The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-09-04
never RECEIVED ].
STRONG SUPPORT /
OF UNION j. LABOR 4! ! o. !
p, [ ~ -
American Voters Have Had
Frequent Experience With la
Dor Parties in Past. <.

Labors political efforts can be
grouped into three periods-from
1927 up to the Civil War. from the
Civil War to the time of the KNIGHTS
of Labor, and the methods which
have been carried into effect by the
American Federation of Labor since
that time.
Apparently the first Labor party
IN the United States was the one Or
ganized in Philadelphia in 1927. It
met with but Temporary success and
then ceased to exist.
Bits of History
In 1929 Workmen's party was
organized in New York city, and
here the interest became so great.
though the unity of action was weak,
that in the fall Of 1880, three sepa-
rate labor parties were in the field
in New York.
In 1880 a La bor party was launch
ed in Boston, Mass. but it failed to
gather sufficient strength to make its
efforts effective.
hmm ed,ately after the Civil War.
the workers, believing that their in
terests required an organizing of la
Dor parties, gave much of their at
tention to this end, and in 1867 three
states-New York, Connecticut and
Michigan-held labor party conven-
tons. Their efforts, however,, did
not result in the election Of many of
! their candidates. the results of the
election being most disappointing:
Two years later, in 1859, the Labor
Reform Farty of Massachusetts sue
ceeded in electing p members to the
house of representatives and one to
the state senate. This election was
it's only success for dissensions arose
within the ranks and the vote fell
away to practically nothing.
First National Effort.
1t waSshortly previous to this that
| tho first national effort was made
under the auspices Of the National
Labor Union, a movement in which
Resident Cilvis was a leading figure.
The National Labor party was or
ganized to work in the Industrial and
political field. 1t had in view feder-
ating the national and international
union. into an Organization which
would unite the trade unionists for
Industrial and political purposes. It
progressed to the extent of naming
a national ticket, but the votes did
not materialize and, owing partly to
the death of President Silvis and part
ly to it's political failure, the National
Labor party passed out of existence.
! With it's dissolution came a serious
| weakening Of the trade-union moVe7
ment, a number of the national uniE
ons losing large number of their
members and some OF them going
upon the rocks Of dissolution.
The idea of labor party, howl
ever, still held the minds of many
workers, and in examining the failure
of previous labor parties, some of
the leaders were convinced that the
principle was sound and that the
failures which had overtaken prev
jous efforts were due to faulty meth
DDS.
Knights Of Labor.
The rise of the knights Of Labor
received the enthusiasm of those who
believed in labor party politics, and,
at one time. a number of labor men
were elected as: the result of the
widespread influence which had been
developed by that organization. But
the very political methods applied :py
the knights of Labor planted the
seeds of weakness, and that oganiza
ton, as an industrial and political
factor, PISSED away.
During the eight years from 1880 t.
1888, there were organized the Uni
on Labor party, the United Labor
party, the Progressive Labor party
the American Reform party, the
Homesteaders and the Anti-Monop'
olists, al: of these basing their
strength upon the trade union move
ment. None of them made any sub
stantial progress, although in 1888
the Union Labor party polled some
81 10000 votes. :
i When the American Federation OF
Labor began to gather strength, the