288 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
Labor Party nominated a commission of six members, charged to represent it in a general socialist conference. A little later the other parties took similar measures. The first general conference took place on November 20, 1898, and the following three resolutions were adopted :
" I. That there is need of substituting for the provisional representation, such as the committee of vigilance [organized the previous month], a permanent body repre- senting all the socialist organizations which are constituted on national lines.
" 2. The independent socialists are invited to organize into a national federation, to be represented on the future committee of federation of the socialist organizations.
"3. Nothing shall be modified in the organization and working of the separate socialist bodies."
In December, 1898, the permanent committee was formed upon the following principles (somewhat similar to those of the federation of the American colonies) :
" I. Nothing shall be modified in the internal working of the contracting organi- zations which shall not first be approved by their respective delegates
The delegates shall seek for a general agreement in the solution of each question, but each organization shall remain unbound by their decision.
"2. Each of the five organizations shall be represented in the central union by seven delegates regularly commissioned."
At the session January 15, 1S99, the national federation of the independents was consummated and touk part in the common deliberations, which were marked by much good will, tact, and courtesv. And a great international socialist congress has now been planned for 1900, to be held at Berlin.
The supreme inspiration of the socialist movement is that the proletariat — the great body of the people — has but one consciousness, one will, one set of interests, one common end, and that a new phase of social cooperation must succeed that of clashing individual interests. — Albert Richard, " La Marche del'Esprit socialiste en France," in Revue Politique et Parlementaire, July 10, 1 899.
