Category: Eugene Victor Debs

We Never Forget: Eugene Victor Debs Speaks at State Socialist Party Picnic Canton, Ohio, June 16, 1918

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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To speak for labor; to plead the cause
of the men and women and children who toil;
to serve the working class,
has always been to me a high privilege;
a duty of love.
-Eugene Victor Debs

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The Canton Anti-War Speech of Eugene Victor Debs
Sunday June 16, 1918

Note: clicking on the five tweets below will lead to threads with excerpts from the famous speech by Eugene Debs, 45 in all-some long, some short. Based on charges steming from this speech, Comrade Debs was later prosecuted and sent to Atlanta Federal Prison. Follow Hellraisers Journal for the rest of the story.

Comrades, friends and fellow-workers, for this very cordial greeting, this very hearty reception, I thank you all with the fullest appreciation of your interest in and your devotion to the cause for which I am to speak to you this afternoon.

Highest Duty

To speak for labor; to plead the cause of the men and women and children who toil; to serve the working class, has always been to me a high privilege; a duty of love.

Free Speech or Lack Thereof

It is extremely dangerous to exercise the constitutional right of free speech in a country fighting to make democracy safe in the world.

The Blood of Childhood

The history of this country is being written in the blood of the childhood the industrial lords have murdered.

Unpalatable Truth

And the truth, oh, the truth has always been unpalatable and intolerable to the class who live out of the sweat and misery of the working class.

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Hellraisers Journal: Convention of Social Democracy of America Ends in Fracture; Debs, Keliher, Mailly, and Others Bolt

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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EVD Quote, Revolutionary Solidarity, ISR Feb 1918~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Monday June 13, 1898
Chicago, Illinois – Debs Rejects Utopian Colonization Scheme

The Social Democracy of America was founded just one year ago in the same city where now that party is torn asunder as the result of a bitter disagreement between those who prefer to purchase themselves a refuge from the oppression of Capitalism and those who are willing to remain in thick of the fight against the forces of Capitalism.The latter group of Socialists includes Eugene Debs who has always and ever stood shoulder to shoulder with working class men, women and children,-injunctions, gunthugs, and prison bars be damned.

EVD, SDA Fdg Conv, Chg 6-15-97, wiki, Chg Chc, June 16, 1897
Debs Addressing Founding Convention of Social Democracy of America,
Chicago, June 15, 1897

From The Chicago Chronicle of June 12, 1898:

Debs Goes Out:
Social Democracy is Split into Two Factions

Eugene V. Debs left the Social Democracy of America, which he founded and of which he was President, at 2:30 o’clock yesterday morning [June 11th] and the men who seceded under his leadership formed the Social Democratic Party of America. In one year’s experience he had determined that the colonization scheme which he had fathered was chimerical and that political action should be the purpose of the organization. When the convention in Ulhich’s Hall, after a night of bitter debate, upheld colonization by a vote of 52 to 36, Debs and his followers walked out and in the Revere House organized a new society and adopted a new platform.

While the old Social Democracy will embark at once on the establishment of its first cooperative community in the mining industry at Green Mountain Falls, Colorado, the Social Democratic Party will confine its work to propagating the principles of socialism by the use of the ballot. The division extends to the old leaders. Of the men who were imprisoned in Woodstock Jail in consequence of the great railroad strike of 1894 E.V. Debs and Sylvester Keliher are in the seceding faction, while W.E. Burns, James Hogan, Roy Goodwin, and J.F. Lloyd adhere to the old party. In both organizations the officers are new, but the former leaders are the ruling spirits.

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Hellraisers Journal: Ohio Socialists Annouce “Monster Picnic” in Canton; Eugene Debs Scheduled to Speak

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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And there’s Gene Debs—a man ’at stands
And jest holds out in his two hands
As warm a heart as ever beat
Betwixt here and the Jedgment Seat!
-James Whitcomb Riley
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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday June 12, 1918
Canton, Ohio – “Monster Picnic” to Follow State Socialist Convention

Eugene Debs will be the featured speaker on Sunday, June 16th, at Nimisilla Park where the Socialist Party of Ohio will celebrate the end of their state convention which will begin June 14th at Tigers Hall in Canton. “A good time all day” is promised.

