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Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday August 29, 1911
Chicago, Illinois – Barnes Resigns as National Secretary of Socialist Party
From the Appeal to Reason of August 26, 1911:
RESIGNATION OF BARNES.
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J. Mahlon Barnes, national secretary of the Socialist party [Socialist Party of America], has resigned. The resignation was accepted by the national executive committee and John M. Work, who has been head clerk in the national office was made national secretary until an election can be held.
This a consummation of a hard and bitter fight that has been waged against Barnes. There was no charge against his official acts, but only relative to his private life. Twice the national executive committee investigated the charges, and in both case found that while there were many charges, there was no definite proof of his guilt. So soon, however, as an affidavit was presented showing that in day s past Barnes had been guilty of immorality, being charged with paternity of a seven-year-old girl, the action indicated above was taken. Barnes denies guilt, but admits it was best for the party that he retire.
This much must be said of the case, that the Socialist have handled the matter as no other party would dare do. With democrats and republicans it has been assumed that the private life of the individual has absolutely nothing to do with the fitness for public office. The notorious Tom Taggard, who was proven guilty of running numerous house of ill-fame and who was accused in the Ella Gingles case, was chairman of the democratic national central committee, and nothing was said about it. So soon, however, as it was charged that the private life of a Socialist official was not all it might be there was agitation, that amounted to a clamor, for his removal, and when the first affidavit, which made definite and positive charges, was brought to light, resignation was offered and accepted.
Nothing could more clearly show the attitude of the Socialist Party on questions of personal purity and nothing could demonstrate more clearly that the Socialist party is capable of managing its own affairs and having its will executed.
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[Photograph and emphasis added.]
