Life of Albert Parsons

<--Previous  Up  Next-->

a small Socialist weekly edited by Conrad Conzett, who is working for the cause in Switzerland. I found the paper very interesting and saw that it contained great truths. I was delighted with it. An advertisement of a meeting to be held by the International Workingmen's Association at 130 Lake street attracted my attention and I attended it. About fifteen or seventeen men were present-a small branch of the I. W. A. These men made great sacrifices to uphold their paper, and it was at that time astonishing to me thin men could, without any compensation, work so eagerly for humanity. It struck me what a gigantic work it was to educate and organize the masse who create everything only to be cheated by their exploiters out of the fruits of their toil. My health was good. I had work; therefore was able to buy and study Socialistic literature. The more I read the more I became convinced; enlisted in the cause and have worked for and grown firmer in my belief ever since. I started a toy store in 1876, which gave me more time and opportunity to work for the cause. In 1878 the I. W. A. disbanded and all the members entered the different labor organization of the city and ill a short time we were able to organize the "Socialistic Labor Party." Next year we polled 12,000 votes for the labor candidates. This was a great success, but it brought a horde of corrupt politician into our ranks, who cared little or nothing for principle. Dissensions broke out and reduced our number considerably. At the time of the Greenback Convention in Chicago some of our members proposed a fusion with the Green backers; others held that to be treason to the Socialistic principle. In Chicago the anti-Greenback-fusion faction was in the lead. Numerous quarrels ensued, and at last nothing but two or three small Socialistic societies were left. The only substantial remaining permanent was Arbeiter Zeitung, Vorbote and FackeI, all German newspapers. Of course, there were thousands of Socialists in the city, although unorganized. They still believed in the ballot, but when Judge Gardener refused to punish two ballot box stuffers and said it was a righteous thing to cheat a Communist out of his vote these workingmen got disgusted with voting and began to reason as to other methods of spreading Socialist principle" In 1882 the Socialists began to rally and founded clubs all over the city which declared themselves for the International Working People's Association, the American branch of which was founded in October, 1883 in Pittsburg. Pa. I soon became an active member of the international. I belonged to the Northwest- Side Group the original group in that part of the city.

On May 2 and 3, 1886. I was present at meetings in which it was proposed to give aid to any strikers if the police or Pinkertons should attack them. On the evening of May 4, I was at home playing cards, when Waller entered and told us of the tragedy on the Haymarket. I told him to go home and very soon after went to bed myself.

And now a few words as to the bomb-throwing. It is my belief to-day that if the bomb had not been thrown by the unknown, at least 300 working