Category: Eugene Victor Debs

Hellraisers Journal: From Social Democratic Herald: “The March of Socialism” by Eugene V. Debs

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD, Social Democrats, Sc Dem Hld, Jan 28, 1899—–

Hellraisers Journal – Friday February 3, 1899
Eugene V. Debs: “The name of the Social Democratic Party suits me precisely.”

From the Social Democratic Herald of January 28, 1899:

The March of Socialism

[by Eugene V. Debs]

EVD, New Time Magazine, Feb 1898

Each passing day adds new testimony to the progressive march of socialism throughout the civilized world. A letter just received from Russia contains words of greeting and congratulation, and prompts me to pen this article for The Herald. The Social Democratic Party of the United States commands the confidence and respect of the leading socialists of other nations, and they look to our party to organize the socialists of this country and bring them into harmonious alliance with the hosts of international socialism, in the universal battle for the overthrown of capitalism.

The work accomplished during the past few months is as gratifying and inspiring to socialists as it is abhorrent and alarming to their enemies. The superb victory at Haverhill sent a thrill of joy and consternation, hope and horror through the country. The plutocratic press is still harping upon it, wondering how it happened and predicting all sorts of evils if there is any spread of this dread affliction. They are straining their old power to scare the people and make them mind their masters, as they have been so long in the habit of doing. Riley’s nursery tale warning aptly illustrates the situation:

Gobble uns'll get you, Sc Dem Hld, Jan 28, 1899

The plutocrats and their parasites will not contemplate with calm indifference the march of socialism. Every artifice known to their Machiavellian resources will be employed to resist the advance. The ignorant and servile can be easily deflected from their course, but the thinking and vigilant will do ceaseless sentinel service and be prepared to parry every blow and expose every device and intrigue of the enemy.

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Hellraisers Journal: National Labor Convention for Mooney: Debs Invited, W. F. Dunn of Butte Speaks for Radicals

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD re General Strike, Journal Paper Mill Workers p7, Mar 1919

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Hellraisers Journal – Saturday January 18, 1919
Chicago, Illinois – National Labor Convention for Mooney Hears from Radicals

From The Butte Daily Bulletin of January 16, 1919:

National Labor Mooney Conference, HdLn, Btt Dly Bltn p1, Jan 16, 1919 National Labor Mooney Conference, Radicals, Btt Dly Bltn p1, Jan 16, 1919

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(Special Dispatch to The Bulletin.)

Chicago, Jan. 16.-At this morning’s session of the Mooney Labor Congress Ed Nolan scored the capitalist press on its criticism of the invitation of Debs and its attempt to give a sense of dissension among the delegates. Debs’ name was again greeted with tumultuous applause. It was moved that the Nonpartisan league be given the floor. The motion was defeated. Dunn of Butte moved to give the Detroit delegate the floor. The Detroit leader clearly outlined the program before the convention as follows:

No political begging, a general strike to free Tom Mooney and also to take a stand to free political prisoners and recognize Russia; reorganize the American Federation of Labor on an industrial basis.

The radicals are satisfied with the moves so far.

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Hellraisers Journal: From The Liberator: Floyd Dell on America’s Political Prisoners & Conscientious Objectors

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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While there is a soul in prison
I am not free.
-Eugene Victor Debs
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Hellraisers Journal – Thursday January 9, 1919
America’s Political Prisoners by Floyd Dell

From The Liberator of January 1919:

“What Are You Doing Out There?”

[by Floyd Dell]

The Liberator Jr Revolutionary Progress, Jan 1919

THIS magazine goes to two classes of readers: those who are in jail, and those who are out. This particular article is intended for the latter class. It is intended for those who wish to prove themselves friends of American freedom rather than those who have had it proved against them.

The relation between these two classes of people is embarrassingly like that in the old anecdote about Emerson and Thoreau. Thoreau refused to obey some law which he considered unjust, and was sent to jail. Emerson went to visit him. “What are you doing in here, Henry?” asked Emerson.

“What are you doing out there?” returned Thoreau grimly.

That is what the people who have gone to prison for the ideas in which we believe seem to be asking us now.

And the only self-respecting answer which we can give to this grim, silent challenge, is this: “We are working to get you out!”

That is our excuse, and we must see that it is a true one. We are voices to speak up for those whose voice has been silenced.

