The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-07
NEW PARTY is FORMED
Social Democrats VIII Go Into
the Presidential Field.

Indianapolis, Ind, March 6.-The first
national convention of the Social-Dem-
ocratic party for the purpose of NOM
mating candidates for president and
vice-president, met today at 10 o'clock
in Reichswein's hall. About fifty del
egates were present. Many were ex-
pected to arrive during the day. Sew
eral Of the delegates carried proxies.
The two matters of Importance be-
fore the convention are the nominal
tons and absorption of Socialist La
Dor party, which is "bolting" section
of the Social Labor party of which
Daniel de Loom of New York was the
dividing power. His side was sustained
in court in a controversy over the par
]. B. Hartman of California for pres
ident, and Max Hayes of Cleveland,
o., for viee-president.
It is proposed that the Socialist La
Dor party will approximate 1900
members. amalgamate with the Social
Democrats and accept the nominees Of
that party.
There is also some talk of a fusion
with the middle-of-the-road Populists.
+. V. Debs, V. L. Berger and other
leaders say, however, that the Social
Democrats will enter fusion with no
party, but win absorb any. 1t is now
believed Debs will be made the presi-
dental candidate, If he should be
nominated, Hartman will likely be the
candidate for vice-president.
Members Called Comrades.
Jesse Cox, chairman Of the national
executive board. called the convention
to order. He called the delegates
comrades" and the called the pre-
siding officer "comrade chairman"
They called each other comrades"
The temporary craftsmanship was Of
fered 10 Eugene V. Debs and to Mr..
Cox, both declining because Of other
duties on the national board. William
Maillay of Haverhill was selected tenn
porary chairman by reclamation.
Committees on rules and credentials
were then appointed. During the re-
cess that followed the national COM
mittee met and considered the report
submitted to the convention. The re-
port saws: 1
THE original organizers Of our par
ty. profftfng by prior experience, be-
lieved that it is essential to the sue
cess of any sOciahstic political party
that its members should be in accord
with each other as to the main princi-
pies of the party. and the policy to be
pursued. Therefore, the founders OF
this movement, while endeavoring 10
maintain a friendly attitude toward all
those who are dissatisfied with present
conditions and who are honestly seek
ing to better them by any methods,
deemed il unwise to associate them
selves in any political movement with
any persons. however honest and well
disposed. who did not understand and
subscribe to the fundamental principles
of international socialism, as stated
and embodied in the platform adopted
for the party. 1t is therefore made
condition of membership in the party
that the members subscribe TO the fun
damental principles"
Concentration of Capital.
The report says the American people
nave been slow to recognize the now
obvious fact that the existing economic
capitalist system has, by concentrating
the capital Of the country in che hands
of few, divided American society into
two classes, whose interests are neces-
sarily antagonistic and irreconcilable.
1t is upon this antagonism of class
interests, the report says, that the So
cialist movement has been founded
The report shows that in the eighteen
months existence of the party. twenty
members have been elected to office,
and urges that candidates for Office be
nominated in every political election
where opportunity exists. There are
1900 dues-paying members.
At this afternoons session. Frederick
A. Strickland of Chicago was elected
permanent secretary, and Messrs. Put
nam and johnson, assistants. 1t was
shown that there were sixty-two del
egates, with 1875 votes, from seventeen
states. On motion of Eugene V. Debs,
a committee was appointed to receive
the committee representing the Social
ist-Labor party, which will arrive to-
morrow.
Eugene V. Debs said in an interview
today: 1.-THE Social-Democratic party
believes in trusts. but also believe in
the public ownership of them We look
upon them as blessings in disguise, and
we also believe it is impossible 70 reg
ulate them by legislation. The only
way to make them a benefit 10 the Ia
boring masses is for the government 10
own and control them.