We circulated questions to be put to all candidates for parliamentary or other offices, stirred up interest in local elections, educated men and women into an understanding of the causes of their poverty, won recruits for the army of propagandists from the younger of the educated middle class.
That the London working classes to-day are so largely Socialist is greatly due to the years of work done among them by members of the Fabian Society, as well to the splendid, if occasionally too militant, energy of the Social Democratic Federation, and to the devotion of that noble and generous genius, William Morris.
During this same year (1885) a movement was set on foot in England to draw attention to the terrible sufferings of the Russian political prisoners, and it was decided at a meeting held in my house to form a society of the friends of Russia, which should seek to spread accurate and careful information about the present condition of Russia.

At that meeting were present Charles Bradlaugh, "Stepniak," and many others, E.R.Pease acting as honorary secretary.

It is noteworthy that some of the most prominent Russian exiles--such as Kropotkin--take the view that the Tzar himself is not allowed to know what occurs, and is very largely the victim of the bureaucracy that surrounds him.
Another matter, that increased as the months went on, was the attempt of the police authorities to stop Socialist speaking in the open air.
Christians, Freethinkers, Salvationists, agitators of all kinds were, for the most part, left alone, but there was a regular crusade against the Socialists.

Liberal and Tory journals alike condemned the way in which in Dod Street, in September, the Socialists' meetings were attacked.

Quiet persistence was shown by the promoters--members of the Social Democratic Federation--and they were well supported by other Socialists and by the Radical clubs.