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, Sunday May 24, 1908
Girard, Kansas – Socialists Celebrate with Comrade Debs
From The Fort Scott Tribune and Monitor of May 15, 1908:
Chicago, May 15-The socialist convention [Socialist Party of America] at 2 o’clock this morning named Eugene V. Debs as candidate for president; Benjamin Hanford of New York, vice president. Caleb Lipscomb of Sedalia, Mo., was placed in nomination for vice president and received one vote.
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[Photograph added.]
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A Pleasant Evening in Girard with Comrade Debs,
Thursday May 21, 1908
“A Living Exemplification of Gentleness and Kindness”
Following the Socialist National Convention at Chicago, numerous home-bound delegates made their way to Girard to visit the Temple of the Revolution, the home of The Appeal to Reason, and to meet the comrades who serve the Cause of Socialism through that aggressive disturber of plutocracy, among whom is our gallant standard-bearer, Eugene V. Debs.
On Thursday (May 21, 1908) several of the old war horses happened in together. As they were to remain until the midnight trains, the word was passed along for the assembling of the clan. The body of Girard Socialists, as a whole, breathe the spirit of brotherhood, and since it has been their exceeding good fortune to have Comrade Debs in their midst there has been a living exemplification of gentleness and kindness by one whose soul has enlarged to embrace all humanity. Whenever it is known that Debs is to be present there is a turn-out of old and young. Hence, on this occasion, when they came to meet the comrades from other states the greeting to the gallant and gracious Debs was full of fervor on all sides.
It was a spontaneous gathering of congenial people that met at a house “near the square” (in Girard distances are calculated from the “square”—a block, or plaza, in the center of which is the courthouse, and around whose four sides are the business houses). It had been arranged that, greetings over and acquaintance begun, the grown-ups should repair to the popular dining room of Mine Host “Billy” Osborne, to be served with ice cream and cake…..
[Speech by Eugene Debs]
Comrades and Friends:
After all that has been said here this evening, and so well said, I think, indeed I feel sure, that I could well afford to remain silent. There are times when words are mere beggarly sounds; when they express seemingly less than nothing. I am quite sure that no words of mine could begin to adequately express the feeling which possesses me at this hour. I have been in Girard but a little while, and yet I feel as if I had been here many years and if there were to be held here a meeting of the old settlers I should feel slighted if I were not invited to a seat on the platform!
Girard, in some respects, epitomizes the history of the entire nation. When Comrade Wayland first located here the sentiment was such that it could truthfully have been said that he was a resident in a hostile community. The majority of the citizens looked upon him as an intruder. He had the misfortune to be in advance of his time. Since then he has grown into the affections of the people, and were he to give his consent he could easily be the mayor of Girard today. There has been a very decided change of sentiment. The people who were once hostile have become perfectly friendly. The change has been entirely on their part. They now understand the man, his principles, and his mission.
Fifty years ago when a man whose soul revolted against the crime of property in human flesh came within the borders of Kansas he was looked upon as a monster of iniquity. The Free-Soiler was put to death and he was buried head first, and upon the soles of his protruding boots there was written the inscription “Mark the fate of the Free-Soiler!” The people applauded such monstrous crimes. It is different today. There has been some progress. Kansas, the world, is nearer civilized.
A little while ago a Socialist was looked upon as the enemy of the human race, but Socialists have become very numerous; they have become correspondingly respectable. I have always been proud of being a Socialist and never more proud than I am this evening. Looking into your faces and catching your spirit I feel myself rising to exaltation. Socialism to us is something more than a mere conviction. It courses in our veins; it throbs in our hearts; it fires and sanctifies our souls; and it consecrates us to the service of humanity.
The convention just closed at Chicago was in my judgment the greatest and most important convocation of men and women in all the history of this nation. Its significance is not yet understood by the people. Fifty years must elapse and it must have its perspective, and then it will have its true proportion. In all that body of thoroughly honest, earnest, and conscientious men and women there was not a single one who was in any sense a self-seeker, not one who had any personal ambition to gratify. All of them were there for the one splendid purpose of perfecting the political party whose historic mission it is to emancipate the working class from the thralldom of slavery.
The Socialist Party has a mission different from that of any party that ever existed. It is different—far different—from any other party in organization. Its mission is not to reform the present system, but to absolutely abolish it; to wipe out wage-slavery, to emancipate not only the working class, but the capitalist class; to abolish class rule so that, unfettered, the children of men may being the march to what may be called real civilization. Competition, the controlling principle of capitalism, vanishes with the adoption of cooperative society. Not that we Socialists are less selfish, but that our selfishness is enlightened selfishness. We shall still compete with each other in Socialist society, not for a material advantage, however, but to excel in good works.
