Had the greatest meeting ever held in Coalgate-
thousands and thousands-woods full of ’em,
all blazing with zeal for Socialism.
-Eugene Victor Debs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday July 19, 1908
Coalgate, Oklahoma – Debs Draws Enthusiastic Crowd
From the Appeal to Reason of July 18, 1908:
Debs in Oklahoma
—–
—–
Eugene V. Debs spoke at the Fourth of July celebration at Coalgate, Okla., after several other orators had been heard in dead silence, and immediately had the 5,000 auditors aroused to enthusiasm and applause. letters to the Appeal describe it as a wonderful meeting. It was a non-partisan gathering, but the enthusiasm was all one way, and at the conclusion of Debs’ address 2,000 people followed him to the depot, two miles away, to cheer him when he took his departure.
On the night of the 5th, Debs spoke in Oklahoma City, on a warm evening, in a close hall, and was greeted by 2,000 people who paid an admission price to hear him. This is the more remarkable since Mr. Bryan, when speaking in the same hall, an admission being charged, a year ago, had only 500 auditors. The Daily News estimates Debs’ audience at 3,000, and says: “Though the evening was hot and the speech almost two hours long, very few people left the building. Fully half of the audience was made up of women, who joined in the liberal applause.”
From Debs.
Dear Appeal: Haven’t had a ghost of a chance to write-am constantly besieged and surrounded, early and late, on the trains, everywhere. Had the greatest meeting ever held in Coalgate-thousands and thousands-woods full of ’em, all blazing with zeal for Socialism. Great meeting at Oklahoma City and two at Fort Smith. Spoke four hours and a half, afternoon and evening, yesterday. Same great crowds and lusty enthusiasm everywhere. Am to meet Lincoln Steffens for interview in Everbody’s soon as he gets through with Denver convention. The people all through here are red-hot about the Appeal’s persecution. We passed through Olney, Okla., where the postmaster was reported to have burned the Appeals. He now denies it. The indignation is great. One comrade went to his postmaster and said: “If you destroy my Appeal. I’ll not squeal to Uncle Sam, but I’ll make it a personal matter with you.” The postmaster assured him he would get his paper right along. They daren’t refuse delivery.-E. V. Debs.
