The Topeka state journal., 1906-03-05
HUNTER HOUSE PARTY.
Prominent Socialists Hold a Meeting
Lasting Three Days.

4
held at the country residence of his
father-in-law, Arson Phelps Stokes.
and il is not all sOcialistic, either, but
something like it.
There are in attendance, beside So
cialists, single takers and plain re
formers, people who write exposures
for magazines. Some of the guests
are staying with Mr.. Hunter and J. G..
Phelps Stokes at Stokes residence.
others are running UP from New York.
Friends of the republic. Mr..
Hunter calls his guests, and the sub
Ject of the conference is. What Shall
We Do to Save the Republic %
Mr- Hunter held such a conference
last year with a smaller and less dis
tinguished attendance. Socialists
among the guests take it for a good
sign that. while last year socialism
mildly knocked, nearly every one
present this year is at least a mild So
cialist
The city guests who arrived in a
driving rain storm went by omnibus
to the Stokes house Among those
were Morris Hilquit scholar, of the
socialistic movement in New York:
Leonard Abbott, Victor L. Berger, So
cialist leaders: John Spargo another
socialist; Gaylord Wiltshire. editor OF
Wilshire's SOcialistc magazine; Prof
Franklin H Giddings of Colum mbia
David Graham Philips and Ray stan
nard Baker, magazine expOsers; State
A2-AAcAlOA fCAGLL 0Ol0N Ol New d 0ES6ys
the reformer; Ernest Crosby the
single taxer; Arthur Brisbane. George
Fred Williams, William Kent. J. G.
Phelps Stokes, ex-senator John Ford
John Brtsben Walker Hamilton Holt
e. J. Ridgway of Everybody's Maya
zine, Ernest Poole, John Dewitt
Warner, and A. J. BOultOn.
A number of other who's who'sers"
of the radical wing had been invited
but sent regrets, among them Edwin
F1 1r-1-1 !, To- 7
Senator LaFonette. Joseph Folk, Brand
Whitlock and Tom Johnson.
Mr.. Hunter started off the proceed
lngs by informing the company they
were there to determine what the re-
public should do to be saved Should
they depend upon purifying the older
parties, should they form new party
or should they come out for straight
socialism.
Learn All About Socialism.
The socialist delegates called his at
! tention at once to the fact that they
would stand for no parties, old or new
but socialist party. AS there seemed
to be no other way to get at it. Mr.
Hunter invited the socialists to state
+ their views for the enlightenme ent of
those friends Of the republic who didn't
understand socialism.
Morris HilQiut. who lectures on So
cialism every night in his life. started
to explain the socialist doctrine from
lA4C BES A4llAilt5g assisted at intervals BX
Mr.. Hunter When he became tired
Prof Giddings took it up. By the time
he had finish ed luncheon was ready
and the friends of liberty adjourned
from the grand drawing room of the
Stokes house, where they had been
meeting, to the dining room.
AFTER few remarks by Mr.. Hunter,
/ Senator Colby talked from the point of
view of man who doesn't take much
stock in socialism. but does think that
J GHT71nf1 inc 70 H1 al
form Assisted by Mr.. Hunter he laid
before the conference the state of the
republic in the grasp Of graft.
David Graham Phillips, the scourge
OF the senate added a little, assisted by
Mr.. Hunter When he had finished Mr..
Hunter said he wanted to hear from a
conservative man who had the inter
ests Of the republic al heart and yet
was not positively identified with any
radical party. Therefore he took great
/ pleasure ip calling on Mr.. Ridgway.
Socialists Eager to Instruct
/ Mr. Ridgway said he was nightly in
/ terested. The exposure Of Lincoln Stef-
/ fens in politics and of Thomas ". Law
son in finance had persuaded him that
+ something should be done. A great many
I people-he enumerated Upton Sinclair
and Jack LOndOn-had tried to explain
I socialism to him, but he never under
/ stood how it could be worked. He would
/ instruction.
Five socialists got on their feet at
4 once, struggling to instruct Mr. Rfdg-
way Mr.. Hunter was obliged to rap
I hard for order.
Mr.. Ridgway was instructed and the
I conference adjourned with some closing
/ remarks by Mr.. Hunter at half past 5.
and most of the guests took the onnni-
bus through the rain to Noroton station.
/ In the haste Of breaking up and get
ting the o'clock ain. they forgot
/ to determine whether the radical
/ strength of the republic is to be thrown
: in with one of the old parties for purf-
hcation or whether they are going to
/ found a new party, or whether they
would come out hatfooted for socialism.
But Hilduit and Spargo said they
! were satisfied any way; the WhC.e par
/ ty, even Mr.. Phillips and Mr.. Ridg-
way showed a gratifying leaning to-
I ward socialism, and the only one who
/ seemed beyond salvation was Crosby.
who is lest and abandoned single
taxer.
David Graham Phillips staid over. as
( also did Ray Stannard Baker and r. J.
/ Rfdgway. Lincoln Stefens, S. S. Nc
+ Clure. and Edwin Markham together
with some of the other lesser lights Of
! the magazine world, are expected to
day
Mr.. Hunter viii make an address
This viii bring the conference to a
close, and it is not likely, unless the
magazine men spring something that
+ the questions of the old party q new
party. or socialism viii be determined
until March. 19O7-plenty of time to
get ready for the campaign of 1908.
After his passengers We're gone the
news was broken to Bill. the 'busran.
thar he had been carrying socialists all
day.
styou dent say So said Bill. who
q thought the Stokeses would be get
ting down with bomb throwers2 They
didn't look il. either. They looked to
me like criminal trusts
Patriclz O'shea Dead.
New York March 5-Patriek O'Shea
} 81 -.rf.- ~