The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-01-14
THE WORKINGMEN's ROW.
Will the Dissatisfaction Resuis
in q Split?

Ah % CRASs
Two meetings of workingmen IN the inser-
est Of the party were heid yesterday, one sAs-
tanning the action Of the National Coovents0a
at Newark, New Jersey, aud the other oppss-
ing Its action as conmunistic and opposed %
the principles OF the party at large. TAa
former meeting was held at the old headquar-
tors. Arbeitor Hall, and the latter At Empire
Hall. For the purpose OF asceItaining fully
the questions at issue STAR reporter called %
gentlemen representing both factions, ana
herewith gives the result OF the interviews:
MR.. e. r. OGDEN,
the first gentleman, said the meeting at En-
pire Hall was called by about N dozsu mon,
of whom he was one. for the purpose Of sgk-
ting the party right before the pubiic, as AH
could not indorso any movement tending 70
| Communism, rs the present Worhinsnaea's
organization was certainly doing.
| R!porter-Mr. Ogden. please state what %
| the cause OF the present disansction.
! Mr.. Ogden-Ihe trouble, sir, Is simply thts:
| At meeting some weeks ago the Engiisa Sse-
tion OF the Wol kmgmeu's parry OF Cincinnaai
appointed Mr. Thomas T. Markiand ~ dclc-
gate 10 repre- sent them at the National ConEee-
ttion to convene at Newark, New Jersey. A.
the meeting he was Instructed 10 oppose any
iCommunistic movements, and change %
name to any phase OF the word "Sociaiist"
Through the manipulations OF the s0ct2ls 30
element In this city he did not get his crcdea-
| tisls aud the means for travelling eKpcnsbs.
and as u necessary consequences did not go 10
the Convention at all; consequently tho kng-
lsh section of the party in this CITY Was ass
represented in the Convention.
| RepOrter-WhO did represent the Interests
Of the party at Lhat COnvcnttoIt
| MIR. Ogden-Mr. Gustav Lsubkert was seAk
| not in The interest OF the party at large but ns
Coin,nunistic elements Of the party The CVa-
yention adopted preamble aud plauOFm
purely Conlnunistic III lts language ana seao-
ency, to VIII cn and others are opposed
| Reporter-1ou do not consider the piasOrsG
| as representing the views OF y0utpartyf
MIR. Ogden-NO. cir, emphaticaity. claiM
that the Workingmen's party Is not cOnmun-
istic. There arc only about seventeen OF whas
| ght term radi ;al cOulin unists, who have ne
regard for law, order, or religion, ~ they are
coni hcd principally to the German Section.
Reporter-Do you anticipate fnal spit IN
the pArtyt
Mr.. USdcn-I think not. This Soclalssic ct
ement is not large enough to control the
| workings oil the party. A COMMITTEES mas 6oea
appointed by the meeting at hmpirc Hail GO
| report at tue meeting next sunday, whose duty
| 1t Is to report a platform, and think the
breach will be healed, either by me
adoption of u new platform, or ieVlsion OF tue
one adopted by the National Convention, BY
which the Objectionable features snail be ex-
plunged or modified
MR.. CHARLES A. THOMPSON.
This gentleman, IN reply to our questions.
made the following statements as to the pres
ent objections to the platform and the probRsls
issue OF the discussion now in progress:
| 1 attach no Importance to the proposed meet
ing, at Empire Hall. The SECTIONS are the
PARTY; and the voters will, In the future. a. an
the ia It, look to THEIR action as guide raehcs
tnan recognize he ieAdtrshlp oil ihd.viuuases
1t IS movement for the agitation OF greak
gu .stiOn of human rights, appealing directly b
the intelligence anu conscience, nOs only ek
W orkingmen but OF men Of all classes. It Gan
not there iore ST00P for votes after the f&shio1
of the old parties.
The old platform was no less Socialistic thsz
the new, and differs from it in none of its c.
| sential principles lnasmuch Is TWO OF the
FIVE seceueTs subscribed to the OLD platform Hy
| acca,ting nominations 70 the Legi5I atur0
spon it, 1t is difficult to explain their prescas
| dissatisfaction unless 1t is bred oil desire -
| effect political COMP NATIONS. by Which SONS
one may be boosted INTO an once &C the sacr-
lce OF tue pl inCiple and Integrity OF the orgaa-
| lzAtion. The protest OF these gentlemen would
have had more signfict tncc had 1t been made
In the County Convention when tneir naMss
were presented as candidates. None knew
better than they hat tney would not have re-
ceived d zen votes in that Convention il their
| hostility to the main principle OF the platform
| had not been concealed.
| Inc great body of voters OF the party, cOua-
| prising tho best brains and character Of the
1workIng class, have come into TINS m0venosas
| to stay, from profound conviction thai Sss
I
| directed against the slavery OF wages IN gen
erai as well as outgrowths OF the system La par
ticular. These CONVICTIONS on the part OF the
voters will not be made subservteut % tue per-
| sonaI ambition Of any nlau III Or out OF the par
ty. For these rcasons L G IN confidently as,urS
the public that there 10 no danger OF che lEa-
rupt.on OF the party, or alliance with any ottsz
faction or organization.
AR. l. A. PITTMAH.
| Reporter-W hat in your opinion causes n1s
l tha tnf NNzsAn
partyf
in the party is Occasloaed oy dnefence oa
opinion as to what should bs the name OF tas
party. the fundamental principles up0A
which the Socialist element propose TO erecS
the party structure. and AN objection 70 Gee
tam Communicate principles Incorporated IN
tine \ ational Constitution adopted al Newarks
New Jersey.
Keporter-What are your objections to tas
namep
Mr. Pittman-We claim and they exIiasa
that Socialist and Communist are synohomoas
terms. and we are opposed to any suoh nsost,s
as not placing the party in a true llgot Setofa
Reporter-W 10 you End in the Conssisa-
CiOn SO 0dl0ust
MIR. Piltman-Simply, and l may say o0ls.
the Comnunistlc tendency with which hAxs
no sympathy. For instance. the preAmsss
sets forth that the ''Soelallst Lxbst
( Party" demands that all tho meaoa
Of production, land, machinery, teae-
graph lines and canals shall become, -
soon as practicable tho property Of tho whoaa
people, IN order to abolish the competitive sEs-
Jrn, and subst, tute ia its place co-operatass
production, win q just distribution Of its ro-
Suits This emhodies my main objection TO TIA
platform, in connection with the fwelfCh SEQ
ti0n. which provides that all banking and IA
surance be conducted by the Govornm :nt. aae
!. the Sixteenth, which favors the abolition et
q Senate 10 all Legislatures and che
National Congress-. 1 CLAIM that the Ma
tional Constitution docs not embody the pria-
ciplcs claimed to be those Of the party pre-
yious to the Convention.
Report1r-W do you think will be tas
ISSUE of TINS difference of opiuion2
MIR. tittman-I think it will result in q
permanent local split.
An effort was made to see Mr.. Edward Hoe
man and other gentlem II who, together via
M. Thompson, represent the fa :tiOn which nacl
at Arbeiter Hall in the support ofthe Nati1scl
Convention. but the reporter failed to Ii Il
them at their places OF business.