Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs for the Appeal to Reason: “Roosevelt’s Labor Letters”

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If Moyer and Haywood die!
If Moyer and Haywood die!
Twenty million working men
Will know the reason why!
-Protest Chant

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday May 19, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: Debs Questions President Roosevelt

Roosevelt’s Labor Letters
—–

Eugene V. Debs
—–

Kidnappers Special by BBH, detail, AtR, May 19, 1906

The letter of President Roosevelt to the Moyer and Haywood conference of New York is in strange contrast with the one previously addressed by him to the Chicago conference on the same subject. The two letters are so entirely dissimilar in spirit and temper that they seem to have been written by different persons. In the first the President bristles with defiance, in the last he is the pink of politeness. The first letter utterly failed of its purpose. Organized labor did not lie down and be still at the command of the President. On the contrary, it growled more fiercely than before in fact, showed its teeth to the President, who has become so used to exhibiting his own. And lo-what a change! The President receives a labor committee, talks over matters for an hour and then addresses a letter to the conference through the chairman, beginning “My Dear Mr. Henry,” explaining that he is ready to perform his duty if only the conference will point it out to him, and putting the whole blame on “Debs and the Socialists,” whom he charges with using “treasonable and murderous language,” but not a word of explanation does he vouchsafe in regard to his denunciation of Moyer and Haywood, the real, and in fact the only, point at issue.

Again has the President vindicated his reputation as one of the smoothest of politicians and one of the most artful and designing of demagogues.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs for the Appeal to Reason: “Roosevelt’s Labor Letters””

Hellraisers Journal: Haywood Family in Court and Socialists in Boise by Ida Crouch-Hazlett

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday May 17, 1907
For The Montana News: Ida Crouch-Hazlett Reports from Boise

Reporting from Boise, Idaho, on the trial William D. Haywood, Ida Crouch-Hazlett, editor of the Socialist weekly, The Montana News, describes the Haywood family as they appeared in court on May 9th, the first day of the great trial:

Haywood’s Family Present.

Haywood Family Reunited, Boise, Wilkes-Barre Leader, May 10, 1907, Crpd

Mrs. Haywood had been carried up the stairs and into the court room in her invalid chair. She was dressed in black with a white collar at her throat and wore a black hat with a white flower. She was accompanied by her two daughters and nurse. The daughters sat in the same line with Haywood behind the attorneys; first the wife, then Verna, then the nurse with Henrietta on her lap, and then the man on trial for his life.

Haywood was clean shaved, well dressed and looked in the best of condition. His face held an expression of confidence that showed that his mind was not greatly disturbed.

As he sat down by the side of his daughter, Haywood placed his hand fondly upon her head and the two exchanged quick, loving smiles. Then he glanced over toward his wife and the two exchanged similar smiles. A moment later Haywood leaned over and began talking earnestly with Attorney Richardson. He was apparently asking some important questions and his attorney nodded vigorously at intervals. Then Haywood said some thing that caused them both to laugh heartily.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Haywood Family in Court and Socialists in Boise by Ida Crouch-Hazlett”

Hellraisers Journal: Spokane Press Claims Haywood Showing Signs of Breakdown & Moyer Possibly an Ex-Con

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday May 16, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Haywood Showing Signs of Strain?

From The Spokane Press of May 14, 1907:

HAYWOOD SHOWS SIGNS OF BREAKING DOWN
—–

HMP, Haywood by Landon, Stt Str, May 14, 1907

(Scripps News Association.)

BOISE, May 14.-Haywood is beginning to show the effects of long confinement and worry. Lines about his mouth and eyes are becoming more clearly defined daily.

He is still pursuing the study of law, and, according to his attorneys, is making excellent progress. His youngest daughter is his constant companion and his wife is by his side the entire session.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Spokane Press Claims Haywood Showing Signs of Breakdown & Moyer Possibly an Ex-Con”

Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Answers Charges of Idaho Statesman: “Who Are the Wolves?” Part I

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Since the earth belongs to the capitalist class,
why should a grand jury concern itself
in such a small matter as
helping itself to the state of Idaho?
-Eugene Victor Debs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday May 14, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: Eugene V. Debs Responds to The Statesman

On April 20th (see below), The Idaho Daily Statesman published an editorial in which it referred to the Appeal as the “Appeal to Treason” and insisted that the Socialists of the Appeal were actually “anarchists…wolves of society.” In the the May 11th edition of the Appeal, Comrade Debs asks, “Who Are the Wolves?” We will publish the entire response in two parts, beginning today with Part I:

WHO ARE THE WOLVES?
—–
An Inquiry Into Some of the Charges Made Against
the Appeal to Reason by the
Criminal Idaho Statesman.
—–

BY EUGENE V. DEBS.
—–

HMP, Death to WFM, Ryan Walker, AtR May 11, 1907

UT few people are so blind or indifferent as to be oblivious of the mighty struggle now in progress in the existing social and economic order. It is true that only the few who have studied historic and social evolution have any proper understanding of the forces underlying society, or any clear perception of the trend of its development, but the fact that we are living in an era of industrial transformation and that economic conditions are rapidly changing is pretty generally understood by the whole people.

