Personal Notebook John Eckford, Chicago Labor Movement 1860.
Item History & Price
John Eckford was one of the two English-speaking "Socialists" in Chicago as the Labor Movement developed, leading up to the Haymarket bombing in 1886 and the trial of the Chicago Anarchists, led by A. R. Parsons. This is a notebook of his writings on several topics, some poetry, some scripts. Lengthy thoughts regarding Communism, Socialism, Money, Religion. A fascinating collection, absolutely one-of-a kind. Many of the writings are in black fountain pen, but some are... in blue and also black pencil. Possibly the pencil writings are by a different writer, "Mitchell, Mitchell County, Iowa" is also written inside the front board. 240 pages, but not all have writing on them.
Life of Albert R. Parsons, with Brief History of the Labor Movement in America, by Albert Richard Parsons, Lucy Eldine Parsons. pg xv.
There is an advertising page that was taped up, advertising Mr. Eckford speaking "on the Money Question." Perhaps this is the notebook he carried with him when speaking, or maybe just for his thoughts and ideas. An example of one of the (shorter) writings-
"Communism" -pg. 52, written in pencil:"What is Communism-that term upon which the organs of the capatalist (sic) (the public press) heap so much ...[illeg] and reproach, Is it realy (sic) what they represent it to be; They have ridiculed and misrepresented it to such an extent that they have at last succeeded in convincing the unthinking masses that their interpretation of it is the true one, and now the name stinks in the nostrils of people at large. It is perfectly natural for them to act in this way towards it...the name of rebel has ever been applied as a term of reproach to all those who ever dared to set themselves up in opposition to the system or systems under which they lived, it makes no difference what their principles were, whether good or bad."
Life of Albert R. Parsons, with Brief History of the Labor Movement in America, by Albert Richard Parsons, Lucy Eldine Parsons. pg xv.
There is an advertising page that was taped up, advertising Mr. Eckford speaking "on the Money Question." Perhaps this is the notebook he carried with him when speaking, or maybe just for his thoughts and ideas. An example of one of the (shorter) writings-
"Communism" -pg. 52, written in pencil:"What is Communism-that term upon which the organs of the capatalist (sic) (the public press) heap so much ...[illeg] and reproach, Is it realy (sic) what they represent it to be; They have ridiculed and misrepresented it to such an extent that they have at last succeeded in convincing the unthinking masses that their interpretation of it is the true one, and now the name stinks in the nostrils of people at large. It is perfectly natural for them to act in this way towards it...the name of rebel has ever been applied as a term of reproach to all those who ever dared to set themselves up in opposition to the system or systems under which they lived, it makes no difference what their principles were, whether good or bad."
