The tumultuous enthusiasm of men, women and children,
and the waving of thousands of red pennants
created a scene that was simply indescribable.
-Theodore Debs
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Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday October 21, 1908
New York and Boston Greet Red Special with Sea of Red Flags
From the Appeal to Reason of October 17, 1908:
FROM THE RED SPECIAL.
—–
Immense Meetings in New York and in Boston
Cause Even the Plutocratic Press
to Take Note of Socialism.
—–Special Telegram to the Appeal.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn., Oct. 9.-The events of the past week were the New York and Boston meetings. No man could possibly describe them and no one who was present will ever forget them. The great Hippodrome in New York, which covers a block, the largest theater in the world, the stage which alone seats as many people as an ordinary opera house was crowded to the uttermost part of the last gallery and the demonstration which took place there last Sunday afternoon staggered the senses. It was as if the Atlantic ocean had turned red and all its billows were being tossed skyward in showers of spray.
The tumultuous enthusiasm of men, women and children, and the waving of thousands of red pennants created a scene that was simply indescribable. In addition to the Hippodrome meeting an over-flow was held in the American theater, one of the largest in New York City, and this was also packed and overflowing. A dozen more theaters could have been packed in the same way. Ten days before the Hippodrome meeting every ticket had been sold and on the day of the meeting tickets were selling on the curb at five dollars apiece. The New York Times said it was the greatest political meeting ever held in the history of the city.
All the New York Papers were filled with accounts of it and Wall street is still gravely discussing its significance. The meeting in Boston was held in and around old Faneuil hall and the old Temple of Liberty was rocked to its foundation. At New Haven last night, the home of Yale college, there was a demonstration and meeting that will never be forgotten. The students were out in full force and participated in a tremendous street parade in which men, women and children carried their red flags and joined in the cheering procession which swept along through the main streets of the city.
One noticeable change is in the tone of the capitalist press. All the big papers at every point are publishing columns and columns of the fairest kind. The New York World set the pace, the staff correspondent of the World has been on the train for ten days and will probably follow it to its destination, and every issue of the World has an extended report of the day’s doings on the “Red Special.”
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HE 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.”