Now the system under which we live, like the one preceding it, and from which it sprang, has its historic limitations and when its mission is accomplished it will be relegated to the past, but this will happen only after the system that is to succeed it has evolved and taken its place in the orderly march of events and the unceasing progress of civilization.

Capitalist society, corner-stoned in wage slavery, will no more last forever than did the feudal system based upon serf-labor. It will serve its historic time and purpose and that will be the end of it. Another and better system will take its place, out of which will rise a higher civilization.

But the dominant class in every system want that system to last forever. They are on top and want to remain there. That is natural enough. Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Answers Charges of Idaho Statesman: “Who Are the Wolves?” Part I”

Hellraisers Journal: Ida Crouch-Hazlett of Montana News Gives Touching Account of Haywood Family’s Reunion

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

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday May 12, 1907
From Montana News: The First Meeting of Haywood Family

Haywood Family Reunited, Boise, Wilkes-Barre Leader, May 10, 1907, Crpd

In the May 9th edition of the Montana News, official organ of the Socialist Party of Montana, was published an article by the editor, Ida Crouch-Hazlett which gives a touching account of the reunification Comrade Bill Haywood with his family. The prisoner had not seen his wife and daughters for the past fourteen months.

Just Before the Battle
—–

Family Reunion in Ada County Jail
-Everything Ready for Trial
-“Statesman” Gets Rabid”

Boise, Idaho, April 30, 1907.

One week from next Thursday is the date set for the trial of William D. Haywood. All sides state that they are ready for the great battle. The work that the defense has done throughout Ada county in safeguarding the interests of their clients is a marvel in painstaking and thorough news. The county has been thoroughly polled, and, as Mr. Richardson says, the conditions are certainly nothing like those in Canyon county. C. A. Johnson of Seattle and M. Barber of Caldwell, the men who had charge of the Canyon county work, have had the work here, and they have had a most able corps of assistants in learning what the sentiment is generally concerning the coming trials.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Ida Crouch-Hazlett of Montana News Gives Touching Account of Haywood Family’s Reunion”

Hellraisers Journal: Haywood Family Reunited in Boise as “Legal Labor Struggle of the Age Begins”

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

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday May 11, 1907
Boise, Idaho – Haywood Reunited with Wife and Daughters

From the Wilkes-Barre Leader of May 10, 1907:

Haywood Family Reunited, Boise, Wilkes-Barre Leader, May 10, 1907

———-

BY JOHN E. NEVINS.

Special to the LEADER.

BOISE, Idaho, May 10.-Mrs. W. D. Haywood, the invalid wife of the Western Federation secretary, is the object of much sympathy and interest. Every afternoon at 3 o’clock she is taken to see her husband behind the grated bars of the county jail. Her two daughters, aged 11 and 17 years, and the nurse or the guard detailed by the miners’ federation accompany her.

For two hours the members of the little family enjoy the association that was broken when Haywood was brought here to stand trial for his life. Promptly at 5 o’clock, in obedience to the prison rules, the visitors return to the temporary home provided for them in this city.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Haywood Family Reunited in Boise as “Legal Labor Struggle of the Age Begins””

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for April 1907: Found on Speaking Tour in Texas

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President Roosevelt and others class
Moyer, Haywood and other labor leaders
as undesirable citizens.
For my part I am glad to be classed with them.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday May 9, 1907
Mother Jones News for April: Found Touring in Texas

Mother Jones, Tacoma Times, Sept 19, 1904

During the month of April 1907, Mother was found touring Texas and giving speeches on Socialism, on economic conditions, and in support of Charles Moyer and Bill Haywood who remain imprisoned in Idaho.

From The Fort Worth Telegram of April 3, 1907:

SOCIALISTS PLAN AN ACTIVE YEAR
—–

Mother Jones and E. V. Debs
Among Speakers Scheduled
—–

To The Telegram:

The Socialists in this city are making plans for a great propaganda work this summer.

Local Fort Worth meets every Sunday at 3 p. m. in Red Men’s hall, and never fails to have an interesting program.

They recently collected $125 to defray expenses of a representative to the Moyer-Haywood-Pettibone trial in Idaho. W. M. McClain was chosen to go and left last week for the scene of the impending trial.

