A fascinating glimpse into the life of the early Chicago Socialist Party. Local Secretary Theodore Meyer, clearly a left-winger, makes a biannual report to the city’s central committee on the work of the 1500 or so members urging greater activity and militancy.

‘The Chicago Socialist Party, Report of the Secretary’ by Theodore Meyer from the Chicago Weekly Socialist. Vol. 5 No. 232. August 15, 1903.

REPORT BY SECRETARY TO CITY CENTRAL COMMITTEE, JULY 4, 1903.

Comrade Delegates:

Your Secretary desires your indulgence for a few minutes. A few statements and suggestions are in place here this evening and I hope that they will be welcomed by you. and If deemed important enough, be taken to heart by you and conveyed to the members of your respective branches or clubs.

I shall forward a copy of this statement in good readable form to every organization of Local Chicago.

Branches and Clubs.

Affiliated with the Socialist Party in this city were up to about June 1st fifty organizations, of which 37 are American and 13 foreign speaking branches and clubs. On February 8th a branch was organized in the 30th ward, with 7 members, and which puts to shame some of the branches and clubs, some of the members of which are known as staunch, Militant Socialists, many of whom are in this class movement for many years in this and other countries. The 30th ward branch has gradually grown, thanks to the energetic work of a few determined men, until now it has a membership of nearly 50, its representation in this committee being 3 delegates.

The 2nd, 14-2 (Negro branch) and 32nd ward branches have become defunct, the 2nd ward never purchasing stamps; the negro branch, organized in March with 10 members, bought 10 stamps and became in bad standing on June 1st, the 32nd ward branch bought 20 stamps in April, not having bought any since, became in bad standing on July 1st.

The three branches have therefore become defunct.

The 27th ward branches 1 and 2 have consolidated and are starting a vigorous open-air agitation and organization throughout that large area.

The 35th ward branches have also combined into one. They have elected a captain (as it were) for each precinct, whose duty it is to provide all citizens therein with Socialist literature, to educate them and finally get them into the Socialist Party. They intend to have a good standing membership by Sept. 1 of 100. No doubt but they will succeed.

Precinct Work is Necessary.

The members should be taught to take care of the precinct in which they live: they should supply the working men and women in their precinct with literature, and send sample copies of the Chicago Socialist periodically, or regularly if they can afford to do so, then send applications to subscribe, keep tab on the subscribers and gradually induce them to join the party.

The Speakers Problem.

The party is very short on speakers. I have taken out 125 permits for 125 street corners and they are in the possession of the various organizations. The party has actually about twenty speakers that have volunteered to speak and can, in most cases, be relied upon.

On Saturday nights there are as high as twenty meetings going on in as many wards. Only 10 to 13 speakers are available on these nights, and on meeting nights of this committee still less, therefore many branches have to get along with their own intellectuals as well as they may, for I cannot send speakers to all of them, not having them.

Inactivity of Old Comrades.

Many of the old members, who are good speakers and can stand before a crowd of sceptics, have absolutely declined to speak: others will not speak more than once a week.

The inactivity on the part of some members who may be considered “leading lights,” is deplorable.

Five Willing Hustlers.

Let me not forget one thing. All honor to those few comrades who, when called upon to do so, have never hesitated to spring to the call, to get into the midst of a confused mass of people, mount the box and clear the mind of many listeners. These comrades are Kaufman, Perleon, Bartells, Morris and Allman.

Need of Speakers’ School.

One of the greatest needs of the hour is a local school on scientific Socialism, for the purpose of developing speakers; there is plenty of material in our party, it needs to be garnered and developed. This should be done at once. Chicago requires not less than 100 speakers now.

The great Presidential campaign of 1904 is fast arriving; can the Socialist Party stand by and see opportunities which now already are all around us, this fierce struggle in the midst of which we are, this growing feeling of class solidarity of workingmen and women, especially visible in the trade unions, this looking about for something better than trades unionism to which trades unionists are forced by class conditions, I say, while we let these opportunities slip by, will we not lead workingmen’s and women’s thoughts in the right channels, into a study of Socialism? The masses of wage slaves are ready to listen to Socialists. Will we Socialists go to them and teach them the barbarism of capitalism and the Justice of Socialism.

