Meiko Meyer was among the most prominent Socialist Labor Party figures, serving on the national leadership of the S.L.P. and Michigan State Secretary. A factory worker in Detroit, Meiko often ran for office in the city, including for mayor.

‘Comrade Meiko Meyer’ from the Daily People. Vol. 9 No. 112. October 20, 1908.

Detroit, October 17. The lifeless body of Meiko Meyer arrived from Phoenix, Arizona on September 29, and was taken to the house of his brother-in-law, Peter Friesema on Thursday, October 1. Meyer was buried in St. Charles cemetery among his family that preceded him. The funeral was attended by most of the members of Section Detroit and many that knew him in life. H. Richter spoke at the house and at the cemetery in a short, but befitting manner. Another useful life was ended; still the memory of Meiko Meyer will live with all that knew him.

Section Detroit, at its regular meeting, October 6, adopted the following resolution:

Whereas, The sudden call of nature has removed from our midst a comrade, a militant in Labor’s class-conscious vanguard, a member of the Socialist Labor Party, Meiko Meyer;

Whereas, The untimely death of: our beloved co-worker robbed Section Detroit of one of its oldest members, it lost one of its most active and untiring fighters for straightforward, clear-sighted action in the workers’ struggle for emancipation from wage slavery;

Whereas, Our close acquaintance with the comrade enables us to recognize that his sickness of the last three years was the direct result of the adverse condition under which the fight against capitalism must be waged. Ten hours’ work in a factory in a health-destroying atmosphere, with an intensity of speed kept up to the limits of physical endurance, will destroy any worker in a short time, but the zeal and enthusiasm for our cause, made our dead comrade blind to the demands of human nature. Study, work of agitation and organisation occupied his time till long past midnight every day for over ten years. The last three years he made a brave and characteristic struggle to overcome the penalty of too intense devotion;

Whereas, Meiko Meyer as organizer, state secretary, national committeeman, and editor for the Socialist Labor Party exerted a favorable influence far beyond the boundaries, of his native city. His sterling honesty, and perseverance in the effort to remove the hypnotic influence of capitalism over the working class made him, more than others, the center of capitalist attack; therefore, be it

Resolved, That we keenly feel the loss our movement has sustained by the vanquished comrade and fighter in his early demise. Our sorrow must find its consolation in the promotion of the ideas and principles for which Meiko Meyer was such an ardent worker, and by redoubled activity shall endeavor to All the vacated place; and, be it further

Resolved, That we extend our sympathy to his relatives in their hour of bereavement: may they find solace, in the words of the poet, “That life is long, which answers life’s great end.”

Resolved, That we send a copy of these resolutions to his relatives and to the party press, and the resolutions be spread upon the minutes of Section Detroit, S.L.P.

H. Richter, A. Ahlers, G. Tricheloki, -Committee.

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.