The times., 1899-08-07
A NEW MASSACHUSETTS PARTY.
Rapid Underground Growth OF the
Social Democraey This year


Boston, Aug. 6.-There is new element
in Massachusetts, politics this year. 1t is
the Social Democracy, which had It's be-
ginning last year, was supported by the
Populist element of the Democratic party,
and got its impetus largely from the Ma
tionalist movement. Germany was its
birthplace and it has followers in many
European countries. In this country Eu-
gene V. Debs is it's leader and its idol and
Texas is one of its great strongholds 1t
has no use for Bryan and little faith in
the Democratic party. Some OF its tenets
are those of the so-called reform parties
of the past, but it is at odds with them all
and fighting on its own lines. In this
State it has been bitterly attacked by the
Socialist Labor party, but it doesn't reply
in kind. It just keeps at work without
any flourish OF trumpets, establishing So
cities for spreading its beliefs and drawing
steadily from the ranks of the old parties
1t controlled the elections in one Massa-
chusetts town last spring, and elected
mayor in one city, and elected two Rep
resentatives to the General Court. 1t cast
nearly 10000 votes for one OF the candi-
dates on the State ticket That was in the
beginning. Today its leaders say it is far
stronger in Massachusetts, that the Pop
ulist party was in its palmiest daye.
The Social Democracy is like the Socialist
Labor party in it's ultimate aim, collective
ownership. 1t welcomes members of trades
unions to its ranks and men OF means as
well, and in this State there are several
wealthy apostles of the new political creed
who are giving freely of their time and
money to forward the cause. The leaders
say they have no war with capital, but only
with capitalists, fine distinction, perhaps.
The new propaganda recognizes the trades
| union movement and its value, but 1t te Is
the workman he can only attain the ends
he is seeking by political means-a point
radically different from the views of the
! Socialist Labor party. 1t welcomes the
] formation of trusts as a means to an end,
seeing in the growth of the trusts the be-
ginning of movement which will make it
easier for Governments to assume control
of the monopolies when the time is ripe.
/ Haverhill is the stronghold OF the Social
Democracy here, as ii has been of reform
parties before, and Amesbury and Brockton
are other places where it has a good fol-
| lowing But it Is growing all over the
State, in odd hooks and corners and in big
, cities, through the ideas advanced by in
nocent little seed-sowing societies that ap-
parently have no connection with politics.
! In the fact that it is thus growing under
cover instead OF in the open lies its great
| est danger to the old parties, which are
likely to wake up some fine morning to
find a strong competitor in the field.
AS for national politics, the leaders here
say they will not support Bryan and his
party unless Bryan declares for collective
ownership, and this the silver men are
not likely to do. Taken all in all, the
Social Democracy seems likely to become
factor to be carefully reckoned with in
Massachusetts politics, and especially is ii
likely to become worrisome additional
thorn in the flesh to the Democrats, already
| in serious difficulties.