A look at the early fortunes of Socialism in Rhode Island and the formation of the Socialist Labor Party in contradistinction of the Nationalist and Populist movements.

‘Socialism in Rhode Island: From Broadness to Class Consciousness’ by T. Curran from The People (S.L.P.). Vol. 9 No. 5. May 1, 1899.

The attitude of the Socialist Labor party in Rhode Island to-day comes naturally from the ability of its members, after much “broad” experimenting, to read aright the situations into which capitalism whirls. Small in size, dense with a population largely proletarian, big with capital, and most of its industries, people and voters massed together in one quarter of the State’s diminutive area, these features make Little Rhody an ideal capitalist realm, and our governmental institutions prove the ideal a reality.

The political career of capitalism in our State has had no check. The Republican party has ever been its watch-dog. The Democrats at times usurped the kennel, yet they also appropriated the zeal of its former occupant in clearing the course for capital. Each party brazenly reflected its master’s political features, for there was none to scan them and tell his readings and, had there been, the proletariat would not have believed.

Capitalism here long since rose to Its zenith. Centralization of industry it has linked with centralization in politics. Finance, Commerce and Politics, all united in one Napoleon, who, unseen and hardly known, prompts the dance for his puppets in both parties. As a consequence bribery stalks in the Legislature and haunts the voting booth. Rhode Island is a by-word to its neighbors for political corruption- the legitimate fruit of capitalism.

Quite early the lines marking the Democrats from the Republicans were erased in practice and blended in common repute. Yet the stupendous ignorance bred into the proletariat by the vulgar educational methods of capitalism and its plays on race prejudice, throttled sober thought and chained the victims of its shrewd designs to political idolatry. The Irish chose one side and all other nationalities the other, both seduced with the shallow cry: “Friends of Labor.” So time in peace rolled on; so races with bitter ignorance fought: so capitalism reigned in cunning wisdom with serene and unruffled sway.

The decade of the 80’s was languishing to a placid end when like a lightning flash the proletarians surged into stormy rebellion. The K. of L. mounting the topmost wave, swelled to gigantic stature and almost immediately shriveled to a nonentity. Yet in that brief moment of convulsion the Giant Labor revealed its latent ability to expand into a tremendous force that, properly nurtured and guided, could annihilate the cunning Tyrant Capital. That was enough. The doors to an appreciation of the Class Struggle had been thrown open and pioneers stood in the portals, though at first un-conscious of what had brought them thither.

Already in 1891 these pioneers struck the first blow in the political revolt against capital by setting up a State ticket on the platform of the Socialist Labor party. Timorous and apologetic at intruding into the Tyrant’s holy of holies, they named themselves “Nationalists.”-clear evidence of halting, ill-defined thought that hoped to convince by hiding its principles behind a mask. Instinct or intuition rather than enlightened intention actuated the moving spirits in this campaign, and the topsy-turviness of mind, incident to such inspiration, was only partly subdued about the beginning of 1894, when they organized on more rational lines and conducted the campaign of that year with the name as well as the platform of the S.L.P.

In the campaign of 1894, the candidate for Governor was Charles G. Baylor, and in the subsequent year George E. Boomer headed the ticket. Both of these candidates typified the failure of the comrades as yet to grasp the logical dictates of scientific Socialism and to master its tactics, for Baylor was a political freak and Boomer a political crook, the former leaving the party to embrace Anarchism, and the latter deserting it to sponge on Populism.

It was not until 1896, that the movement in this State was established on the rock-bed of the Class Struggle and scaled off the dubious following attracted to it by Boomerish wiles. Since then Anarchists, traitors and hybrids of the Debs variety have cut no capers with the party’s sanction. Campaigns have come and gone, and the Party,- flanked by its twin-sister, the Socialist Trade & Labor Alliance-, has met each one with increasing numbers, with higher hopes, with more united front, with its militant elements anchored hard and fast to the principle of the class struggle and the tactics it proclaims, and quite naturally with ever ascending success. In the future as in the brief past the Rhode Island column of the S.L.P. can be relied on to shun mistakes, to squelch traitors and mongrels, to join its wage slaves into one solid, fighting, fearless, class-conscious mass with wills set on transforming Little Rhody from a hot-bed of capitalism into a pillar of the Socialist Commonwealth.

The attention of comrades in Providence and vicinity is called to the May Day Celebration by the Rhode Island District Council of Textile Workers (S.T. & L.A.) and the Socialist Labor party in Textile Hall, Olneyville, on Monday, May 1, at 8 p.m. Comrade Keinard, of New York, will deliver an address, and dancing will close the evening’s entertainment. Schultz’ Orchestra will provide the music.

This will be the initial observance of Labor’s International Holiday in Rhode Island and comrades are urged to assist in making It a complete success.

The State Committee. T. CURRAN, Secretary.

New York Labor News Company was the publishing house of the Socialist Labor Party and their paper The People. The People was the official paper of the Socialist Labor Party of America (SLP), established in New York City in 1891 as a weekly. The New York SLP, and The People, were dominated Daniel De Leon and his supporters, the dominant ideological leader of the SLP from the 1890s until the time of his death. The People became a daily in 1900. It’s first editor was the French socialist Lucien Sanial who was quickly replaced by De Leon who held the position until his death in 1914. Morris Hillquit and Henry Slobodin, future leaders of the Socialist Party of America were writers before their split from the SLP in 1899. For a while there were two SLPs and two Peoples, requiring a legal case to determine ownership. Eventual the anti-De Leonist produced what would become the New York Call and became the Social Democratic, later Socialist, Party. The De Leonist The People continued publishing until 2008.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/the-people-slp/990501-thepeople-v09n05-maydayspecial.pdf