the armies of labor-第29部分
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silver and gold 〃at the present legal ratio of sixteen to one；〃 and postal savings banks。 In a series of resolutions which were not a part of the platform but were nevertheless 〃expressive of the sentiment of this convention；〃 the party declared itself in sympathy 〃with the efforts of organized workingmen to shorten the hours of labor〃； it condemned 〃the fallacy of protecting American labor under the present system； which opens our ports to the pauper and criminal classes of the world and crowds out our wage…earners〃； and it opposed the Pinkerton system of capitalistic espionage as 〃a menace to our liberties。〃 The party formally declared itself to be a 〃union of the labor forces of the United States；〃 for 〃the interests of rural and city labor are the same； their enemies identical。〃
These national movements prior to 1896 are not； however； an adequate index of the political strength of labor in partisan endeavor。 Organized labor was more of a power in local and state elections； perhaps because in these cases its pressure was more direct； perhaps because it was unable to cope with the great national organization of the older parties。 During these years of effort to gain a footing in the Federal Government； there are numerous examples of the success of the labor party in state elections。 As early as 1872 the labor reformers nominated state tickets in Pennsylvania and Connecticut。 In 1875 they nominated Wendell Phillips for Governor of Massachusetts。 In 1878； in coalition with the Greenbackers； they elected many state officers throughout the West。 Ten years later； when the Union Labor party was at its height； labor candidates were successful in several municipalities。 In 1888 labor tickets were nominated in many Western States； including Colorado； Indiana； Kansas； Minnesota； Michigan； Missouri； Nebraska； Ohio； and Wisconsin。 Of these Kansas cast the largest labor vote； with nearly 36；000； and Missouri came next with 15；400。 In the East； however； the showing of the party in state elections was far less impressive。
In California the political labor movement achieved a singular prominence。 In 1877 the labor situation in San Francisco became acute because of the prevalence of unemployment。 Grumblings of dissatisfaction soon gave way to parades and informal meetings at which imported Chinese labor and the rich 〃nobs；〃 the supposed dual cause of all the trouble； were denounced in lurid language。 The agitation； however； was formless until the necessary leader appeared in Dennis Kearney； a native of Cork County； Ireland。 For fourteen years he had been a sailor； had risen rapidly to first officer of a clipper ship； and then had settled in San Francisco as a drayman。 He was temperate and industrious in his personal life； and possessed a clear eye； a penetrating voice； the vocabulary of one versed in the crude socialistic pamphlets of his day； and； in spite of certain domineering habits bred in the sailor； the winning graces of his nationality。
Kearney appeared at meetings on the vacant lots known as the 〃sand lots；〃 in front of the City Hall of San Francisco； and advised the discontented ones to 〃wrest the government from the hands of the rich and place it in those of the people。〃 On September 12； 1877； he rallied a group of unemployed around him and organized the Workingman's Trade and Labor Union of San Francisco。 On the 5th of October； at a great public meeting； the Workingman's party of California was formed and Kearney was elected president。 The platform adopted by the party proposed to place the government in the hands of the people； to get rid of the Chinese； to destroy the money power； to 〃provide decently for the poor and unfortunate； the weak and the helpless；〃 and 〃to elect none but competent workingmen and their friends to any office whatever 。 。 。 。 When we have 10；000 members we shall have the sympathy and support of 20；000 other workingmen。 This party；〃 concluded the pronouncement； 〃will exhaust all peaceable means of attaining its ends； but it will not be denied justice； when it has the power to enforce it。 It will encourage no riot or outrage； but it will not volunteer to repress or put down or arrest or prosecute the hungry and impatient； who manifest their hatred of the Chinamen by a crusade against 'John；' or those who employ him。 Let those who raise the storm by their selfishness； suppress it themselves。 If they dare raise the devil； let them meet him face to face。 We will not help them。〃 In advocating these views； Kearney held meeting after meeting each rhetorically more violent than the last； until on the 3d of November he was arrested。 This martyrdom in the cause of labor increased his power； and when he was released he was drawn by his followers in triumph through the streets on one of his own drays。 His language became more and more extreme。 He bludgeoned the 〃thieving politicians〃 and the 〃bloodsucking capitalists；〃 and he advocated 〃judicious hanging〃 and 〃discretionary shooting。〃 The City Council passed an ordinance intended to gag him； the legislature enacted an extremely harsh riot act； a body of volunteers patrolled the streets of the city； a committee of safety was organized。 On January 5； 1878； Kearney and a number of associates were indicted； arrested； and released on bail。 When the trial jury acquitted Kearney； what may be called the terrorism of the movement attained its height； but it fortunately spent itself in violent adjectives。
