John W. Slayton
Encyclopedia
John W. Slayton was an American socialist lecturer and politician. He is best remembered as one of the Socialist Party of America's
leading propagandists in the Eastern United States during the decade of the 1910s.
Slayton was a carpenter by trade and a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners.
Slayton moved to New Castle, Pennsylvania
in 1900, where he served for a time as the business agent of the local Building Trades unions. He remained an active member of the Carpenters Union, attending many of the group's national conventions and serving as its delegate to four national conventions of the American Federation of Labor
.
When the Chicago-based Social Democratic Party to which Slayton owed his allegiance united with an Eastern-based organization of the same name which had defected from the Socialist Labor Party
in 1901, Slayton joined the new organization, known as the Socialist Party of America
(SPA). In 1903 Slayton was employed by the Socialist Party as one of its "National Lecturers" and took to the road throughout the East and Midwest speaking on socialist themes on behalf of the party.
In 1905, Slayton served as campaign manager
for Walter Tyler in his race for Mayor of New Castle. Tyler won the contest, making New Castle the first town in Pennsylvania
to have a Socialist at the head of its civic administration. Slayton was himself later elected to the New Castle city council.
Slayton was a leader of the 1909 McKees Rocks Strike, a work stoppage by 6,000 steel car workers that was violently repressed, resulting in the death of 14 strikers.
Slayton was a delegate to the National Convention of the Socialist Party held in Chicago in May 1908. He was also elected a delegate from Pennsylvania
to the so-called "National Congress" of the Socialist Party held in May 1910.
In the fall of 1910, Slayton stood as the candidate of the Socialist Party for Governor of Pennsylvania. Slayton received over 9600 votes in the race, good enough for a third place finish, although well behind the 48,000 garnered by the winning candidate, Republican John K. Tener
. However, due to the fact that the Democratic vote was split between a "Keystone Reform" candidate and the candidate of the regular Democratic Party, the Democrats finished fourth. Under Pennsylvania state law, this gave the Socialist Party the third line on the state ballot and a quota of watchers at the polls to which the Democrats ordinarily would have been entitled, thus making fraudulent undercounting of the Socialist vote more difficult in the future.
In 1916, Slayton was a candidate for the governing National Executive Committee of the Socialist Party, but he was eliminated from consideration after the first ballot. He received 2,714 votes in the referendum of party members, finishing just 23rd of 31 candidates.
Slayton ran for Congress a second time in 1924, standing as a Socialist in the state's 35th District. Two years later, he made a second attempt at becoming Pennsylvania's Governor, again on the Socialist Party ticket.
Despite his various political candidacies, Slayton is best remembered as having been one of the Socialist Party's team of professional touring agitators — individuals who would be booked through the National Office of the SPA to deliver speeches or engage in public debates
, which were akin to a spectator sport in the era before radio
, television
, or motion pictures. During the course of his career as a public speaker, Slayton toured the breadth of the United States twice, speaking in 46 of the 48 states and defending the Socialist position in 132 debates.
at the age of 72. He was remembered at the time of his death for being "nationally known as an impressive and eloquent speaker."
Slayton was survived by a wife, four daughters, and a son.
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political 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 Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
leading propagandists in the Eastern United States during the decade of the 1910s.
Early years
John W. Slayton was born in January 1863 in West Virginia. He was unable to read until the age of 13 and attended a total of only 15 months of school in a rural log school house. Instead, Slayton developed himself through self-education, studying in his spare time.Slayton was a carpenter by trade and a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners.
Slayton moved to New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border just east of Youngstown, Ohio; in 1910, the total population was 36,280; in 1920, 44,938; and in 1940, 47,638. The population has fallen to 26,309 according to the...
in 1900, where he served for a time as the business agent of the local Building Trades unions. He remained an active member of the Carpenters Union, attending many of the group's national conventions and serving as its delegate to four national conventions of the American Federation of Labor
American Federation of Labor
The American Federation of Labor was one of the first federations of labor unions in the United States. It was founded in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions disaffected from the Knights of Labor, a national labor association. Samuel Gompers was elected president of the Federation at its...
