125 people out of a population of 200 show up for a Socialist meeting in the tiny hamlet of Guilderland, New York.

‘Socialists Invade a Small Town’ from the New York Call. Vol. 3 No. 312. November 8, 1910.

Schenectady Comrades Hold Good Meeting in Albany County Hamlet of Less Than 200 Population.

SCHENECTADY, N.Y., Nov. 7. Last Saturday evening seven of the Schenectady Socialists invaded the town of Guilderland, in Albany county. This place has about 200 inhabitants, forty-five of whom are employed in a little foundry plant, where mountings are made for piano actions. The plant also has a small machine shop, plating and polishing shop, pattern shop, core room, etc.; in all a very complete little establishment,

Most of the other residents are employed on farms, or operate small farms for themselves. After the Schenectady Comrades had ridden as far as possible on the trolley line they transferred to a waiting farmer’s wagon, equipped with uncushioned boards, as hard on one side as the other. After an hour’s ride over as horrible a stretch of road as could be found anywhere, in this open conveyance, with their overcoats buttoned up to the ears to ward off the icy blasts, they arrived at Guilderland and alighted at the general store to find about twenty men waiting in wondering expectation, no political agitators ever having invaded the town before.

The word had been passed around of the coming of the Schenectadians, so they started for the town hall, led by men with lanterns. The night was dark as pitch. The natives soon gathered in small parties, each with a lantern, about 125 being present out of a total population of about 200. For one and one-half hours Clinton Pierce, of Albany, and Harvey Simmons, of Schenectady, held the audience spellbound while they explained how the farmer as well as the wage worker was exploited by capitalism, and recounted the horrors, brutality, robbery and debasing influences of the present system and then explained in masterly fashion the Socialist philosophy.

It was a pleasure and a privilege to the countenances of the people change from wonder, anger and indignation to brighten with genuine enthusiasm as the speakers proceeded with their addresses. When they finished, the audience showed their approval with applause. Literature was eagerly accepted by all present. An appeal for financial assistance proved their earnestness, for about $4.50 was willingly given and about twenty small books purchased.

Much credit for the success of the meeting belongs to Comrade Charles Zellman, of Albany, who is manager of the foundry plant. Where there were three Socialist voters last year, not less than fifteen are looked for this fall.

The experience of the Schenectady Socialists in Guilderland proves that the people in the small towns are as eager for the Socialist message as those in the large industrial centers and should receive more attention in the future. The Comrades feel well repaid for their long and tedious journey by witnessing the eagerness and attention with which the people received their first Socialist speech. Without doubt, a local will be formed In Guilderland before long.

The New York Call was the first English-language Socialist daily paper in New York City and the second in the US after the Chicago Daily Socialist. The paper was the center of the Socialist Party and under the influence of Morris Hillquit, Charles Ervin, Julius Gerber, and William Butscher. The paper was opposed to World War One, and, unsurprising given the era’s fluidity, ambivalent on the Russian Revolution even after the expulsion of the SP’s Left Wing. The paper is an invaluable resource for information on the city’s workers movement and history and one of the most important papers in the history of US socialism. The paper ran from 1908 until 1923.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/the-new-york-call/1910/101108-newyorkcall-v03n312.pdf