanently better their condition is through a working class party organized and controlled by the workers.

The trusts are a natural product of the competitive system and were made possible by labor saving machinery and whereby also the workers were divorced from the ownership of the means of production.

The workers to be economically independent and able to provide for themselves must collectively own and operate the means of production under a democratic administration of industry.

We declare the Socialist Party to be the party of the working class with intentions of socializing the means of production. The present system of industry is directly the cause of the many evils which now prey upon society.

The substitution of cooperation and democratic methods of production and distribution would remove these evils by lifting the workers to a higher plane both physically and mentally and by making woman the economic and political equal of man.

In pursuance of the above named principles, we advocate the following measures in addition to those set forth in our national platform:

Article 1.

We demand the retention and constant enlargement of the public domain of the state by: Sec. 1. By retaining school and other public lands; Sec. 2. By purchase of arid and overflow lands and the state reclamation of all such lands now held by the state or that may be acquired by the state; Sec. 3. By the purchase of all lands sold for non-payment of taxes; Sec. 4. By the purchase of segregated and unallotted Indian lands; Sec. 5. By the retention of leased lands after the expiration of the leases and the payment of improvements thereon at an appraised valuation.

Article 2.

Sec. 1. We demand the establishment of state factories for manufacturing such machinery as may be required by the people of the state. Sec. 2. We demand the establishment of state cement plants and sawmills for the purpose of providing the workers with building material at the cost of production; Sec. 3. We demand the opening of coal mines and the boring of oil and gas wells by the state for the purpose of providing the workers with fuel at the cost of production; Sec. 4. We demand that the above named state industries when established be under the democratic management of the workers and be operated not for the purpose of making profits for the state but to give the workers in such industries the full social value of their labor; Sec. 5. We demand the establishment of a state printing plant in which textbooks, books of scientific research and useful information, and all other books in general demand as well as all public documents and forms shall be printed and sold at the cost of production.

Article 3.

We demand the equalization of taxes.

Article 4.

We demand unrestricted and equal suffrage for men and women and pledge ourselves to actively engage in bringing about the same.

Farmers’ Program.

As measures calculated to bring into collective property the land, and enable every farmer to have the use and occupancy of the land sufficient for a home and the support of his family, we hereby advocate and pledge our elected officers to the following program:

Article 1.

Separation of the Department of Agriculture from the political government by means of: Sec. 1. Election of all members and officers of the Board of Agriculture by the direct vote of the actual farmers. Sec. 2. Introduction of the merit system among the employees.

Article 2.

Erection by the state of grain elevators and warehouses for the storage of farm products; these elevators and warehouses to be managed by the Board of Agriculture.

Article 3.

Organization by the Board of Agriculture of free agricultural education and the establishment of model farms.

Article 4.

Encouragement by the Board of Agriculture of cooperative societies of farmers. Sec. 1. For the buying of seed and fertilizer; Sec. 2. For the purchase and common use of implements and machinery; Sec. 3. For the preparing and sale of produce; Sec. 4. For the working of land by groups.

Article 5.

Organization by the state for loans on mortgages and warehouse certificates, the interest charges to cover cost only.

Article 6.

State insurance against diseases of animals, diseases of plants, insect pests, hail, flood, storm, and fire.

Article 7.

Aid and encouragement to be given to the actual workers of the farms in the formation of district cooperative associations which shall be given the power to issue bonds for the purchase of suitable farming lands — bonds to be redeemable in 40 years. Individuals purchasing such lands shall pay the purchase price of land in share or cash annual or semi-annual rentals extending over a period of 40 years, or may at their option pay in full in any given number of years.

Article 8.

Exemption from taxation and execution of dwellings, tools, farm animals, implements, and improvements to the amount of one thousand dollars.

Article 9.

A graduated tax on the value of rented land and land held for speculation.

Article 10.

Absentee landlords to assess their own lands, the state reserving the right to purchase such lands at their assessed value plus 10 percent.

Article 11.

Land now in the possession of the state or hereafter acquired through purchase, reclamation, or tax sales to be rented to landless farmers under the supervision of the Board of Agriculture at the prevailing rate of share rent or its equivalent. The payment of such rent to cease as soon as the total amount of rent is equal to the value of the land and the tenant thereby acquires for himself and his children the right of occupancy. The title to all such lands remaining with the commonwealth.

The Chicago Socialist, sometimes daily sometimes weekly, was published from 1902 until 1912 as the paper of the Chicago Socialist Party. The roots of the paper lie with Workers Call, published from 1899 as a Socialist Labor Party publication, becoming a voice of the Springfield Social Democratic Party after splitting with De Leon in July, 1901. It became the Chicago Socialist Party paper with the SDP’s adherence and changed its name to the Chicago Socialist in March, 1902. In 1906 it became a daily and published until 1912 by Local Cook County of the Socialist Party and was edited by A.M. Simons if the International Socialist Review. A cornucopia of historical information on the Chicago workers movements lies within its pages.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/chicago-daily-socialist/1910/100128-chicagodailysocialist-v04n080.pdf