‘Bay County, Michigan–The Situation There from a Socialist Standpoint’ by Stephen Corven from The People. Vol. 8 No. 52. March 26, 1899.

Mushroom Rise of Bogus “Socialisms”, and their Equally Rapid Downfall–The Light of the S.L.P. Breaks In at Last, and Sound Building up Starts–Unparalleled Natural and Social Elements of Prosperity Blighted by Capitalism–Approaching Suppression of the Labor Fakir-Middle Class Instincts of Exploitation at their Worst–Certainty of the Workers’ Speedy Rise from Submission to Political Rebellion.

COLEFAX, Mich. March 20. Although Socialism is in its infancy here, the situation is of a very promising nature. We are, and will be for some time, a part of that great army of industrial slaves, yet we hope to see the day when this cannibalistic system, of capitalist oppression will be forever eliminated and the Socialist system reared in its stead.

When I say Socialist system. I do not mean the so-called Socialist schemes of the “silver-dems,” “middle- of-the-mucks,” “pop-o-crats,” “silver-reps,” “one-thing-at-a-timers,” “single taxers,” or “Debsite, Armory builders,” but the scientific Socialism as taught by Marx and at present advocated in this country by the class-conscious army of S.L.P. voters.

This county once held 1,000 Populist voters, but they have dwindled down to 64 now. More recently, just after the Debs colony scheme was launched, a branch of that organization was formed in Bay, City to support that antiquated idea. It has gone the way of its kind. After much groping around in the dark, and with the workingmen in a state of despair, their eyes. were struck by a ray of pure Socialism. At first the intensity of the light only blinded them, but after a while they became more accustomed to it; and then their minds becoming clearer, they shook off the false ideas and teachings that the middle class had been hood-winking them with. The result is that a Section has been formed in the mining town of Colefax, consisting of 18 members, and there are double that number of open sympathizers. The field is ripe in Bay City and a Section will be organized there in the near future.

The labor organizations of Bay City have been officered by fakirs who have led the workingmen voters into the capitalist political shambles each succeeding election. Their influence is gradually being ‘broken, however, and I predict that in two years from now the workingman who denies the existence of the class struggle and the soundness of Socialist teaching will have no influence in the Central Trades Council of the Bay Cities. The Republicans and Democrats at present divide the spoils in the county. So much for the political situation.

The industrial situation is such that it beggars description. Never was a people more abundantly blessed by nature than are the people of Bay County, Mich. Blessed with a soil of almost unequaled fertility; with an abundance of mineral coal beneath the surface; with the waters of Lake Huron at their very doors; with unlimited timber just a few miles north; with millions of tons of salt below their feet and rich deposits of fire clay yet to be developed. Couple this with the fact that the people are industrious and thrifty and the first thought is that they must be living happy and contented lives.

But such is not the fact. I have known of many cases of destitution here which are hardly equaled in the large industrial centers of the East. Scores of workingmen I have seen tramping the streets and begging for an opportunity to work. The majority of those at work are barely getting wages enough to keep body and soul together. Imagine a strong, healthy man with a wife and seven children, and all of them forced to exist on 90 cents a day. I can safely say that the working class is living on half rations the year round. Who, then, reaps the benefits of Nature’s generosity? The Idle capitalist class who waste their time in senseless efforts to ape the rotten aristocracy of Europe, and the middle class capitalists who rob their employees and swindle their customers In order to get money enough to step into the upper class of social parasites. The middle class employers often resort to more brutal and oppressive methods than any others. The nature and intensity of the struggle they have in trying to keep out of the lower class often transforms them into brutes. Not content with robbing their employees of nearly all the wealth they produce, they even try to prevent them from voicing a protest at the ballot box. Several of such cases came under my own observation.

But there’ll come a time when the workers will rise above that spirit of submissiveness which now predominates, and shaking off their economic fetters, will step forth into the light as free men under the banner of Socialism.

New York Labor News Publishing belonged to the Socialist Labor Party and produced books, pamphlets and 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 DeLeon 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 DeLeon who held the position until his death in 1914. After De Leon’s death the editor of The People became Edmund Seidel, who favored unity with the Socialist Party. He was replaced in 1918 by Olive M. Johnson, who held the post until 1938.

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