Hellraisers Journal: From Appeal to Reason: Debs Special Paints the Coast Red-California, Oregon and Washington

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Quote EVD Nature's Bounty, Girard, May 16, 1908
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Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday October 7, 1908
The Red Special Paints a Crimson Streak Up the Pacific Coast States

From the Appeal to Reason of September 26, 1908:

EVD re Red Special West Coast, AtR p4, Sept 26, 1908

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San Bernardino.

T, AtR p4, Sept 26, 1908HE first evening meeting after the crimson flyer left Salt Lake City was held at San Bernardino, California, September 8. For the purpose a large park pavilion had been secured and the largest attendance at any political gathering in the history of the city greeted the speakers from the train and the veteran Comrade N. A. Richardson, well known wherever the Appeal is read as the author of that mighty little pamphlet, “The Introduction to Socialism.”

Excursion trains were run in from neighboring points; and, after 4,000 people had crowded the great auditorium, hundreds were turned away because it was physically impossible to find room for one more. Although the train arrived a half hour ahead of time several hundred were at the station to meet it and listen to the concert by the band which pleased even those benighted brethren whose minds were yet befogged with capitalistic teaching.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for August 1908, Part I: Found Campaigning in Kansas with Eugene Debs

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Quote re Battle Scarred Mother Jones, AtR p3, Aug 29, 1908
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Hellraisers Journal, Thursday September 17, 1908
-Mother Jones News Round-Up for August, 1908, Part I
“Our Dear Old Battle-Scarred Mother Jones” Found in Kansas

On Wednesday August 19th, an all-day picnic was held in Pittsburg, Kansas, with Mother Jones and Eugene V. Debs as the principal speakers of the day and evening. The Appeal to Reason of August 29th describes the event:

Mother Jones from Cripple Creek Strike by EFL, 1908 edition

The Pittsburg meeting was a winner. An all-day picnic was arranged. In the afternoon Comrade George D. Brewer, our next representative from Crawford county to Topeka, acted as chairman. George’s speech was enthusiastically received. He started off the program on the right foot, which gave the whole situation an assured success, culminating in a wonderful climax with Debs at night. After Brewer, Comrade Snyder gave one of his characteristic speeches which gripped the audience with intensity. Then followed Phil Callery, who, although speaking but a brief time, lifted the audience into the white heat of enthusiasm. Next came Comrade Miss Caroline A. Lowe with her sweet and convincing message so original and characteristic of herself and filled with a strong appeal, especially to the women. Her address was most loyally received.

Mother Jones was the next speaker. Our dear old battle-scarred Mother Jones, who, although grown gray in the fight, still retains her youth and spirit. She paced the platform, filled with the vigor of youth and in her own original manner, told the story of the robbery of labor and the way to its emancipation. At times she had the audience weeping, and then again by a certain turn she would lift the crowd to the wildest pitch of enthusiasm as she led them to a perception of class consciousness from which they viewed the inevitable triumph of the working class. The meeting closed by a talk from Comrade Wilson, who cinched the day’s program and left the audience ready for the invincible Debs at night. Wilson was more than enthusiastically received, showing the deep confidence and hold he has upon the miners whose cause he has plead for years. His speech had deep effect. Debs opened and closed his meeting amid cheers. The large audience was held spellbound during his long speech for two hours. The whole community has received a baptism of new life.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for August 1908, Part I: Found Campaigning in Kansas with Eugene Debs”