The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-21
SOCIALISTS HAVE
A CELEBRATION
Thirty Third Anniversary of
Paris Commune Is Observed
With Music and Dancing.

Surrounded by spring flowers and
little children, the st. Paul Socialists
celebrated yesterday afternoon with
music, dancing and humorous recita-
lions, the thirty third anniversary of
the Paris Commune.
At Federation hall an audience of
about $50, including many women and
children, gathered yesterday to COM
memorate cheerily the first act of a
tragedy. But in the opinion of Sec
ton ST. Paul, Standardization party,
which prepared the entertainment
yesterday, the Paris commune, un-
fortunate at the time, should be con-
sidered a forerunner of truer liberty,
happier humanity.
'Comrade". George J. Stewart ex-
planned this attitude. March II, 1871,
said Mr.. Stewart, the communistic
leaders established at Paris "a genuine
government by the people and for the
people" In May of the same year dis
sessions arose among the leaders.
Within a short time, by scattering
false reports, M. Theirs was enabled to
arouse armed enemies against the
communists. He thus defeated the
working people who were trying to de-
fend their homes"
AS instances of the heroism of the
sufferers, Mr.. Stewart cited "a lady
with a child in her arms, who would
not kneel before her captors. She
would die first, she said. She was
shot Immediately. There was ALSO an
elderly gentleman who said that he
had given three sons to the commune
and death, and now he cried, you
may take the fourth
These principles" added Mr.. Stew
art, ARE those that we as Socialists
defend today We believe that the
thousands and tens of thousands slain
in the destruction of the Paris COM
mune fell victims of one of the most
fragrant deeds of injustice that the
working people were ever compelled
to suffer"
Needed Only Money to Succeed.
Although the Paris banks contained
much money in 1871 the Socialists, as
Mr.. Stewart maintained, refused to
touch this wealth; had they appro-
priated it, then, as the writer of this
book says" exclaimed Mr.. Stewart,
holding forth a volume, sthen the
communists would have come out
victors!"
Mr.. Stewart next quoted letter
| growth of Socialism during recent
years and setting forth the power it
! has attained in Europe. I'VE are the
| only party" declared Mr. Stewart,
| that represents. the people. There
are Others that call themselves So
cialists, but they're only bogus
| party" 49, s
Before quitting the platform Mr..
| Stewart asked all men present to
| TcsY how t11o.f ct
| their votes for the principles attacked
| by M. Theirs in, 1871.
The remainder ofs;the programme in
| eluded orchestral numbers; song by
| Miss Agnes Benson, accompanied by
| Miss Stella Fandel, pianist; a piano
solo. Miss Laura Blomquist; song by
! the Vega Singing society, a we'll
| trained organization of male singers;
recitation, t9That. Hired Girl" by Miss
Edith Anderson: song, by the Wilson
| children; violin solo, John Frick; recf-
| tation, Mrs. C. E. Bishop; song and
| dance. Mcleod sisters; monologue
| Ned Burke, and chorus by the Vega
and the Svea Singing societies.
/ After supper, served in an adjoin-
! ing room. dancing began
Purely Political Party.
| The connection of the Socialist La
Dor party with the local campaign
was described privately yesterday aft
ernoon by one of the prominent So
cialists Henry CARING. He said:
Ours is a purely political party. We
| want to get control of the government
but we favor legal methods strictly; we
| wish to WELD the power of the ballot. We
/ have nothing in common with anarch-
| lists or with any association that favors
| any methods not strictly legal. We wish
| to control the government so we can make
| laws in favor of the working people. Al
| present the capitalists controlling the gov
| eminent make all the laws In their owr
| favor.
We are the original Socialist party; we
held our first election in 1888. But we
have no leaders; every socialist is indie
| peBdent. Leaders might fiirt with Other
parties and betray us. In fact, we've ha6
to expel a number of able men for Vio-
| Iating this rule of our discipline.
| In 1896 an opposition party was started
| and when Lind ran for governor the So
ket so as to deceive both Socialists anG
| Democrats. For that reason the legisla
ture forbade any party to use on the bal
| lot the name, or part of the name, of any
older party. But by making nominations
for offices that we did not seek, our op-
ponents got their names on the ticket aft.
| erwardS. That has caused the present
| confusion Still City Attorney Michael is
now convinced that we are entitled to use
/ our original name on the ballots for the
| spring election. The fact that he ruled
against us a short time ago may be mis-
understood; We wish the papers would
make clear that he has since reversed
| his decision.