|
HISTORY OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT IN CHICAGO.
By GEORGE A. SCHILLING
It was in March of 1876, when P.J. McGuire and Comrade Loebkert, as the organizers and agitators of the Social-Democratic party of America, visited Chicago and other Western points for the purpose of sowing the seed of Socialism, that I first met Albert R. Parsons. There was a mass-meeting on Saturday evening at the Vorwaerts Turner Hall, where McGuire spoke, and at the end of his eloquent address announced his intention of organizing an English Section of Socialists, and invited all those satisfied with the doctrine as expounded that evening to hand in their names and address as they passed out. It was on this occasion that A. R. Parsons, John Swertfeger, O. A. Bishop, T.J. Morgan, Adolph Glecker, and myself embraced the opportunity of connecting ourselves with the Socialistic movement. The next day (Sunday) McGuire addressed another meeting at the Old Globe hall on Desplaines street. After his addressed he invited all person to ask questions on any point that was not yet clear to them. It was at this juncture that a well dressed man with a clear accent rose and asked whether, in this co-operative state as outlined by the speaker, all persons were to share alike, regardless of the amount they would produce. The interrogator was A. R. Parsons. The question created the liveliest interest, as we were all anxious to know whether we had struck a Communistic whack-up-all-around institution, in which the parasite was to find a loafers' paradise at the expense of the industrious worker, or whether the law of merit was still to obtain. McGuire answered that the Social-Democratic party only contemplated to nationalize land, the instruments of production, exchange, and transportation, rewarding each worker, however, in proportion to
|
