Tag: Eugene Victor Debs

Hellraisers Journal: Gene Debs Welcomed Home; Tour of Red Special Ends in Big Demonstration at Terre Haute

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD re Political Scabbing, AtR p2, Oct 3, 1908
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday November 8, 1908
Tour of Red Special Ends in Home Town of Eugene Debs

From The Indianapolis News of November 3, 1908:

TERRE HAUTE WELCOMES
“GENE” DEBS BACK HOME
—–

BIG DEMONSTRATION FOR THE SOCIALIST CANDIDATE.
—–

REGARDS TO BRYAN AND TAFT
—–

(Special to The Indianpolis News.)

EVD Red Special detail, Zanesville OH Tx Rcdr p1, Oct 20, 1908

TERRE HAUTE, Ind., November 3.-“Gene” Debs came home last evening in his “Red Special,” and had a welcome surpassing in enthusiasm any political demonstration seen in Terre Haute in many years. His train was three hours late, owing to a breakdown at Cayuga, but the crowd waited for him, cheering for “Gene.” when he appeared on the stage at the Colosseum 3,000 persons, who had each paid 10 cents admission, packed the place, and as great a crowd outside listened to other speakers. At the Armory another big audience waited for him until after 10 o’clock. Besides paying the admission at the Colosseum there was a liberal contribution when collectors, some of whom were women, wearing red sashes, went down the aisles.

Debs began with a feeling acknowledgment of the personal note in his welcome, referring to the fact that he was born in and always had lived in Terre Haute, where, if any one had ever said an unkind word about him, he never heard of it.

Refers to Rockefeller.

[He said:]

All great movements in their incipiency are unpopular and are led by “undesirable citizens.”

[T]he reference to the designation of him by President Roosevelt causing laughter and applause. He said the two old parties stand for the same system, which has reached the climax of its existence. He declared that Rockefeller “was not born yesterday”; that he knew better than any one else how unpopular he is and the effect of his interview for Taft. The interview, he said, was the shrewdest move in the campaign. He knew that he had exhausted the usefulness of the Republican party to him, and desires Bryan.

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: “Taft Is Elected; Bryan Defeated; Debs Victorious!”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD re Political Scabbing, AtR p2, Oct 3, 1908
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday November 7, 1908
1908 Campaign Ends with Taft Elected and Debs Victorious

From the Appeal to Reason of November 7, 1908:

Debs Victorious

EVD EVD Debs Victorious detail, AtR p1, Nov 7, 1908 Victorious

Taft Elected

EVD Debs Victorious, AtR p1, Nov 7, 1908

Debs Re-visits Woodstock Jail

FROM THE RED SPECIAL
—–
Debs Re-visits Woodstock Jail in
Last Days of Long Journey
-Vote should Be at Least a Million.
—–

EVD Debs Release Woodstock, Debs Life p194, AtR Pub 1908

Madison, Wis., Oct. 30.-We are now on the homeward lap, and when this is read by the Appeal readers the “Red Special” will have passed into history. This morning our first stop out of Chicago was at Woodstock, Ill. On arrival there the “Red Special” crew, and the assembled citizens marched to the Woodstock jail headed by the the “Red Special” band. On arrival at the court house, Harry Parker, manager of the train, called the meeting to order and made a few happy introductory remarks. Comrade Debs then addressed the people, recalling the time when he came to Woodstock as a prisoner, the intense feeling that then prevailed against him and how that had changed until now the people were as friendly and sympathetic as they were then hostile and hateful.

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Hellraisers Journal: Red Special in Evansville and Cincinnati, Thousands March, Wave Red Flags, Sing Marseillaise

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD Movements of Undesirables, AtR p4, Oct 31, 1908~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal Sunday November 1, 1908
Cincinnati and Evansville Socialist Give Red Special a Red Welcome

From the Appeal to Reason of October 31, 1908:

FROM THE RED SPECIAL.
—–
Debs and Taft in Evansville Same Day, But Latter
Ignores Proposal of the Socialists
to Exchange Audiences.
—–

Special Telegram to the Appeal.

St. Louis, Oct. 23.-At Evansville last night there were rival political demonstrations between the republicans and the Socialists. Taft and Debs both arrived at about the same time, and the old town was hot with excitement.