The next lecturer to visit Fort Worth will be Mother Jones, who will be here some time during this month.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for April 1907: Found on Speaking Tour in Texas”

Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Reveals: Roosevelt Read “Undesirable Citizen” Letter to Supreme Court Justices

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Ring Out May Ninth, O Bells of Labor;
Ring out O’er all the Nation;
This Day They Heroes Consecrate
to Thy Emancipation.
-Appeal to Reason, May 5, 1907

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday May 5, 1907
“Undesirable Citizen,” Eugene V. Debs, Takes on President Roosevelt

From page one of the Appeal to Reason of May 4, 1907:

COLLUSION BETWEEN ROOSEVELT
and SUPREME COURT
—–

BY EUGENE V. DEBS.
—–

HMP, EVD v Roosevelt, AtR, May 4, 1907

The one point of the most vital character in the kidnaping cases is the collusion of President Roosevelt and the Supreme court of the United States, clearly indicated in the dispatches from the white house published in the capitalist press. Read carefully the following extract from the Washington Post of April 4th:

It was ascertained at the white house yesterday that when the president wrote to Chairman Sherman (Oct. 8th, 1906), the letter which was made public yesterday, denouncing Harriman, he expected it would be made public at the time. He authorized Sherman to show it to Harriman, and the republican chairman did so. It was immediately afterward that a friend of Harriman came to Washington and assured the president that the railway magnate had not made some of the statements attributed to him by Sherman. For this reason, it is said, the president did not make public the letter then.

HE DID HOWEVER, SHOW IT TO MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, WHO MADE THE ANNUAL CALL UPON HIM THAT DAY WITH THE COMMENT THAT HE BELIEVED SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT HE DENOUNCED TOO FREQUENTLY WEALTHY EVIL-DOERS AND DID NOT CONDEMN OFTEN ENOUGH MEN OF THE HAYWOOD AND MOYER TYPE. HE, THEREFORE, TOOK CONSIDERABLE PLEASURE IN DEALING COLLECTIVELY WITH HARRIMAN AND HAYWOOD AND MOYER, ALL OF WHOM WERE MENTIONED IN THE SAME CATEGORY IN THE SHERMAN LETTER.

 

Here we have the most startling and extraordinary disclosure, inadvertently made to cover up another Roosevelt exposure, in the political history of the United States. We see the president before the supreme court pronouncing his condemnation upon three citizens on trial for their lives, in a state case which may, and probably will, be appealed to this same supreme court, and whose members are to finally decide whether these three citizens shall live or die. Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Reveals: Roosevelt Read “Undesirable Citizen” Letter to Supreme Court Justices”

Hellraisers Journal: Thousands of Undesirable Citizens Prepare to March in Haywood-Moyer Protest Parades

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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday May 3, 1907
From the Montana News: Organized Labor Plans Protests

Massive protests parades in support of the officials of the Western Federation of Miners, now imprisoned in Boise, Idaho, will take place this weekend in New York City and in Boston. This week’s Montana News describes the preparations now underway:

Undesirable Citizens
—–

Action Taken by Organized Labor to
Resent the Insult of Roosevelt
and to Insure Justice

HMP, Undesirable Citizen, Walker 3, AtR, Apr 20, 1907

“Undesirable citizens” clubs were started throughout the country yesterday. In Chicago members of the Moyer-Haywood conference prepared to order a supply of buttons for organized working men bearing the Words: “We are undesirable citizens.”

This is intended to amalgamate the men branded by President Roosevelt as “undesirable citizens” and show that the men be puts such a brand on are really the men who do the world’s work, the men who always stand as a class for lofty measures in public life and progress of the human race.

In New York plans are made to place 100,000 badges on the men who will parade in protest against the mine owners’ conspiracy to hang Mover, Haywood and Pettibone.

The New York Plan.

New York.—The executive committee of the Moyer and Haywood protest committee called off its expedition to the White House. In a statement the committee declared: “Only the respect in which we hold the presidential office restrains us from characterizing Roosevelt’s assertion by the term which the incumbent of that office so frequently employs—’an in famous lie.'”

The committee of three named to call upon Roosevelt will read a report at the next meeting of the organization Sunday morning. An order was placed today for 10,000 buttons bearing the inscription:

We are undesirable citizens. Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Thousands of Undesirable Citizens Prepare to March in Haywood-Moyer Protest Parades”

Hellraisers Journal: May Day Messages from Comrades Big Bill Haywood and Eugene V. Debs

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BBH Quote re May Day, AtR p2, Apr 27, 1907

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday May 1, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: Thoughts on May Day and The Red Flag

William D. Haywood writes to the Appeal from the Ada County Jail:

Haywood, Wilshire's Magazine, 1906

May Day of all the year is the most momentous to the workers of the world. In every civilized country the first of May is recognized as International Labor Day. On this day thought-waves are carrying around the globe messages of love and encouragement. “The world is my country man is my brother,” expresses the sublime sentiment of a world-wide fraternity in every land where men and women are straining under the galling chains of oppression. This noble thought quickens the soul and kindles the spark of hope in the breast of the heavy laden.

Brave hearts of every clime are beating in unison and millions of feet are keeping step in the onward, upward march to industrial liberty.

This era of evolution is blotting out racial and national hatreds, the toilers are awakened and conscious of the truth that sufferings now endured are but the labor pains that foretell the new democracy to be born.

WM. D. HAYWOOD,
Ada County Jail, Boise, Idaho.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: May Day Messages from Comrades Big Bill Haywood and Eugene V. Debs”