Constitution of the Socialist Party of America: Adopted by the Socialist Unity Convention, Indianapolis, IN July 29 to A ug. 1, 1901.

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by  Socialist Party (U.S.)

Constitution of the Socialist Party of America [Adopted Aug. 1, 1901] 1
Constitution of the
Socialist Party of America:
Adopted by the Socialist Unity Convention,
Indianapolis, IN — July 29 to Aug. 1, 1901.
Published in the Social Democratic Herald [Milwaukee], v. 4, no. 7, whole no. "159" (Aug. 17, 1901),
corrected to the version published in The Workers’ Call [Chicago] v. 3, whole no. 128 (Aug. 17, 1901), pg. 1.
[Name.] and international affairs; to organize unorganized
states and territories; to call national nominating
The name of this organization shall be the conventions, and special conventions called by ref-
Socialist Party of America, except in states where erendum of the party, and to submit questions to
a different name has or may become a legal re- referendum; to receive semi-annual reports from
quirement. the state committees and to make reports to na-
tional conventions.
National Committee. [¶2.] Any member of the National Commit-
tee, not a member of the Local Quorum, may re-
[¶1.] There shall be a National Committee, quire the Secretary to submit to a vote of the whole
composed of 1 member from each organized state National Committee questions as to the removal
or territory, and a Quorum of 5 to be elected from of the Local Committee or the Secretary; also for
the membership of the locality of the seat of the its consideration any part of the work of the Sec-
committee. retary or of the Local Committee, or any business
[¶2.] The members of this committee shall belonging to the National Committee.
be elected by and from the membership of the [¶3.] The National Committee shall elect a
states or territories which they respectively repre- Committee of 5 from the party membership of
sent by referendum vote. Their term of office shall the locality selected for party headquarters to su-
not be more than 2 years, and they shall take their pervise and assist the Secretary as the National
seats in the month of January. Committee shall require and direct. Said Com-
[¶3.] This Committee shall meet in regular mittee of 5 shall form part of and be a quorum of
session not oftener than once a year. Special meet- the National Committee, but shall be subject to
ings shall be called at the request of a majority of removal at any time by the National Committee.
members of such Committee. On the question of removal the said Local Quo-
rum shall have no vote.
Duties and Powers. [¶4.] This Committee shall neither publish
nor designate any official organ.
[¶1.] The duties of this Committee shall be [¶5.] The National Secretary shall be elected
to supervise and direct the work of the National by the National Committee, and shall be subject
Secretary; to represent the party in all national to removal at its discretion.
1
2 Constitution of the Socialist Party of America [Adopted Aug. 1, 1901]
[¶6.] In states and territories in which there Affiliation of
is one central organization affiliated with the party States and Territories.
and representing at least 10 local organizations in
different parts of the state or territory respectively, [¶1.] A state or territory shall be deemed or-
the state or territorial organization shall have the ganized and shall have a right to affiliate upon the
sole jurisdiction of the members residing within organization of not less than 4 branches, each
their respective territories, and the sole control of branch to consist of not less than 5 members.
all matters pertaining to the propaganda, organi- [¶2.] Each state or territory so organized shall
zation, and financial affairs within such state or receive a charter.
territory, and the National Executive Committee [¶3.] The platform of the Socialist Party,
and sub-committees or officers thereof shall have adopted in convention or by referendum vote,
no right to interfere in such matters without the shall be the supreme declaration of the party, and
consent of the respective state or territorial orga- all state and municipal organizations shall, in the
nizations. adoption of their platforms, conform thereto.
[¶7.] Expenses of the National Committee-
men in attending meetings shall be paid from the Revenue.
National Treasury.
Each state or territory shall pay in to the Na-
National Secretary. tional Committee every month a sum equal to 5
cents for every member in good standing within
The National Secretary shall be in commu- the respective state or territory.
nication with the matters of the National Com-
mittee, the officers of the organized states and ter- Reports.
ritories, and with members in unorganized states
and territories. The Secretary shall receive as com- [¶1.] The Secretary shall prepare a monthly
pensation the sum of $1,000 annually. statement of the financial and other business of
his office, and when approved by the Local Quo-
Headquarters. rum of 5 shall issue the same to all party organi-
zations, in such way as the National Committee
Headquarters shall be located at St. Louis, shall direct.
Missouri. But said headquarters may be changed [¶2.] The National Committee shall prepare
by the National Committee, subject to a referen- a semi-annual report of all the financial and other
dum of the party. business of the party and issue the same to all state
and territorial organizations.
Organization of [¶3.] State Committees shall make semi-an-
States and Territories. nual reports to the National Committee concern-
ing their membership and financial condition and
Each state or territory may organize in such general standing of the party.
way or manner, and under such rules and regula- [¶4.] The National Committee shall also ar-
tions, as it may determine, but not in conflict with range a system of Financial Secretaries’ and Trea-
the provisions of this constitution. surers’ books for locals, the same to be furnished
at cost to locals upon application.
Constitution of the Socialist Party of America [Adopted Aug. 1, 1901] 3
Amendments. Recommend.
This constitution may be amended by a Na- Your [Constitution] Committee recommend
tional Convention, subject to a majority referen- that the present convention elect a Secretary and
dum vote of the party or by a referendum with- locate headquarters, and that when 10 states have
out the action of such a convention, and it shall elected their National Committeemen the Na-
be the duty of the National Committee to submit tional Committee shall be considered formed, but
such amendment to a referendum vote within 30 no state shall elect its Committeeman before the
days after being requested to do so by 5 locals in 3 1st of September, 1901.
different states.
(Amendment offered by Comrade Slobodin,
Initiative and Referendum adopted.)
in Other Matters.
Resolved, that the Social Democratic Party
[¶1.] All acts of the National Committee with headquarters at Springfield, Mass., the So-
shall be subject to referendum vote after the same cial Democratic Party with headquarters at Chi-
manner as provided in the preceding section. cago, Ill., the Socialist Party of Texas, and the So-
[¶2.] All propositions or other matters sub- cial Democratic Party of the states of Kentucky,
mitted for the referendum of the party shall be Kansas, and Nebraska, hereby surrender their sepa-
presented without comment. rate and independent existence and merge and
amalgamate into one organization, this organiza-
Basis of Representation. tion to be known as the Socialist Party; this ac-
tion to take effect together with the whole consti-
The basis of representation in any national tution.
convention shall be by states, each state being en-
titled to 1 delegate at large and 1 additional del-
egate for every 100 members in good standing.
Edited by Tim Davenport.
Published by 1000 Flowers Publishing, Corvallis, OR, 2006. • Non-commercial reproduction permitted.
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