Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-11-07
THE LABOR PARTY's FUTURE
Leaders at Work Remodelling tho New
York City Organization.


what they shall do in the future-whether
they will organize in the city only and
send delegates to the Democratic State
Convention asking to be received into the
Democratic party, or organize party of
their own, not only in New York. but in
the State and through the country, taking
the labor organizations as basis to build
upon. The alternative would mean the
formation of national Labor party, the
/ bringing into politics of the Knights of
Labor and the trade unions, and the using
of the machinery of the laboring mems
organizations as q foundation for the party
machinery that would be necessary.
The strength of such amovement should
not be underestimated, as the George
movement has been. As to the labor or
carnations of New York, Mr.. George got
ut the most only two-thirds of their voting
strength. Many nen did not vote for
him because they felt that their votes
would be lost; Others, who voted against
him on account of ridicule or pressure of
one kind or another, might have clung to
him if they had known what strength he
l
Georges vote could not be relied upon in
a State or National movement, and it is
doubtful if the labor strength proper would
cling to such movement if the contest
were one in which there was no prospect
of success, and which required u total sew
erance of old party ties.
So far the leaders have decided only to
begin to perfect their district organizations
in New York. The original organizations
this fall were almost purely trade Organi-
cations The Knights of Labor and trade
unioniStS who lived in the different Assem-
bly, districts organized through the aid of
their trades organizations, and these district
centered at central Labor Union Hall on
Eighth street, and to a great extent are un-
der the controll of the Central LaGorU Union.
This organization was rs effective rs 1t
could be made within few months, but
il had defects that prevented it from be-
ing good permanent organization.
The members of the various trade
unions and assemblies are scattered
all over the city, and their Off
GERS live in all the Assembly
districts. District leaders selected
by those men would not be as good for
their districts rs men selected by the dis
tricts themselves. This is now being REM
edied, and the districts are being Organiz-
ed rs effectively by the Labor party as by
any other. The election brought out the
natural capacities OF many men, and show
ed who the best organizers and workers
are. These men are selected for the dis
trict committee, and no matter what trade
they belong to, and they will elect their
Chairman. With this committee rs TO-
Gus, primaries can be held TO which every
body will be admitted who voted for Hen
ry George or who will vote for the Labor
candidates next fall. All the machinery
will then be going; district candidates can
be chosen, delegates elected, and county
convention will be held. This is the view
that so far the local leaders have taken,
and this is the plan, with necessary am
plificatiOn of detail that has been decided
on.
Whatever may be decided upon about
| the formation of a National Labor party
and conclusion on that question will be
! reached only after consultation with labor
leaders over the whole country-It Is de-
clared to be settled that labor ticket will
| be nominated next fall, not only in the
county of New York, but in the Assembly
districts and probably in Brooklyn. This
/ fall Mr.. George only was nominated that
the party might be concentrated and a
/ better showing thus made. The labor
poople are more than satisfed-they are
| exultant over the vote. They had a
plurality in the Tenth, Fourteenth, Fifth
teenth and Seventeenth districts. They
I rnfa
| Hewitt in the Eighth and more
than Mr.. Roosevelt in the First, Second,
Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Twelfth, Sixteenth,
Eighteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-Sec-
ond. In twO-thirdS'Of the districts they
would have elected their district candi-
dates had Mr. Hewitt's vote been divided
between Tammany candidate and n
| County Democracy candidate. With such
strength their intention at present to run
their own district candidates next year Is
only inevitable. With rs great vote
| then as this year they could elect four As
semblymen and Aldermen on straight
ticket, and with judiciOus combinations
with the Democratic faction and the he
publicans they could secure a majority OF
the delegation to Albany and the Board OF
! Aldermen, and elect Senator to succeed
| Plunkitt, whose district they carried, and
| whoever was favored by them in four OF
the other Senate districts would succeed.
Besides the plan to form State and Ma
tional Labor party, there is the alternative
| of going to the Democratic State Conyen' e
tion and asking for recognition. This plan
was discussed by the leaders before cleo
/ tion, and it was favored then more than 1t
| is now. The Irving Hall faction will go to
the Convention if the Labor party itself
does not. They will 60 to the next Con-
vention and say: 1--WE have pOlled $1,000
votes. Tammany Hall and the County
Democracy united polled only 81, 600 votes.
Give us a propOrtiOnate number of dele
gates, and give us recognition. If you do
not, and chose to reject us, carry the State
without us-if you can"