2. Gompers and the leaders of the American Federation of Labor were the champions of this doctrine and tactic.
3. The Socialists, on the other hand, concentrated on committing the American Federation of Labor to independent political action.
4. In 1886, they succeeded, with the cooperation of the non-Socialist political element in securing an endorsement of the various independent political movements. But in 1889 the American Federation of Labor rejected a resolution for the formation of an independent political party.
5 The struggle now became bitter between the Socialists and Gompers. Through their persistence, the Socialists in 1894 put through a political platform and resolutions calling for an independent political party.
6. Next year, Gompers and the leaders of the International unions turned the tables. Some of the prominent Socialists, led by Daniel DeLeon, became disheartened and left the Federation to organize independent unions that would endorse Socialism and the Socialist Labor Party. Those that remained were naturally much weakened.
VI.
1. The American Federation of Labor set out at first on a purely lobbying program.
2. It did not succeed in getting results through this procedure, and embarked in 1904 upon the policy of "reward your friends and punish your enemies", by endorsing candidates of the Republican and Democratic parties favorable to Labor, and by encouraging union men to stand for office.
3. As a result of this new policy, Gompers and a committee appeared before the platform committee of the Republican convention. Receiving little response, they turned to the Democrats. The latter adopted several planks favorable to Labor.
4. Since then, and up to the last presidential election, the American Federation of Labor has endorsed and campaigned for the Democratic Party nationally, but has endorsed Democrats and Republicans for Federal and State offices.
VII.
1. That element of the Socialists which opposed abandoning the American Federation of Labor organized the Socialist Party in 1901.
2. They set up the principle of not interfering with the internal affairs of the trade unions, but of trying to convert them to Socialism.
3. Up to the war they made fair headway, but with the war the Socialists and radicals divided into factions, and have been kept too busy fighting each other to carry on their propaganda work.
4. On the other hand, the non-partisan political policy of the American Federation of Labor has introduced a variety of
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