How fully, how perfectly, how beautifully the spirit of Socialism has been expressed at this festal board this evening! You have all joined in literally loading me with honors that I so illy deserve. I am simply a bit more fortunate than you. Of my own account I amount to so little. It is my good fortune that I have you as my comrades, and because of this fact I have been praised and I have been given credit to which I feel and know I am not justly entitled…..
…..We have a picture here for memory’s wall. We will never all be together again. When we meet somebody will be missing, but we can remember this picture and cherish it, and I am sure that we shall. I wish you all long life and strength and health and inspiration, and for the Cause, victory. In the campaign that is now opening you are all going to do your duty, I know. All of you are going to give an account of yourselves and I feel quite safe in predicting that when the polls close on the first Tuesday in November, the returns will be such as to surprise Girard and Kansas, the nation and the world. In this great work we all have our places and we all have our duties. We have the small satisfaction of knowing that we are not working for a personal advantage, but that we are working for the common interests of our common humanity.
He is true to God who is true to man wherever wrong is done,
To the humblest and the weakest ’neath the all-beholding sun;
That wrong is also done to us, and they are slaves most base
Whose love of right is for themselves and not for all the race.As the speaker resumed his seat, dainty and graceful little Mrs. Brown—a staunch and loyal Socialist—took the flowers from the nearest vase and threw them to Comrade Debs. This signal went down the line, and all the beautiful roses used as decorations were soon banked before our peerless leader and the banquet was over.
Many went to their homes, while others, with Comrade Debs, lingered to entertain the visitors and see them to their trains.
Those present were Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Wayland, Mr. and Mrs. Ben F. Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. H.L. Call, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Vincent, Mr. and Mrs. M.V. Tubbs, Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Hewitt, Mr. and Mrs. E.N. Richardson, Mrs. Withrow, Mrs. Marvin Brown, Mrs. F.M. Eastwood, Miss Cox, Miss Wolcott and Grandma Lovejoy, and Messrs. F.D. Warren, H.C. Williams, Ted Vincent, Dr. H.J. Munson, Candidate for Governor Hibner, State Secretary J.E. Snyder, Eugene V. Debs, Hugh Campbell, of Kansas City; Dan Hogan, of Huntington, Ark.; W.P. Metcalf, of Albuquerque, NM; and David C. Coats, of Wallace, Idaho.
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SOURCES
The Fort Scott Tribune
and The Fort Scott Monitor
(Fort Scott, Kansas)
-May 15, 1908
https://www.newspapers.com/image/58978835/
An Evening in Girard
[Thursday May 21, 1908]
—–
Just an Informal Incident Following
the Return of Delegates from the
Chicago Socialist Convention
Girard, Kansas, 1908
-Copy of pamphlet published to commemorate the event:
http://debs.indstate.edu/a5315a5_1908.pdf
-Speech by Debs, given on Thursday May 21st, to small group of Socialists gathered together in Girard at “the popular dining room of Mine Host ‘Billy’ Osborne to be served with ice cream and cake.”
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/parties/spusa/1908/0521-debs-girardspeech.pdf
IMAGE
Eugene V Debs, EVD, Girard Prs p8, May 21, 1908
https://www.newspapers.com/image/183974520
Pamphlet-An Evening In Girard, re Banquet for EVD May 21, 1908
Pamphlet-An Evening In Girard, Our Gene, EVD May 21, 1908
http://debs.indstate.edu/a5315a5_1908.pdf
See also:
Note: Debs had been a resident of Girard, Kansas, since 1907 when he arrived to work with the Appeal to Reason for the defense of Haywood, Moyer, Pettibone.
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday January 20, 1907
Girard, Kansas – Good News From the Appeal to Reason!
Eugene Debs Comes Aboard Appeal to Reason in Behalf of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday February 10, 1907
Girard, Kansas – Debs Rallies Readers of Appeal to Reason
Eugene Debs Now in Girard Assisting Appeal to Reason in Effort to Save Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone
AtR Cigars, Osborne Restaurant, Girard Prs p2, Mar 19, 1908
https://www.newspapers.com/image/183974352/
AD: Appeal to Reason Cigars, AtR p4, Mar 28, 1908
https://www.newspapers.com/image/67587246/
Ben Hanford
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Hanford
J. A. Wayland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Wayland
Fred Warren
http://spartacus-educational.com/USAwarrenF.htm
Daniel Hogan
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=6885
David C. Coates
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_C._Coates
Delegates to the 1908 Convention of the Socialist Party of America
Convention was held May 10-17, 1908, at Chicago, Illinois.
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/eam/spa/spa-conv08delegates.html
Proceedings: National Convention of Socialist Party
Chicago May 10-17, 1908
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89073013468;view=2up;seq=12
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We Will Sing One Song – Six Feet In the Pine
Lyrics by Joe Hill