There are some silences that are more eloquent than speech. The newspapers were forbidden to print what ‘Gene Debs said in court; but his silence echoes around the earth in the heart of workingmen. They know what he was not allowed to tell them; and they feel that it is true.

It would be wrong to think of this as an opportunity to do something for Debs; it is rather our opportunity to make ourselves worthy of what he has done for us.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene V. Debs Calls for Rescue of Mexican and Russian Patriots Now Held in American Jails

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD, Right of Asylum, AtR p1, Jan 2, 1909

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Hellraisers Journal – Monday January 4, 1909
Five Patriots Illegally Imprisoned in American Jails 

With a banner headline and a wide column down the center of the front page of this weeks’s Appeal to Reason, Eugene V. Debs calls for the rescue of the Mexican and Russian patriots now held for deportation by American authorities at the behest of foreign tyrants.

AtR, Banner re Mxn Revs Patriots p1, Jan 2, 1909
EVD re Mxn Revs, AtR p1, Jan 2, 1909

From the Appeal to Reason for January 2, 1909:

RESCUE THE REFUGEES

By EUGENE V. DEBS.

Mex Rev, Villareal Magon Rivera, Barbarous MX p307, 3rd ed 1910

When Louis Kossuth, the Hungarian revolutionist, refugee from his native land for attempting to overthrow its government, reached the United States, in 1851, he was received as the “distinguished Hungarian patriot” by President Fillmore, hailed as another Washington by the American congress and welcomed by the American people amidst demonstrations of the wildest enthusiasm. He was a rebel and a revolutionist and before making his escape had been condemned for “treason” and sentenced to four years’ imprisonment “on account of taking a position favorable to six patriots who had been illegally imprisoned.”

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Hellraisers Journal: Debs in Omaha, Believes Workingmen Will Soon be Ready for Economic Revolution by United Ballot

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD, Modern Wage Slave, Terre Haute May 31, 1898, Debs-IA

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Hellraisers Journal – Friday December 23, 1898
Omaha, Nebraska – Eugene Debs Tells Old Story of Wealth and Poverty

On Wednesday December 21st, Eugene Debs was interviewed in Omaha and said, in part:

It is the old, old story—economics—the concentration of industry. The middle class of middlemen are being obliterated; they buy goods in small quantities and pay more than the department stores which buy by the carload. The department store advertises cheap goods, gets the laboring man’s cash, and the little corner grocery has the “credit” business. The small dealer is crushed: labor is pinched and suicides have increased 200 percent in the last ten years…..

I believe the present system, so destructive to the better elements of mankind, is soon to be eradicated, and that by the workingmen. They are beginning to think, and from the products of their minds is developing an economic revolution.

From the Omaha World-Herald of December 22, 1898:

Morally I Mean to Pay Them
[Interview with Eugene Debs]

EVD re Social Democracy, SLTb p3, Feb 9, 1898

No, I did not attend the [A. F. of L.] convention at Kansas City. I am in deep sympathy with the meeting and wanted very much to go, but my lecture engagements prevented. I have been speaking every night for two weeks.

With what success?

At Boone, Iowa, I had a fair audience, but usually through Iowa my audiences were not large. You know, the railroads and other corporations have no love for me, and it is given out cold to the men, and many of them who would attend stay away, fearful of incurring the displeasure of the powers that be. Especially is this true in railroad towns. However I cannot complain: I speak and the papers report and thus I reach the masses.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs to Tom Mooney: “Tear up that commutation…No compromise!..You are innocent!”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD, Debs to Mooney, New Appeal p1, Dec 14, 1918
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Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday December 17, 1918
Eugene Debs Sends Message to Tom Mooney: “Tear up that commutation!”

From The New Appeal of December 14, 1918:

Debs Wires Mooney

Tom Mooney, Prison Garb, NY Tb p26, Dec 8, 1918

Eugene V. Debs has sent the following telegram to Tom Mooney:

Tear up that commutation and fling the scraps in the brazen face of the corporation hireling that insulted you and the working class by that infamous act.

Let Patrick Henry once more speak through you, “Give me liberty of give me death!”

There must be no compromise! You are innocent! The working class is aroused as never before in history. They will tear the murderous clutch of criminal capitalism from your throat.

All hail the general strike. If they insist on war let it come. We have nothing to lose but our chains.