.
Political career
John W. Slayton was a pioneer American socialist, a member of the Social Democratic Party of America in the late 1890s. Slayton's first foray into electoral politics came in 1900, when he ran for U.S. Congress on the Social Democratic ticket.When the Chicago-based Social Democratic Party to which Slayton owed his allegiance united with an Eastern-based organization of the same name which had defected from the Socialist Labor Party
Socialist Labor Party of America
The Socialist Labor Party of America , established in 1876 as the Workingmen's Party, is the oldest socialist political party in the United States and the second oldest socialist party in the world. Originally known as the Workingmen's Party of America, the party changed its name in 1877 and has...
in 1901, Slayton joined the new organization, known as the Socialist Party of America
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political 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 Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
(SPA). In 1903 Slayton was employed by the Socialist Party as one of its "National Lecturers" and took to the road throughout the East and Midwest speaking on socialist themes on behalf of the party.
In 1905, Slayton served as campaign manager
Campaign manager
A campaign manager is a paid or volunteer individual, whose role is to coordinate the campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vote , and other activities supporting the effort, directly.Apart from the candidate, they are often a campaign's most visible leader...
for Walter Tyler in his race for Mayor of New Castle. Tyler won the contest, making New Castle the first town in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
to have a Socialist at the head of its civic administration. Slayton was himself later elected to the New Castle city council.
Slayton was a leader of the 1909 McKees Rocks Strike, a work stoppage by 6,000 steel car workers that was violently repressed, resulting in the death of 14 strikers.
Slayton was a delegate to the National Convention of the Socialist Party held in Chicago in May 1908. He was also elected a delegate from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
to the so-called "National Congress" of the Socialist Party held in May 1910.
In the fall of 1910, Slayton stood as the candidate of the Socialist Party for Governor of Pennsylvania. Slayton received over 9600 votes in the race, good enough for a third place finish, although well behind the 48,000 garnered by the winning candidate, Republican John K. Tener
John K. Tener
John Kinley Tener was a Major League baseball player and executive and, from 1911 to 1915, served as the 25th Governor of Pennsylvania.-Biography:...
. However, due to the fact that the Democratic vote was split between a "Keystone Reform" candidate and the candidate of the regular Democratic Party, the Democrats finished fourth. Under Pennsylvania state law, this gave the Socialist Party the third line on the state ballot and a quota of watchers at the polls to which the Democrats ordinarily would have been entitled, thus making fraudulent undercounting of the Socialist vote more difficult in the future.
In 1916, Slayton was a candidate for the governing National Executive Committee of the Socialist Party, but he was eliminated from consideration after the first ballot. He received 2,714 votes in the referendum of party members, finishing just 23rd of 31 candidates.
Slayton ran for Congress a second time in 1924, standing as a Socialist in the state's 35th District. Two years later, he made a second attempt at becoming Pennsylvania's Governor, again on the Socialist Party ticket.
Despite his various political candidacies, Slayton is best remembered as having been one of the Socialist Party's team of professional touring agitators — individuals who would be booked through the National Office of the SPA to deliver speeches or engage in public debates
Debate
Debate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
, which were akin to a spectator sport in the era before radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, or motion pictures. During the course of his career as a public speaker, Slayton toured the breadth of the United States twice, speaking in 46 of the 48 states and defending the Socialist position in 132 debates.
Death and Legacy
John Slayton died on June 5, 1935 in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
at the age of 72. He was remembered at the time of his death for being "nationally known as an impressive and eloquent speaker."
Slayton was survived by a wife, four daughters, and a son.
Works
- Criminology, Crimes and Criminals. Reading, PA: John W. Slayton, 1910.
- Props to Capitalism. Allegheny, PA: John W. Slayton, n.d. (c. 1910).
- The United States Constitution: A "Class" Document. McKeesport, PA: John W. Slayton, c. 1910.