1893
AUGUST
“Nationalist Meeting at Chicago.” [event of Aug. 30, 1893] &8212; This report of the annual meeting of the National Committee of Correspondence of the Nationalist movement inspired by novelist Edward Bellamy is a missing link, tying together the interlocking relationship of the Nationalists, the People&8217;s Party, and the Socialist Party of the ensuing decade. Held in Chicago at the residence of a prominent Nationalist supporter, the session was addressed by Unitarian publisher Charles H. Kerr of Chicago, who offered to put his office at the disposal of the Nationalists. Kansas People&8217;s Party activist addressed the meeting, urging the Nationalists to retain their organizational independence from that organization, persuading the delegates to endorse establishment of a cabinet-level Secretary of Labor with a formal resolution. Also in attendance were Herbert Burrows of the Social Democratic Federation (UK), William Clarke of the Fabian Society (UK), Eltweed Pomeroy of Newark, NJ (contributor to The Arena magazine), and Jesse Cox, future Secretary of the Social Democratic Party of America, forerunner of the SPA.
1918
MARCH
“Platform and Constitution of the National Party:...Adopted March 6-7-8, 1918: Principles, Spirit, and Aims." In 1917 a substantial percentage of the Right Wing of the Socialist Party of America quit the party over the SPA's militant opposition to American intervention in the European war. Rather than race into the ranks of Wilson's Democratic Party, in October of 1917 many of these individuals attempted to make common cause with Prohibitionists, Single-Taxers, and the Left Wing of the former Bull Moose Progressive Party in establishing a new political party, the National Party. This is the platform and organizational rules of that organization. The officers of and advisors to the National Party included a number of nationally recognized names, such as John Spargo, W.R. Gaylord, Upton Sinclair, J.G. Phelps Stokes, and Demarest Lloyd.
“Financing a Party of the People." Statement of the National Party outlining its system of finance. Each “active member” was urged to “contribute in accordance with his means, but not less than $2.00 per year,” which was to be split between the national office and the state organizations. In this way, “strong organizations” could be built at the local level, “with necessary funds to carry on educational work and contest elections.” The National Party was to be a “mighty engine” to “wage a war of extermination on the liquor traffic; on political oligarchy and despotism; on economic privilege and injustice; and upon all those evil forces which burden the people and create conditions for war," the party declared.