Comrades, let us assemble, talk with one another, as are our oppressed comrades, in filthy, underground holes in Russia, earnestly and sincerely, and devise better ways and means of doing all in our power, of educating the working class to Socialism, of arousing their class interests, and thereby prepare an army of real militant men and women, worthy to march against capitalism, that know what they want and know how to get it, when the time comes. It is said by some Socialists, that the clubs, bayonet, jail and court injunction will transform trades unionists into Socialists; that is true, conditions make Socialists but I also perceive that this medicine would not hurt some of our Socialists, that they also may learn, that, if they wish to be emancipated and economically free, they, themselves, must assist in the emancipation, or they are not worthy of same. Let’s all be up and doing! What is the Executive Committee for. It ought to be the duty of the Exc. Committee of our party, besides super intending the office of the Chicago Socialist, to prepare plans for better organization and for the educating of the workingmen and women. Leaflets should be printed from time to time and distributed among strikers containing matter relating to such strikes. Also a few hundred thousand of leaflets, should be distributed at proper times among the rank and file of trades unions, setting forth and defining from our standpoint; the sacredness of contract between master and worker, the injustice and uselessness of arbitration, compromise and conciliation, the weakness of labor unionism, the necessity of class-solidarity and the sympathetic strike. Leaflets of this character should at proper times and places be distributed among the rank and file of trade unionists.

Resist Persecution by Police.

Our party is not militant enough to take up the actions of the police in arresting our speakers and comrades at the whim or desire of some person opposed to Socialism. Some weeks ago, Comrade Spears and others were arrested for speaking on a street corner and taker in a patrol wagon to the nearest police station, where they were set free upon showing to the officer at the station the permit for the corner on which they were arrested. Before being placed under arrest they showed to the patrolman this permit, but on recommendation of the corner drug sore man they ignored same and took our comrade to the station.

In this case the party should have taken it up and sued the city, thereby showing that we Socialists insist on having free speech and we are willing to fight for it.

When it is found that in a certain locality our comrade speakers are molested by the police, an effort should be made at once to focus all our strength on such locality and ask and insist upon trial by the court. I am sure we will come out winners.

Amendment to Local Constitution.

Referendum vote No. 1 has been counted. The votes cast were 133 for and 95 against the proposition. It therefore is now a part of our local constitution.

Purchase of Stamps.

Stamps are being purchased at a slow rate. With branch and club secretaries that are doing their duty In bringing to account comrades that are in bad standing and keeping this up, and the members in general taking a greater interest in the affairs of the Party, there is no reason why Local Chicago cannot use now 1,500 stamps easily, and 2,000 stamps in the very near future. 2,000 stamps every month means $100 in the treasury of Local Chicago every month.

Our party would be self-sustaining if its affairs are administered on a strictly business basis. It is up to the membership, up to its mouthpiece–the City Central Committee–to do all in its power. We will then be able to enter the great campaign of 1904 in a strong and healthy condition, and when as a result car vote in Chicago shall have increased to 25,000, in Illinois to 40,000, in the nation to 1,000,000, then it will be seen that an gamy of militant workers, of both sexes, of all colors, of every nationality, after needed rest, will again be ready to battle with capitalism, in all its hideous forms, and this army shall consist of 5,000 good standing members In Chicago, everyone of them a revolutionist.

Then, comrades, let’s put our shoulders to the wheel, and do our duty. Let it be understood that the secretary of every branch and club make it his or her duty to go after delinquent members and cause them to pay up, or, if no sufficient excuse can be given by delinquent, strike the name of same off the roster of the branch. Now let all be up and doing!

Most Fraternally Yours,

THEO. MEYER, Sec’y. Local Chicago.

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/workers-call-chicago-socialist/030815-chicagosocialist-v05w232.pdf