William Mailly
Encyclopedia
William "Will" Mailly was an American
socialist political functionary, journalist, and trade union
activist. He is best remembered as an early National Executive Secretary of the Socialist Party of America
and as the first managing editor of the socialist daily newspaper, the New York Call.
. Mailly's parents emigrated to Liverpool, England when the boy was 2, and so the American-born Mailly was raised in English schools — an extremely rare pattern of emigration for an American radical activist. The young Will worked in Liverpool from a very early age as an errand boy.
Mailly returned to the United States in July 1889, working briefly in a brickyard and on a railway before moving to Alabama
in 1890 to take up work as a coal miner. Mailly took part in a coal strike in Alabama in 1894, the date from which he later dated his political awareness. Mailly's union activities resulted in his blacklisting from the Alabama coal mines.
Mailly was first a Populist
, a delegate to the Alabama
state convention of the People's Party
in 1894.
Mailly turned his hand to labor journalism, taking a job as Associate Editor of the Birmingham Labor Advocate in May 1895, and serving at that post for about a year. Thereafter he moved to Nashville, Tennessee
. In 1896, he joined the Socialist Labor Party of America
(SLP), but his stay in that organization proved to be short-lived, as he left the SLP in July of the subsequent year to join the Social Democracy of America
, an organization which included Victor L. Berger
and Eugene V. Debs
. Mailly organized a branch of the Social Democracy in July 1897 and was a delegate from Alabama to the 1898 Convention of this organization.
From there Mailly moved to the socialist enclave of Haverhill, Massachusetts
, where he served as secretary of the SDP's state and municipal campaign committees. Mailly also worked as the Editor of the Haverhill Social Democrat in 1898. After his short time in Massachusetts, Mailly moved on to New York City, remaining engaged in politics there. He was a founding member of the Socialist Party of America
(SPA) in 1901. That same year he attended the Annual Convention of the American Federation of Labor
.
The January 1903 meeting of the governing National Committee of the SPA elected Mailly as the new Executive Secretary of the party and he assumed these duties the following month. The same meeting moved the headquarters of the party to Omaha, Nebraska
, and so Mailly moved there forthwith. Mailly was reelected as National Secretary of the Socialist Party in 1904 and continued in that position until 1905.
After declining to run for National Secretary in 1905, Mailly went to work for the Left Wing Socialist Hermon F. Titus
as Business Manager of The Socialist, Titus' weekly which he had recently relocated to Toledo, Ohio
from Washington state. Mailly left that publication sometime around the first of June 1906, thereafter moving to New York City
. Mailly also served as a member of the National Executive Committee of the SPA from 1905 to 1906.
Mailly finished up his life back in New York City, first as Associate Editor of the socialist weekly The Worker (1906–1907) before becoming Managing Editor of its successor the New York Call
(1908–1909).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
socialist political functionary, journalist, and trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
activist. He is best remembered as an early National Executive Secretary of 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...
and as the first managing editor of the socialist daily newspaper, the New York Call.
Early years
William Mailly was born November 22, 1871 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...
. Mailly's parents emigrated to Liverpool, England when the boy was 2, and so the American-born Mailly was raised in English schools — an extremely rare pattern of emigration for an American radical activist. The young Will worked in Liverpool from a very early age as an errand boy.
Mailly returned to the United States in July 1889, working briefly in a brickyard and on a railway before moving to Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
in 1890 to take up work as a coal miner. Mailly took part in a coal strike in Alabama in 1894, the date from which he later dated his political awareness. Mailly's union activities resulted in his blacklisting from the Alabama coal mines.
Political career
Populist Party (United States)
The People's Party, also known as the "Populists", was a short-lived political party in the United States established in 1891. It was most important in 1892-96, then rapidly faded away...
, a delegate to the Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
state convention of the People's Party
Populist Party (United States)
The People's Party, also known as the "Populists", was a short-lived political party in the United States established in 1891. It was most important in 1892-96, then rapidly faded away...
in 1894.
Mailly turned his hand to labor journalism, taking a job as Associate Editor of the Birmingham Labor Advocate in May 1895, and serving at that post for about a year. Thereafter he moved to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. In 1896, he joined the Socialist Labor Party of America
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...
(SLP), but his stay in that organization proved to be short-lived, as he left the SLP in July of the subsequent year to join the Social Democracy of America
Social Democratic Party (United States)
The Social Democratic Party of America was a short-lived political party in the United States, established in 1898. The group was formed out of elements of the Social Democracy of America , and was a predecessor to the Socialist Party of America, established in 1901.-Forerunners:Following the...
, an organization which included Victor L. Berger
Victor L. Berger
Victor Luitpold Berger was a founding member of the Socialist Party of America and an important and influential Socialist journalist who helped establish the so-called Sewer Socialist movement. The first Socialist elected to the U.S...
and Eugene V. Debs
Eugene V. Debs
Eugene Victor Debs was an American union leader, one of the founding members of the International Labor Union and the Industrial Workers of the World , and several times the candidate of the Socialist Party of America for President of the United States...
. Mailly organized a branch of the Social Democracy in July 1897 and was a delegate from Alabama to the 1898 Convention of this organization.
From there Mailly moved to the socialist enclave of Haverhill, Massachusetts
Haverhill, Massachusetts
Haverhill is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 60,879 at the 2010 census.Located on the Merrimack River, it began as a farming community that would evolve into an important industrial center, beginning with sawmills and gristmills run by water power. In the...
, where he served as secretary of the SDP's state and municipal campaign committees. Mailly also worked as the Editor of the Haverhill Social Democrat in 1898. After his short time in Massachusetts, Mailly moved on to New York City, remaining engaged in politics there. He was a founding member of 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 1901. That same year he attended the Annual Convention 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...
.
The January 1903 meeting of the governing National Committee of the SPA elected Mailly as the new Executive Secretary of the party and he assumed these duties the following month. The same meeting moved the headquarters of the party to Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, and so Mailly moved there forthwith. Mailly was reelected as National Secretary of the Socialist Party in 1904 and continued in that position until 1905.
After declining to run for National Secretary in 1905, Mailly went to work for the Left Wing Socialist Hermon F. Titus
Hermon F. Titus
Hermon Franklin Titus was an American socialist activist and newspaper publisher. Originally a Baptist minister before becoming a medical doctor, Titus is best remembered as a factional leader of the Washington state affiliate of the Socialist Party of America during the first decade of the 20th...
as Business Manager of The Socialist, Titus' weekly which he had recently relocated to Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
from Washington state. Mailly left that publication sometime around the first of June 1906, thereafter moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Mailly also served as a member of the National Executive Committee of the SPA from 1905 to 1906.
Mailly finished up his life back in New York City, first as Associate Editor of the socialist weekly The Worker (1906–1907) before becoming Managing Editor of its successor the New York Call
New York Call
The New York Call was a socialist daily newspaper published in New York City from 1908 through 1923. The Call was the second of three English-language dailies affiliated with the Socialist Party of America to be established, following the Chicago Daily Socialist while preceding the long running...
(1908–1909).
Death and legacy
Will Mailly died September 4, 1912, at the age of 41. Mailly was survived by his wife, Bertha Howell Mailly.Additional reading
- George D. Herron, William Mailly as a Socialist Type. New York: n.p., 1912.
- Howard Quint, The Forging of American Socialism: Origins of the Modern Movement. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 1953.