The Social Democracy is a socialist party
and is pledged to the principles of socialism.
It can not and will not fuse with any capitalist party,
by whatever name it may be called.
-Eugene Victor Debs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Monday May 23, 1898
From Spring Valley, Illinois – Debs Address Issue of Fusion
From the Chicago Social Democrat of May 19, 1898:
Against Fusion
[by Eugene V. Debs]
Spring Valley, Ill., May 14, 1898
Notwithstanding our repeated declarations as to the attitude of the Social Democracy in respect to fusion with other political parties, there are still those who persist in misunderstanding our position.
The Social Democracy is a socialist party and is pledged to the principles of socialism. It can not and will not fuse with any capitalist party, by whatever name it may be called. As special allusion to the Populist party is made by our inquirers, let it be said that the Populist party is a capitalist party and the Social Democracy will not fuse with it any more than it will with the Republican or Democratic party.
It is urged by some that we should encourage alliance with the Populist party because it inclines in our direction. Their advice, if followed, would wreck our party. If socialism is right, Populists should become socialists and join the Social Democracy. If they are not ready to do this they are not socialists, and hence opposed to socialism, and fusion with their party would result in inevitable disaster.
