Evening journal., 1910-03-08
TUESDAY. MARCH 8 1910
NEW LARoR PARTY.


Il American politics is regarded by the New
York Evening Post as possibility of the inn
mediate future and the sentiment in favor of
such a party must be reckoned with. The Post
believes that the adverse decisions of the SUI
prcme Court respecting the contentious of labor
leaders the probable failure of anti-injuncton
legislation satisfactory to Gompers and his sup
porters, the possibility that the Supreme Court
will confirm the prison sentence imposed upon
Gompers, Mitchell and Morrison, and the ac-
complishments Of the labor party III England,
arc some of the reasons why the often made
threat of Gompers that labor party might be
formed will be put into execution.
Leading Socialists at the recent meeting Of
their National Committee took notice of this
sentiment for a labor party, and they were ask
ed what the attitude of the Socialists towards
sufnfa party would be- Some of the most con
NM vative Socialists declared that they would
st q IS the bridge when they came to it. Others
winiANg that the Socialists should unite with the
Smith; 5 party advocates and work in harmony with
j. A. smf
2aushtsr MsAociasts have sst been pleased with the
s'es sihson IS have been going IN their party 1t
&yin; Jo -iently predicted during the last cam
IasIamess 4 Debs tor President would poll about
as WI Votes. Even some conservative OBJ
loor rs who had watched the progress of the
~ Fly and had noted the vigorous campaign they
we're conducting placed the Socialstz vote at
100000 or 100000 The country gas just
emerging from business depression, which the
Socialists had a short time before predicted, and
IN view of the conditions 1t was presumed that
the party of unrest would largely increase its
strength. But Debs actually polled 100000 an
increase of only $4,000 as compared with the
campaign of four years before This was a
slight gain not commensurate with the effort put
forth
Even in New York the Socialists can by no
means hold their following. When Hearst is
candidate the Socialist vote is cut almost IN
two despite the frantic appeals of the Socialist
leaders and newspapers TO their followers to
stand firm. The view of some of them that they
should welcome labor party and combine with
it for practical work is similar to the program
OF the Bernstein group of Socialists III Ger
many who have opposed the position of the Bebe
Socialists who keep hands off all legislation and
refuse to unite with other parties, being content
to record their votes in the negative when legsla
lion is proposed by what they call the "Cap
tahstic parties
It.is said in referring to the possible labor
party that Mr. Gompers is becoming tired o
going from one party to the other, hat in hand
begging for favors; that with distinct labor
party he would be in position TO demand leg
islauon lhis would be true IT the followers
of q labor party reached any considerable mum
Der. But what would their number be? A new
party would solve the mystery of the labor vote
show just what it is and clear the atmosphere.
The Post thinks that I'VE ought not to un
dcrestimate the strength OF a labor party shou,
il be formed and that 1T is beside the point Y
argue that Samuel Gompers recent effort to dc
liver the labor vote 10 Bryan proved mserabl
failure Party loyalty renders it impossible
the Post thinks for labor leaders to delive
masses OF voters from one party to another, "bu
the response might be different if Repubhca
and Democratic trades unionsts were cae
upon to enter a party of their own Just whs
would happen OF course is a matter for spect
lation but party ties hold voters less tightly
these days than they did when there were sti
ring issues before the country which aroused il
tense partisan feeling. 1t would be possible f
labor party to hold the balance of power
Congress, but at the beginning its membersh
would be slight. And the history of this coui
try shows that third parties have never becon
permanent. In this respect the United Stat
differs from The old Countries