John F Tobin – WE NEVER FORGET

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Hellraisers Journal – Friday February 3, 1899
Eugene V. Debs: “The name of the Social Democratic Party suits me precisely.”

From the Social Democratic Herald of January 28, 1899:

The March of Socialism

[by Eugene V. Debs]

Each passing day adds new testimony to the progressive march of socialism throughout the civilized world. A letter just received from Russia contains words of greeting and congratulation, and prompts me to pen this article for The Herald. The Social Democratic Party of the United States commands the confidence and respect of the leading socialists of other nations, and they look to our party to organize the socialists of this country and bring them into harmonious alliance with the hosts of international socialism, in the universal battle for the overthrown of capitalism.

The work accomplished during the past few months is as gratifying and inspiring to socialists as it is abhorrent and alarming to their enemies. The superb victory at Haverhill sent a thrill of joy and consternation, hope and horror through the country. The plutocratic press is still harping upon it, wondering how it happened and predicting all sorts of evils if there is any spread of this dread affliction. They are straining their old power to scare the people and make them mind their masters, as they have been so long in the habit of doing. Riley’s nursery tale warning aptly illustrates the situation:

The plutocrats and their parasites will not contemplate with calm indifference the march of socialism. Every artifice known to their Machiavellian resources will be employed to resist the advance. The ignorant and servile can be easily deflected from their course, but the thinking and vigilant will do ceaseless sentinel service and be prepared to parry every blow and expose every device and intrigue of the enemy.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From Social Democratic Herald: “The March of Socialism” by Eugene V. Debs” →

There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones

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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday October 27, 1906
From the Duluth Labor World: Beware the Pinkerton

SPIES IN LABOR UNION
BONE OF CONTENTION
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John F. Tobin Tells How One is Discovered
in Boot and Shoe Workers.
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Becomes Active in Strike and Proves to be
Employed as Pinkerton Detective.
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In his report made at the convention of the Boot and Shoe Workers’ union recently held at Milwaukee, National President J. F. Tobin had this to say of spies in unions:

In many of our unions, and particularly in the large shoe centers, it is a well known fact that we have members who betray the union, giving out information both truthful and untruthful, which is conveyed to employers, sometimes by one method and again by others.

During my membership in a local union in Rochester, N. Y., in 1890, while the Cox strike was in progress, a stranger came to the city well recommended, and was very active in our meetings, very friendly with everybody and very liberal with his money, and contributed to the funds of the union altogether out of proportion with his small earnings while occasionally employed in one of the factories.

After being in the union quite a number of weeks he became a candidate for delegate to the joint shoe council in the semi-annual election and made an active canvass for election. About this time it was discovered that he was a Pinkerton detective, and upon this information being passed around among the members at the meeting he was elected outside sentinel, from which he took the hint and immediately left the city.

During the last big strike in Haverhill a man giving his name as Ed Loughlin was a avery active and prominent member of the union for some time, and was then discovered to be a Pinkerton detective, when he suddenly disappeared.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: John F, Tobin, President of Boot and Shoe Workers, Tells of Spies in Labor Unions” →