Workmen's advocate., 1886-12-19
THE PROPOGANOlST TOUR. Springfield and Cincinnati. Ohio, and Pittsburg. Pa., Visited by Dr.
 and Mrs. Ayeling.

llle meetlng neld last Nuluay (5th Dec.) at Blacks 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 roJbing. Every man and woman who took part in organizing this meeting for the Avelings knew they risked in- stant dismissal if Hound 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 as sure their visitors hearty welcome, 1 SoeS WluuOuu Sd1 lnS.
 The meeting. though not a very large one, was fairly well attended by workingmen and women, promi- nent 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 in- deed been some hostility between the two parties, due partly to the mis- conception of the Knights with re- gard to our movement, and partly to the fact that some of the Spring field Socialists had not thought it worth while 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 tes- tifed. The Avelings entered into a very careful and clear exposition of the fundamental meaning of Social ism, 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 satisfac- tion of both lecturers and local So- cialists, after the meeting some twenty K. of L., among them their Master Workman, Mir. Macdonald, came up to the Ayelings and assured them they had never before under stood what Socialism meant. They had believed it was the same thing as the bomb-throwing, anti-political, antl-organizing Anarchists, with whom they were not in sympathy. The fact that Socialists want an or ganized Labor Party, with a pure Labor Platform, was something new to them, but henceforth they will work heartily together with the So- cialists, and many will join the American section to be started there. The platform" of the $. l.. r. was eagerly 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 WORK MEMS ADVOCATE. Though they have run no small risks in getting up this meeting the Springfield sec tion of the $. l.. r. feels the risk was worth running, and are delight ed with the good results of the lee lures. Their only regret is that the Avelings were unable to remain long euough for getting up a second meeting.
 On Wednesday evening, the Co lumbs meeting having fallen through, the Avelings used their "holiday' to get up an evening of music and recltations at Cincinnati, winch afforded much pleasure to the many people who attended at the Turner Hall, Walnut street. The music was very good, and the recita- tions of our guests from English and American authors raised the great est enthusiasm. But the evening was not given up wholly to amuse- ment Before separating all Ameri- can and all English-speaking men and women present were invited to give in their names for forming an American section of the s. l.. r. | This was responded to by fourteen