EVD Red Special Evansville IN, EvPrs p1, Oct 22, 1908
From the Evansville Press
October 22, 1908

The local committee of the Socialists proposed to the republican committee an exchange of audiences for twenty minutes by the republican and Socialist orators for educational purposes, thus giving each orator the opportunity to address both audiences. The invitation was respectfully or otherwise ignored. Thus is there another bluff called. The republicans and the democrats both put up the claim that their campaigns are educational, but when they are called by the Socialists, and given a chance to make good, they expose their dishonesty and false pretense by refusing to address Socialists meetings or allowing Socialists to address their meetings.

Taft did but little at Evansville other than to explain his labor record. It surely needs explaining, and he has been working on the job ever since his nomination. The Socialist candidate, in his speeches at Evansville, put Taft on the rack and showed what his true attitude toward labor is by recalling the trip he made to Idaho to support the infamous Gooding in the conspiracy to murder Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone.

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Hellraisers Journal: Philadelphia Police Club and Arrest Men, Women and Children Who Turn Out to Hear Debs

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD Comrade Tramp, Phl Inq p2, Oct 12, 1908~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday October 31, 1908
Philadelphia Police Club and Arrest Supporters of Comrade Debs

From the Appeal to Reason of October 24, 1908:

“Riot” to Hear Debs!
—-

EVD, Philly So-called Riot, Phl Inq p1, Oct 12, 1908

EVD, Philly 16 Arrests, Phl Inq p1, Oct 12, 1908
The Philadelphia Inquirer
October 12, 1908

The Philadelphia North American, under scare head lines, tells a story which has no parallel in the history of political gatherings in America. Debs was scheduled to speak in three halls in different parts of Philadelphia and long before the doors opened the streets were jammed with men, women and children who were not only anxious to hear the message of Socialism, but willing to pay for this privilege as well!

Says the North American: “Crowds packed every hall, 7,000 being the estimated number inside while as many more lined the streets outside.”

So great was the anxiety of the hungry multitude to listen to the gospel of Socialism that they crowded the doors and became frantic in their efforts to get on the inside.

There was no disorder, yet the police proceeded to club inoffensive women and children and arrest men who protested against the outrages. Here is the North American’s version of the activity of the police:

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Hellraisers Journal: Red Special Carries Debs Campaign to Harper’s Ferry; “Tears and Cheers” for Soul of John Brown

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD on John Brown, AtR, 11-23-1907

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Hellraisers Journal – Friday October 30, 1908
Red Special Stops Over at Harper’s Ferry to Honor John Brown

From the Appeal to Reason of October 24, 1908:

John Brown in Engine House Oct 18, 1859, from Leslies Nov 5, 1859

DEBS AT HARPER’S FERRY.
—–
Tears and Cheers When the Soul of John Brown
Again Finds Utterance at the Historic
Engine-house Fort.
—–

Special Telegram to the Appeal.

Connellsville, Pa., Oct. 17.-A most dramatic scene has just occurred. The “Red Special” made a short stop at Harper’s Ferry. The comrades gathered about the monument which marked the spot where the old engine house was located, where John Brown was captured; and Gene, standing at the base of the monument, payed a tribute to the brave old warrior who made that spot sacred forever, fifty years ago. It was the most thrilling and dramatic scene of the entire trip. The comrades uncovered at the monument, as the impassioned tribute was delivered. The “Red Special” band played the Marseillaise and with never such thrilling appeal. The reports of John Brown’s rifles seemed to reverberate again in the surrounding hills. The Cumberland and the Potomac mingled their waters a few feet distant as the spirit of the abolitionist of forty years ago and the spirit of the Socialist of today mingled at the spot John Brown made immortal. There were tears and there were cheers. The spirit of the noble old warriors, transfigured the scene, and the memory of it will remain vivid and inspiring forever.-Theodore Debs.

[“John Brown in engine house” added from Leslie’s of November 5, 1859.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs: the Socialist Party Stands for “Emancipation of Labor All Over the World”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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EVD Quote, SP Appeal, NY Independent, Oct 15, 1908~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday October 29, 1908
Candidate Eugene Debs on Ideals and Purpose of Socialist Party

From the Appeal to Reason of October 24, 1908:

Get This Magazine.
—–

The Independent, published at 130 Fulton st., New York, will, in its issue of October 15, contain an article by Eugene V. Debs, entitled “The Socialist Party’s Appeal!” As a plain statement of what Socialism is and the relation of the Socialist party to the real vital questions of the day, its equal has not appeared.

This article is one of a series contributed to the Independent by each of the seven presidential candidates. The number containing Comrade Debs’ article will be mailed postpaid by the publishers to any address for ten cents.

