The SOCIALIST PARTY OF
AMERICA was a multi-tendency
democratic-socialist party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger
between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected
elements of the Socialist Party, which had split from the organization in
1899. The party drew significant support
from a number of groups, including trade unionists, progressive social
reformers, populist farmers and immigrant communities. The party’s presidential
candidate, Eugene V. Debs, twice won over 900,000 votes (1912 and 1920) and the
party elected two United States Representatives (Victor L. Berger and Meyer
London), dozens of state legislators and more than a hundred mayors and
countless other officials.
Yonkers is the fourth largest city in New York State and was a
manufacturing hub on the Hudson River until the mid-twentieth century when
factories began to move out.
The Socialist Party was active in Yonkers in the early part of the
20th century. In 1906,
shortly after the creation of the Party as a merged organization, candidates in
Yonkers were seeking election to many public offices as evidenced by the three
certificates of nomination offered here.
8 ¼” x 13 ½” the three certificates lists the names and offices
sought. In the race for Alderman of
wards 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, Herman Boss, Andrew Poulsen, Ernest Vogel (later
records list him as comptroller of the city), Fred Cassens, Frank Fogard (also
the presiding officer of the Socialist Convention) and William McDonald sought
election. Emil Neppel sought election to
the Assembly and Charles Frank sought the office of justice of the peace.
The certificates contain the party’s emblem of the period and each
has been docketed on the verso by City Clerk Geary on October 4th,
1906.
The certificates are in excellent condition with normal folds,
even toning. One certificate has insignificant margin paper loss. The three documents represent excellent
examples of political Americana from an era when the Socialist Party played an
active role in American politics, agitating for radical change.
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