The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-09
BROPHY EXPLAINS,
Prominent Socialist
Stands Firmly by i.
De Leon.
SPLIT CAUSED BY TWO REASONS.
An Election Will Test the
Strength Of the
Party.
SPLIT CAUSED BY TWO REASONS.

Thomas E. Brophy of Boston, can
didate for governor on the socialist
labor party ticket in 1896 and 1897, was
in Worcester yesterday.
Mr.. Brophy is an uncompromising
militant socialist, and a supporter of
Daniel De Leon of New York, against
whom a considerable section of the
party throughout the country is in
open revolt.
In Worcester, the larger of the two
factions of regularly enrolled socialists
is opposed to De Leon, but as Mr.. Bro
ply puts it, this does not indicate that
the majority of Worcester socialists are
antiDe Leonites." According to his
view of the situation the bulwark of
the party strength that comes from the
socialists outside the regular organiza-
ton can only be tested at an election.
1t will then be determined whether or
not De Leon and his methods have the
Endorsement or hostility of the party as
a whole.
News has come from New York that
the anti-De Leonites are to apply to
the courts for an injunction restraining
De Leon and his followers from using
the name of the socialist-labor party
on their ballot. This takes on a hui
morous aspect when one remembers
that the socialists, like the democrats.
have been shouting for years against
government by injunction, and sump-
tuary legislation.
Mr.. Brophy is a gentleman of pleas
ant address. He has made a life long
study of economic questions, partcu-
larly those having a bearing on So
cialism, and the contemplated co-opera-
tive commonwealth that the proletariat
tI oil
In an interview with The Spy report
er, Mr.. Brophy said:
You ask what is the split in the So
cialist labor party? The split in the
party in New York city, and to some
extent throughout the country, is
caused by two reasons. First, the form
of organization, and second, the grow
ing power of the socialist-labor party
in New York city. At the last election
we held the balance of power. the vote
for governor standing: Roosevelt. 661, =
900, and Van Wyck $4,000, the socialist
labor candidate polling $4,000 votes
Apart from this the power of the
socialist-labor party in New York city
IS endangering the power of Tammany
Hall in many assembly and congress
sional districts. 1t is said, no doubt
with much truth, that Tammany Hal
had much to do with the forcible at
ist-labor headquarters in July.
The socialist-labor party, like al
other political parties, is composed OF
two elements, the progressive and the
timid and reactionary. The party UNI
der the leadership of Daniel De Leon
Hugh Vogt, Lucian Saniel and the ma
| tional executive committee for the last
half dozen years has been on the lines
of uncompromising, proletarian, revo-
lutionary socialism. For a dong time
many of those who were unable to keer
up with the pace set by the nationa
committee have been barking at the
heels of De Leon and others, who are
in active command of the party forces
The matter eliminated in the attempt
to depose the rightfully constituted ma
tional committee by unconstitutiona
and illegal methods.
For some time during the organiza.
ton of the socialist-labor party, it die
not enter the field as an active politica
force, simply contenting itself with the
work of education and propaganda
The form of organization under those
conditions has been continued with ar
entire change of base, the party en-.
tering the active political field. Hat
the national committee been constitut.
ed in a general, rather than a loca
way, that is, to have been elected gen.
eTdIty, Instead VI DelnS elected by the
local membership in New York city
this fight would have been purely a 10.
cal affair, instead of embroiling the
members Of the party Of the whole
country.
THE membership of the socialist-la
Dor party under the management of the
national committee has been drilled in
to disciplined army of militant
fighting men.N have not been active
in the councils of the party or engag-
ed in party affairs for the last year
and really am not entirely familiar with
the situation in the various towns and
cities in the state.
1.-THE caucuses where the voice of the
people is heard will be held on the 18th
or 18th, and the character of the dele
gates elected, and the stand taken by
the state convention on the various
questions that are now agitating the
party, will determine to a great extent
what that situation is, and what atti-
tude the socialists of Massachusetts
viii take in regard to national party
questions.
THE supporters of Daniel De Leon in
the national committee control the
state committee, both the secretary and
the chairman being supporters OF that
side. If the state convention will sus-
tain the state committee by indorsing
the national administration as repres
ented by the old national committee,
there can be no doubt of the result"