God loves justice and hates cowards. Stand by your colors and the workers of the world will stand by you; to victory or death.

Now is the time for the workers of America to prove themselves. Tom Mooney and his comrades cry aloud to the proletariat of the world.

Arouse ye millions for whom he risked his life, and save that life for the future of his class, and for the vindication of right and justice.

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: Reports of Vote Totals from Forty States for Socialist Party of America

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD re Next Battle, MTNs p1, Nov 12, 1908

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Hellraisers Journal – Sunday December 13, 1908
Socialist Party of America-Vote Totals from Forty States

From the Appeal to Reason of December 12, 1908:

THE VOTE BY STATES.
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EVD Debs Hanford Campaign, AtR p4, May 23, 1908

Reports of the vote continue to come in slowly, but we are able this week to give the approximately correct vote of forty states as shown in the following table. Many of the figures heretofore given have been revised which makes an increase for some states and a decrease for others. It will be noticed that Indiana, which was charged with a slight loss in a former number of the Appeal, has on the official count, really made a gain of 1,463. The estimated vote of Texas was given at 25,000 which seems to be incorrect; and figures causes us to leave that state out of the table this week. In 1904 Debs received 2,791 votes in Texas, and the probability is that his vote in that state this year will be not less than 8,000 when all the precincts are heard from.

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Hellraisers Journal: From Ohio Socialist: O’Hare Headed to Prison; Ruthenberg Wagenknecht, & Baker Released

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote Kate Richards OHare, Dangerous to war profiteers, ab Dec 1917
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Hellraisers Journal – Saturday December 7, 1918
Canton, Ohio – Ohio Socialist Released, O’Hare Schedule to Speak

The town of Canton was the scene of joyous celebration on December 2nd when Comrades Ruthenberg, Wagenknecht, and Baker were released from the Stark County Workhouse. On hand to greet them was none other than Eugene V. Debs, along with several prominent Ohio Socialists.

Canton will be visited on December 9th by Kate Richards O’Hare who is expected to begin serving her prison term shortly thereafter.

From The Ohio Socialist of December 4, 1918:

Kate Richards O'Hare, OH Sc p1, Dec 4, 1918

FREE THE
POLITICAL PRISONERS

Within the walls of American prisons are held many of the noblest men and women of this land. Many others, men and women with the highest attributes, which characterize true and noble manhood and womanhood, are under indictment and facing charges as political offenders. Men and women with the highest ideals which human beings are endowed are today rotting in American prisons.

For expressing an OPINION at variance with that which the law stated may be expressed these men and women are paying a penalty out of all proportion to their offenses. The espionage law has produced a crop of jail sentences in America absolutely undreamed of even in Germany under the rule of the junkers and their kaiser. Compare the four-year sentence of Liebknecht for “high treason” to that of ten years for Debs, for Kate O’Hare and Rose Pastor Stokes.

If we have been able to surmise correctly the reason (or excuse) for the passage of the espionage law, if punishment was not the purpose of the law then the further confinement of our political prisoners is an atrocity.

If to silence opposition to the war was the purpose of this law, there is now no longer any necessity for their confinement. The war is over. Liberties under which we formerly thrived should be returned to us.

Those in power today have nothing to gain by longer jailing political offenders. On the contrary they stand to lose considerable. This is no time to preach the gospel of hate nor to practice it. It is a false gospel at all times. Now that peace has come its teachings and practices are criminal.

The movement to free our political prisoners is gaining momentum. The great mass of the people, as well as liberal minds among the bourgeoisie, favor it. Those who oppose an early liberation of political offenders are of a class and character with those whom the workers of Europe have lately shorn of power. Let every worker’s voice rise in protest against the longer confinement of political prisoners.

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Hellraisers Journal: From the International Socialist Review: “The Tour of the Red Special” by Charles Lapworth

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD re Red Special, AtR p2, Sept 19, 1908
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Hellraisers Journal – Friday December 4, 1908
The Journey of Red Special as Told by Charles Lapworth

In this month’s edition of the Review, Comrade Lapworth tells the inspirational story of the journey of the Red Special which carried Eugene Debs, the presidential candidate of the Socialist Party of America, across the nation, ending with a big rally and last campaign speech at Terre Haute.

From the International Socialist Review of December 1908:

The Debs Red Special

EVD Red Special Cover Photo at Danville, ISR p1033, Dec 1908

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