From the Ohio Socialist of June 11, 1918:

EVD Photo, State Picnic, Canton June 16, OH Sc, June 11, 1918

“Monster State Picnic”

EVD, Monster State Picnic, Canton June 16, OH Sc, June 11, 1918

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Hellraisers Journal: Claude G. Bowers: “a tall, lean, long-legged man with…piercing eyes, stood on the platform…”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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EVD Quote, Revolutionary Solidarity, ISR Feb 1918
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday June 11, 1918
Fort Wayne, Indiana – Claude G. Bowers Describes Debs on Speaker’s Platform

Following a speech given May 20th by Eugene Debs at Moose Hall in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Claude G. Bowers devoted space in his column, “Kabbages and Kings,” to give a moving description of Debs as he appeared on the speaker’s platform:

AD, EVD to spk May 20, Ft Wyn Jr Gz p13, May 19, 1918

Last week a tall, lean, long-legged man with a lean, thin, sharp face and piercing eyes, stood on the platform at the Moose hall in this city and talked for more than an hour on “Socialism and Democracy.” It was evident that the greater part of the audience was in sympathy with his ideas and more than ordinarily in love with the man. He was a socialist,-perhaps the most famous America has produced….

There was no bitterness against men. Very little mere bitterness against principles and systems. The most biting things were the flash of wit and humor. These cut like a knife but the audience laughed. The speaker was Eugene V. Debs. As an orator he is among the finest….

[Note: the entire column can be found below.]
[Inset is from The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette of May 19th.]

—–

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: “I’ll Vote for Debs,” a Poem by Henry Tichenor

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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I’ll vote for Debs, for the Hope I have
That shall flood the world with its light!
-Harry Tichenor
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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday June 10, 1908
From the Appeal to Reason – A Poem for Eugene Debs

POEM, I'll Vote for Debs by Tichenor, AtR, June 6, 1908

Note: The poets name is Henry Tichenor.

—————

National Socialist Ticket

EVD Debs Hanford Campaign, AtR p4, May 23, 1908

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Hellraisers Journal: Charles H. Kerr on the Socialist Party Convention of 1908, Brand’s Hall, Chicago, Illinois

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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SPA & Organized Labor, Chg Conv, May 14, 1908
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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday June 9, 1908
Chicago, Illinois – Socialist Party of America Stands with Labor

Socialist Party of America Button

In this month’s edition of the International Socialist Review, Charles H. Kerr gives a day-by-day account of the national convention of the Socialist Party of America, held in Chicago from May 10th until May 17th. The convention took a strong stand with organized labor, as a whole, while, sadly, side-stepping the issue of Industrial Unionism.

The article by Comrade Kerr was eighteen pages long, from which we offer excerpts below.

From the International Socialist Review of June 1908:

SPA Chicago Convention May 10, ISR, June 1908

Sunday Session, May 10th:

The Convention opened at 12:30 pm at Brand’s Hall, Chicago. A complete list is given of Delegates representing forty-five states.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Speaks on “The Coming Nation” for Benefit of Terre Haute Central Labor Union

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD, Modern Wage Slave, Terre Haute May 31, 1998, Debs-IA
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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday June 8, 1898
Terre Haute, Indiana – Debs Speaks in Favor of Socialism

From the Huntington Weekly Herald of June 3, 1898:

EVD, New Time Magazine, Feb 1898Debs Talks at Terre Haute.

Terre Haute, Ind., June 2-Eugene Debs Spoke on “The Coming Nation” at the Opera House here [on Tuesday May 31st] to a large audience. The address was for the benefit of the Central Labor union, which has been organized on a stronger basis than ever before in the city. The receipts were large and the fund for the union’s new headquarters will be considerably increased. Debs’ address was an argument in favor of socialism.

———-

[Photograph added.]

From the Terre Haute Gazette of June 1, 1898:

Debs’ Lecture on the “Coming Nation”
—–

For the first time in the record of the ages the inalienable rights of man—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—have been usurped.

On July 4th, 1776, our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence by which the ruler descended form his sceptered throne, the gem of liberty was planted in eternal truth, the workingman stood erect in his heaven-decreed prerogative, freed from his bonds.

It was decreed by the infinite that man should stand forth the coronated sovereign of the world. The song of liberty is the song of the stars. There is no more appropriate theme and to wave the banner of freedom. No matter how nature may be decked with beauty, no matter if she sends forth a succession of glorious melodies, if liberty is ostracized and expelled, the world wheels round the sun a gilded prison, a blot to the Siberian sphere of the heavens.