The Workingman's party； however； elected a workingman mayor of San Francisco； joined forces with the Grangers； and elected a majority of the members of the state constitutional convention which met in Sacramento on September 28； 1878。 This was a notable triumph for a third party。 The framing of a new constitution gave this coalition of farmers and workingmen an unusual opportunity to assail the evils which they declared infested the State。 The instrument which they drafted bound the state legislature with numerous restrictions and made lobbying a felony； it reorganized the courts； placed innumerable limitations upon corporations； forbade the loaning of the credit or property of the State to corporations； and placed a state commission in charge of the railroads； which had been perniciously active in state politics。 Alas for these visions of reform！ A few years after the adoption of this new constitution by California； Hubert H。 Bancroft wrote：
〃Those objects which it particularly aimed at； it failed to achieve。 The effect upon corporations disappointed its authors and supporters。 Many of them were strong enough still to defy state power and evade state laws； in protecting their interests； and this they did without scruple。 The relation of capital and labor is even more strained than before the constitution was adopted。 Capital soon recovered from a temporary intimidation。。。Labor still uneasy was still subject to the inexorable law of supply and demand。 Legislatures were still to be approached by agents。。。Chinese were still employed in digging and grading。 The state board of railroad Commissioners was a useless expense； 。。。being as wax in the hands of the companies it was set to watch。〃*
* 〃Works〃 （vol。 XXIV）： 〃History of California；〃 vol。 VII； p。 404。
After the collapse of the Populist party； there is to be discerned in labor politics a new departure； due primarily to the attitude of the American Federation of Labor in partisan matters； and secondarily to the rise of political socialism。 A socialistic party deriving its support almost wholly from foreign…born workmen had appeared in a few of the large cities in 1877； but it was not until 1892 that a national party was organized； and not until after the collapse of Populism that it assumed some political importance。
In August； 1892； a Socialist…Labor convention which was held in New York City nominated candidates for President and Vice…President and adopted a platform that contained； besides the familiar economic demands of socialism； the rather unusual suggestion that the Presidency； Vice…Presidency； and Senate of the United States be abolished and that an executive board be established 〃whose members are to be elected； and may at any time be recalled； by the House of Representatives； as the only legislative body； the States and municipalities to adopt corresponding amendments to their constitutions and statutes。〃 Under the title of the Socialist…Labor party； this ticket polled 21；532 votes in 1892； and in 1896； 36；373 votes。
In 1897 the inevitable split occurred in the Socialist ranks。 Eugene V。 Debs； the radical labor leader； who； as president of the American Railway Union； had directed the Pullman strike and had become a martyr to the radical cause through his imprisonment for violating the orders of a Federal Court； organized the Social Democratic party。 In 1900 Debs was nominated for President； and Job Harriman； representing the older wing； for Vice…President。 The ticket polled 94；864 votes。 The Socialist…Labor party nominated a ticket of their own which received only 33；432 votes。 Eventually this party shrank to a mere remnant； while the Social Democratic party became generally known as the Socialist party。 Debs became their candidate in three successive elections。 In 1904 and 1908 his vote hovered around 400；000。 In 1910 congressional and local elections spurred the Socialists to hope for a million votes in 1912 but they fell somewhat short of this mark。 Debs received 901；873 votes； the largest number which a Socialist candidate has ever yet received。 Benson； the presidential candidate in 1916； received 590；579 votes。*
* The Socialist vote is stated differently by McKee； 〃National Conventions and Platforms。〃 The above figures； to 1912； are taken from Stanwood's 〃History of the Presidency；〃 and for 1912 and 1916 from the 〃World Almanac。〃
In the meantime； the influence of the Socialist labor vote in particular localities vastly increased。 In 1910 Milwaukee elected a Socialist mayor by a plurality of seven thousand； sent Victor Berger to Washington as the first Socialist Congressman； and elected labor…union members as five of the twelve Socialist councilmen； thus revealing the sympathy of the working class for the cause。 On January 1； 1912； over three hundred towns and cities had one or more Socialis
