The Socialist Labor Party reports on their sponsored tour of Eleanor Marx, Wilhelm Liebknecht, and He-Who-Will-Not-Be-Named through Pittsburgh, Springfield and Cincinnati, Ohio in 1886.

‘The Avelings’ Propagandist Tour’ from Workmen’s Advocate (New Haven). Vol. 2 No. 12. December 19, 1886.

Springfield and Cincinnati, Ohio, and Pittsburg, Pa,. Visited by Dr. and Mrs. Aveling.

The meeting held last Sunday (5th Dec.), at Black’s Opera House, Springfield, O. was a remarkably interesting one. To begin with, there is perhaps no town in America where the capitalist bosses so openly and unblushingly tyrannize over the workmen whom they are robbing. Every man and woman who took part in organizing this meeting for the Avelings knew they risked instant dismissal if “found out,” and to lose employment with the winter setting in, and the certainty of being blacklisted is no slight thing for men with families to face. But that the brave little band of Springfield Socialists did face it; that they did everything in their power to assure their visitors a hearty welcome, goes without saying.

The meeting, though not a very large one, was fairly well attended by workingmen and women, prominent among them being the chief K. of L. men in the place. These and the Socialists have so far never worked together, and there had indeed been some hostility between the two parties, due partly to the misconception of the Knights with regard to our movement, and partly to the fact that some of the Springfield Socialists had not thought it worthwhile explaining matters to their K. of L. fellow workmen. That the differences between the two were entirely due to these two causes, the result of the meeting testified. The Avelings entered into a very careful and clear exposition of the fundamental meaning of Socialism, explaining both its ultimate aims and its methods, and showing how the K. of L. if they but studied their own platform would see that they are to all intents and purposes Socialists, and must sooner or later join the ranks of the Socialists, and the sooner they did this the better for them.

To the astonishment and satisfaction of both lecturers and local Socialists, after the meeting some twenty K. of L., among them their Master Workman, Mr. Macdonald, came up to the Avelings and assured them they had never before understood what Socialism meant. They had believed it was the same thing as the bomb-throwing, anti-political, anti-organizing Anarchists, with whom they were not in sympathy. The fact that Socialists want an organized Labor Party, with a pure Labor Platform, was something new to them, but henceforth they will work heartily together with the Socialists, and many will join the American section to be started there. The “platform” of the S.L.P. was eager y sought for, and K. of L. will undertake to distribute it among their fellow Knights, and will also try to push the sale of the WORKMEN’S ADVOCATE. Though they have run no small risks in getting up this meeting the Springfield section of the S.L.P. feels the risk was worth running, and are delight ed with the good results of the lectures. Their only regret is that the Avelings were unable to remain long enough for getting up a second meeting.

On Wednesday evening, the Columbus meeting having fallen through, the Avelings used their “holiday” to get up an evening of music and recitations at Cincinnati, which afforded much pleasure to the many people who attended at the Turner Hall, Walnut street. The music was very good, and the recitations of our guests from English and American authors raised the greatest enthusiasm. But the evening was not given up wholly to amusement. Before separating all American and all English-speaking men and women present were invited to give in their names for forming an American section of the S.L.P. This was responded to by fourteen friends and many others inquired when regular meetings took place would be, as they intend to join next week, not having time to wait that night a enroll themselves at the somewhat late hour.

On Friday, December 10th, a meeting was held at Pittsburg at Lafayette Hall. It was not a very large one, which is the more surprising when we take into consideration the fact that the workingmen are here a larger percentage of the whole population than perhaps in any other town. And yet it is not so surprising as it looks. These poor men are so worn out, so exhausted after the long day’s heavy work that to creep home and sleep is all they can care for. But there is no reason to despair. A small start among the Americans has again been made. and we hope soon to report a good Section of the S.L.P. here. Another reason for our being of good cheer is, that at the very same hall where the Avelings spoke to some 150 people the old Abolitionists held their first meeting, and as an old American stated, to far smaller audiences. The old Abolitionists nevertheless were victorious, and chattel slavery is a thing of the past. Our old abolitionists will achieve victory also, and wage-slavery also will be a thing of the past.

Three or four big Pittsburg bosses called at the Avelings’ hotel late in the evening after the meeting, and admitted the present system is unjust, thought Socialism “Utopian,” and that a graduated income tax would settle everything! What great movement has not at some time been called Utopian? We can only hope these good bosses may live to see the practicability of Socialism!

During the past week the Avelings lectured at Williamsport, Baltimore, Washington and Wilmington (reports of which appear in next number), and then returned to New York, where a meeting will be held on this (Sunday) evening. On the 25th the Avelings expect to sail for England.

The Workmen’s Advocate (not to be confused with Chicago’s Workingman’s Advocate) began in 1883 as the irregular voice of workers then on strike at the New Haven Daily Palladium in Connecticut. In October, 1885 the Workmen’s Advocate transformed into as a regular weekly paper covering the local labor movement, including the Knights of Labor and the Greenback Labor Party and was affiliated with the Workingmen’s Party. In 1886, as the Workingmen’s Party changed their name to the Socialistic Labor Party, as a consciously Marxist party making this paper among the first English-language papers of an avowedly Marxist group in the US. The paper covered European socialism and the tours of Wilhlelm Liebknecht, Edward Aveling, and Eleanor Marx. In 1889 the DeLeonist’s took control of the SLP and Lucien Sanial became editor. In March 1891, the SLP replaced the Workmen’s Advocate with The People based in New York.

Access to PDF of full issue: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn90065027/1886-12-19/ed-1/seq-1/