———-

From the New York Independent of October 15, 1908:

The Socialist Party’s Appeal

BY EUGENE V. DEBS

CANDIDATE OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

EVD, NY Independent p876, Oct 15, 1908

At a public meeting in New York City some months ago the present Presidential candidate of the Republican party was asked this question: [“]What is a man to do who is out of work in a financial panic and is starving?”

This is an intensely human as well as a very practical question. It epitomizes the problem of the unemployed and places it in bold relief. It is not too much to say that the future welfare and progress of our country-aye, the fate of civilization itself-depends upon a correct solution of this problem. In view of the supreme importance of the question it might naturally be expected that the Republican party would offer some practical and well-defined method of dealing with it, and one might suppose that the party’s standard-bearer would be in a position clearly to expound that method in making reply to his interrogator. But how pitifully inadequate was the answer! It is at least creditable to Mr. Taft’s honesty that he frankly replied, “God knows!”

When Mr. Kern, the Vice Presidential candidate of the Democratic party, was asked recently what his party proposed to do for the relief of the unemployed, he is reported to have answered, “Nothing directly, nothing socialistic. We hope that carrying out the general ideas in our platform will so restore confidence that industry will start up again. But that’s about all. In fact, that’s enough.”

These answers are not cited for any partisan purpose, but because they serve admirably to illustrate the really essential difference between the Socialist party and its most formidable political rivals. The Socialist party does not refer this important problem to the Deity for solution. It recognizes the fact that it is of human creation and must be solved by human effort. It proposes to do something “directly,” something “socialistic,” for the relief of the unemployed. The Socialist party recognizes the serious nature of the unemployed problem and aims to solve it in the only way it can be solved, namely, by removing its cause. As means of temporary relief, applicable during the period of transition to a collective system of industry, the party proposes “immediate government relief for the unemployed workers by building schools, by reforesting of cut-over and waste lands, by reclamation of arid tracts and the building of canals, and by extending all other useful public works.” Both from the standpoint of effectiveness and that of practicability this program may be offered without comment in lieu of Mr. Taft’s “God knows!” and Mr. Kern’s “hope” of restored confidence.

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Hellraisers Journal: Socialist in St. Louis: Debs Speaks to 6000 Inside Armory While Mother Jones Speaks to 4000 Outside

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Pettibone was hounded to his death by Taft.
-Eugene Victor Debs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday October 28, 1908
St. Louis, Missouri – Eugene Debs and Mother Jones Speak to 10,000

From the St Louis Post-Dispatch of October 24, 1908:

EVD re Taft n Pettibone, St L P-D p1, Oct 24, 1908

—–

Eugene V. Debs, Socialistic candidate for the presidency of the United States, speaking at the First Regiment Armory Friday night [October 23rd], tore into Taft and Bryan to the huge delight of an audience of 6000 people, presumably Socialists, or at least those with Socialistic tendencies, and when he finished his 50-minute speech he retired bathed in perspiration, trembling with exhaustion and tottering from weakness.

He went to the arms of his devoted wife, who hurried him between rows of young militiamen away from his shouting, applauding admirers to a room in the back of the hall, where he descended a ladder to a carriage that was awaiting him in an alley and was driven to his private car and to bed. He was thoroughly exhausted.

Debs arrived in St. Louis at 6:15 Thursday night [Oct 22nd], several minutes late, and his private car was switched out of the Union Station and to a sidetrack along Clark avenue east of Eighteenth street.

Glimpse of Debs Impossible.

On Clark avenue several hundred Socialists with a banner waited to see him, but he was so carefully guarded that his admirers did not get even a glimpse of his car, and after waiting for some time they departed.

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Hellraisers Journal: Thousands of New Yorkers Demonstrate Support for Debs at Mass Meeting on Lower East Side

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD, NYC Lower East Side Oct 13, MTNs p 1, Oct 22, 1908~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday October 25, 1908
Lower East Side, New York City – Debs Speaks at Hamilton Fish Park

From the Montana News of of October 22, 1908:

LAND-SLIDE FOR SOCIALISM
—–

NEW ENGLAND WORKERS GO WILD OVER DEBS.
—–

EAST SIDE CROWDS
—–
One Hundred Policemen Required to Take Care
of the Vast Masses of People
-Debs Holding Out Well.
—–

EVD, NYC Hamilton Fish Park Oct 13, Brk Dly Egl p21, Oct 14, 1908

The lower east side of New York saw the greatest demonstration in its history Tuesday afternoon [October 13th] when Eugene V. Debs, socialist candidate for president, visited it and gave his thousands of supporters an opportunity to express their devotion to him and his cause.

