Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1891-02-28
AUST RALIA.

Annual Report of the Socialist League.
Progress ofthc Cause IN 1S00--Henry
Go"rg" and the Big strike AS Instru-
m"nts of Propaganda The Mass of
Australian Labor Drifting Toward In
dependent Political Action, IN Social
ist Principles.
The following report, presented at the
January meeting of the executive COM
mittee of the Australian Socialist League,
will be read with interest:
"The past year has witnessed substan-
tial progress in Socialism throughout
Australia, At the beginning of 1890 the
league was handicapped, having no
organ through which the light of Social
ism could be spread. But the starting of
the Brisbane Worker early in the year,
and the publicity by the daily press of
our weekly lectures, were greatly helpful
to the cause. Henry Georges visit was
taken advantage of to spread Socialistic
principles and to demonstrate the futlity
of the Single Tax as a means of abolish
ing poverty and removing social inequa-
lities. Several thousand leaflets entitled
"The Single Tax from the Socialist
DtdllhIbilibt W "a W. itWtli, WeT6
widely distributed at the Georgian meet
ings. The lectures against Georgism
were we'll attended, and lengthy reports
appeared in the AuStrditdn Star and
other papers. The leagues executive
challenged Henry George to debate the
relative merits Of Socialism and Single
Tax, putting forward Comrade Yewen
As the champion of Socialism, but
Georges commit ee declined the chal-
lenge. One thousand copies Of pamph-
let, "A refutation of the Single Tay
Theory" by A. G Yewen, were publ
lished at the conclusion of the Georg
campaign, and obtained wide aalu.
Favorable reviews thereof appeared in
Australian, English and American pa
pers The outcome of Henry Georges
visit was a very large increase in the
membership Of the league. The great
strike gave the league and the cause
generally wonderful impetus The
executive seized the opportunity for
propaganda purposes, and the strikers
were addressed 10y lectures in Sydney
and suburbs. Highly successful Social
ist meetings in connection with two
strike demonstrations on the part of the
united labor bodies were held and equal
ly successful meetings were held in the
Outer Domain, at ali Of which a strong
revolutionary feeling was manifested.
Successful meetings were also held at
WolIongong, Bull, and Helensburgh.
During the strike several thousand
tracts entitled ''The Strike from the So
cialst Standpoint" were widely circu-
lated. "The statement of principles and
platform Of the league" was al D drawn
up, and over 10000 distributed far and
wide. In September last the league
exposed during the currency of the
Grated labor, Mr.. H. II. Champion,
Messrs. Thompson and M'Namara, de-
puted by the league, placed the main
facts of Champions career in England
before the Trades and Labor Council,
who unanimously repudiated Cham
pion's interference As mediator in the
strike and denounced him as an enemy
to trades unionlsm. The league held
meetings to expose Champion, which
were well attended. Champion was
asked to come and defend himself, but
did not appear. Finding the opposition
to him too caustic Champion took his
exit from Sydney. At several of the
league meetings held during the strike
resolutions COndemnatory of the present
capitalistic system, and affirming the
necessity of nationaliZing the means of
production, distribute and exchange
were carried mem. con. This strike,
although causing a temporary reverse
to the workers, has made them study
the social question more assiduousiy.
Many unionists have declared for Social
ism. Through the leagues efforts two
powerful organizatiOns-the Amalga-
mated Navyies and the General Laborers
Union-were started. Since September
/ Z. upwards of 200 comrades have joined
the league On November 30, and De-
cember /, successful meetings were held
at Bull and WolIongong by delegates
Healy, Higgs and MNamara, and
branches of the league started at both
/ places, large numbers of miners enrol
/ ling. Meetings. lectures and debates
/ have been he'd at 533 George street.
/ Since October, on account of increasing
attendance, larger hall had to be se-
I cured. Meetings were latterly held in
! the Forester's liall, German COncordia
Hall and Royal standard Theatre. Sue
cessfuI celebrations of the Paris Com
mune' and "fhe Martyrdom of the
Chicago Comrades" (who were judici-
ally murdered by the Illinois Supreme
Court were held on March 16,