Strike down liberty, no matter by what subtle art, and the world becomes paralyzed by an indescribable power. Strike down the fetters of the plain, and it becomes a new world through the almighty genius of liberty. Its works redeem the poor man from animal suspense and make of him a new being. In our courts the product of our political liberty is being realized to a gratifying extent. I believe in a few years woman will be franchised and we will elect the officers of our country by direct vote. The political democracy will be complete.

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Hellraisers Journal: Fond Farewell from Eugene V. Debs: “Edward Bellamy Was a Friend of Mine”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote Edward Bellamy, New World, AtR p1, May 28, 1898
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Hellraisers Journal, Monday May 30, 1898
Terre Haute, Indiana – Debs Remembers Edward Bellamy

On the evening of May 28th, from his home in Terre Haute, Comrade Debs spoke fondly of his friend, Edward Bellamy who died of tuberculosis on May 22nd at his home in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts.

From the Terre Haute Express of May 29, 1898:

Mr. Debs on Bellamy

Edward Bellamy ab 1889, Wiki, LOC

It was with the most sincere regret that I learned of the death of Edward Bellamy. He was a very warm friend of mine.

When in 1888 the first edition of Looking Backward appeared, the name of Edward Bellamy flashed around the world. Of this epoch-making book it is estimated that fully 200,000 copies have been sold, and it has been translated into German, French, Italian, Russian, and many other languages.

Rarely has a book created such a profound impression on the popular mind. For years there has been agitation of the social question in other countries, especially in Germany and France, where a mighty international socialist movement was developing at a rate to arouse apprehension among the ruling class. Looking Backward was the first popular exposition of socialism in this country. Thousands read it with keen delight without being aware that it undermined the existing social order and paved the way for the social commonwealth.

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: Good Will For Debs in Girard & Socialist Declaration of Principle

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD Nature's Bounty, Girard, May 16, 1908
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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday May 26, 1908
Girard, Kansas – Town Throws Surprise Party for ‘Gene Debs

From the Appeal to Reason of May 23, 1908:

EVD, Girard Good Will for Debs, HdLn AtR p1, May 23, 1908Quote EVD, this fine sweet day, re Girard, May 16, AtR p1, May 23, 1908

All of Girard and half of the county assembled in the court house park last Saturday afternoon [May 16th]. A hastily improvised platform had been erected, and, to the music of bands and lusty cheering of the citizens of this little town, irrespective of party affiliation, ‘Gene Debs was escorted forward and introduced to the enthusiastic crowd by Mayor Ryan. The mayor was preceded by E. N. Richardson, who, in a few moments’ speech, voiced the sentiment of every man and woman and child in Girard when he said:

Ladies and Gentlemen-My Friends and My Comrades:-Here is a man whom you all know-many of you may not yet agree with him in his political beliefs; many of you will not vote for hem, but you all love him-you love him because you can’t help yourself; you love him because he is the most lovable man America has ever produced…

Comrade Debs had been kept in complete ignorance of the little surprise party. For a few moments he seemed overwhelmed at the expressions of good will and the smiling faces on every hand. But he quickly recovered from the slight embarrassment, and began to talk. And such a talk! As a father talks to his children, Debs talked to those gathered under the shade of the spreading elms in the court house yard. It wasn’t a wildly enthusiastic gathering, such as one would expect to see on an occasion like this. It was rather a gathering of men and women in dead earnest who realized the deep significance of the occasion and were determined to let no single word which fell from the speaker’s lips escape them. One could almost feel the spirit of the revolution-it impressed me as a counterpart of those meetings of colonial patriots just prior to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. “Momentous and significant.” These words sum up the Girard meeting at which the citizens of this village, without a dissenting voice expressed their congratulations to their fellow townsman, nominated for the presidency by the Socialist national convention.

At the close of the address a group of little children, bearing baskets of flowers and wreaths, and their little faces suffused with smiles, marched to the platform and literally smothered their friend with roses. Tears came to the big brother’s eyes as he gathered the little ones to him. An hour later, I passed ‘Gene sitting on the curb with a dozen bright haired lassies clinging to his arms and shoulders! Mark my words: “You can pin your faith to the man loved by children.”

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