From Hamilton Fish park, where Mr. Debs first appeared and spoke, to Rutgers square, where he ended his visit, the automobile in which he rode was surrounded and followed by a crowd that packed the streets through which he traversed and lapped over into those adjoining until nothing but a surging, tumultuous mass of humanity could be seen.

At Rutgers square it required all of the skill and discipline of a large force of policemen to make way for the Debs automobile to the center of the square, where he was to speak. When the socialist leader at last reached the spot he turned and looked down upon the vast sea of faces that extended as far as the eye could reach.

And the enthusiasm was as unrestrained and heartfelt as the crowd itself was huge. It was impossible to have every one in that crowd hear what was said, either by Debs or any of the other speakers, but that didn’t seem to matter to the crowd, for they applauded and cheered anyway. They were there to show their regard for the greatest working class champion in America-and they showed it.

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Hellraisers Journal: “Red Flags, Red Language and Red Enthusiasm” Greet Eugene Debs at Faneuil Hall, Boston

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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We’re not here to reform
the capitalist class,
but to wipe it out.
-Eugene Victor Debs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday October 24, 1908
Boston, Massachusetts – Socialist Greet Debs with Wild Enthusiasm

From the Montana News of October 15, 1908:

BOSTON SOCIALISTS WELCOME LEADER
—–
Thousands Great Debs With the
Greatest Enthusiasm.
—–

EVD Red Special Crew, Cover ISR Oct 1908

—–

Red flags, red language and red enthusiasm swept everything before them at Faneuil hall on the night of October 5 when the socialists of Boston waited patiently until nearly 10 o’clock to welcome their standard bearer, Eugene V. Debs of Illinois [Terre Haute, Indiana], locomotive fireman, grocer, legislator, labor agitator, strike director, convert to socialism and, like Bryan, three times a candidate for president.

The Cradle of Liberty got the wildest rocking both inside and out it has had in many years. As early as 6 o’clock the reds began to gather and by 7:30 o’clock the doors had to be closed, as everything was filled to the limit. Crowds surged to and fro all around the building, waving the red tri-cornered flags and shouting “Hurrah for Debs and Hanford.”

Enthusiasm to Spare.

Talk about enthusiasm. Why, the reds have both the big parties rolled into one and then beaten by fourteen miles. One of the speakers said the republicans or the democrats would have hard work to get out such a crowd. He might just as well have said it would have been impossible. First a wave of applause would surge out of the hall, and it would be met by an answering billow from the mob outside.

Inside the hall the crowd seated was only a small part of the real audience present. They hung off the balcony, up over the portraits of Sam Adams and John Hancock. They filled the space in front of the platform so that the reporters had to fight for their places. They forced their way up on the platform and pressed their way forward to the very chairs occupied by the speakers.

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Hellraisers Journal: Joseph Wanhope, Socialist Candidate for Governor of New York, Boards the Red Special at Buffalo

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD re Political Scabbing, AtR p2, Oct 3, 1908
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Friday October 23, 1908
Joseph Wanhope Comes Aboard the Red Special at Buffalo

From the Montana News of October 15, 1908:

ENTHUSIASM UNRIVALED
——

TREMENDOUS ARDOR REMINDS OLD RESIDENTS
OF LINCOLN’S CAMPAIGN.
—–

RED FLAGS FLYING
—–
People Greet Debs as Social Deliverer
-Huge Masses Pack Streets
-Capitalist Papers Break Silence Acknowledging
the Popularity of Socialism.
—–

[Continued.]

Wanhope on “Special.”

SPA Joseph Wanhope for NY Governor, Wilshire's 446, Sept 1908

Joe Wanhope and W. H. Leffingwell of Wilshire’s Magazine came aboard at Buffalo, and the expert work of Wanhope livened up the speech making during the day. Leffingwell made the collection appeal and literature talks. Wanhope came on his own trip, as the state committee of New York made no arrangements whatever to have him aboard, as requested by the national organization.

Thomas J. Mooney, a union iron molder who joined the special at San Jose, has been selling literature ever since and has made a record. At every evening meeting he is in the hall early and makes a “literature talk” that increases interest in the books offered and increases sales. He hopes to attend the University of Chicago this winter to add to his equipment as a labor agitator on the soap box and by writing.

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