Hellraisers Journal: Debs on the Capitalists’ Parties: “Differences as arise between them relate to spoils and not to principles.”

11th September 202421st September 2024 Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs

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Hellraisers Journal – Sunday September 11, 1904
Indianapolis, Indiana – Debs Opens Campaign with Impassioned Address

From the Appeal to Reason of September 10, 1904:

Published in the Appeal we find the entire text of the speech made by Socialist Presidential Candidate, Eugene Debs, in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Thursday, September 1st. The article begins with a few notable quotes:

TOCSIN OF THE 1904 CAMPAIGN SOUNDED
———-

In an Eloquent and Impassioned Address Before A Multitude of
Cheering People, Eugene V. Debs, Candidate for President of
the Socialist Ticket, Opened the Campaign at
Indianapolis, Indiana, Last Thursday.

SOME OF DEBS’ EPIGRAMS.

“Ignorance alone stands in the way of Socialist success.”

———-

“Capitalist parties stand for slavery and night; the Socialist party is the herald of Freedom and Light.”

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“The ballot of united labor expresses the people’s will, and the people’s will is the supreme law of a free nation.”

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“The divided vote of labor is the abuse at the ballot and the penalty is slavery and death.”

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“Labor has always been the mud-sill of the social fabric-is so now, and will be until the class struggle ends in class extinction and free society.”

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“These are stirring days for living man. The day of crisis is drawing near and Socialists are exerting all their power to prepare the people for it.”

———-

“The old order of society can survive but little longer. Socialism is next in order. The swelling minority sounds warning of the impending change. Soon that minority will be the majority, and then will come the Co-operative Commonwealth.”

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“The Socialist party comprehends the magnitude of its task and has the patience at preliminary defeat and the faith of ultimate victory.”

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“With faith and hope and courage we held our heads erect and with dauntless spirit marshal the working class for the search from capitalism to Socialism, from slavery to Freedom, from barbarism to Civilization.”

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Holds Another Street Meeting in New York City and Pens Letter to President Roosevelt

2nd August 20235th August 2023 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

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Hellraisers Journal – Sunday August 2, 1903
New York, New York – Mother Jones Holds Street Meeting, Pens Letter to President

From the Brooklyn Standard Union of July 31, 1903:

From the Philadelphia North American of July 31, 1903
-letter from Mother Jones to President Theodore Roosevelt:

New York,
July 30.

The Hon. Theodore Roosevelt
President of the United States
Oyster Bay, Long Island

Your Excellency-

Twice before have I written to you requesting an audience, that I might lay my mission before you and have your advice in a matter which bears upon the welfare of the whole nation.

I speak of the emancipation from the mills and factories of the hundreds of thousands of young children who are yielding up their lives for the commercial supremacy of the nation.

Failing to receive a reply to either of the letters, I went yesterday to Oyster Bay, taking with me three of these children that they might plead to you personally. Secretary Barnes informed us that before we might hope for an interview with you we must ﬁrst lay the whole matter before you in a letter. He assured me of its delivery to you personally, and also that it would receive your attention.

I have espoused the cause of the laboring class in general, and of suffering childhood in particular. It was for them that our march of principle was begun. We sought to draw the attention of the public to these little ones, so that sentiment would be aroused and ultimately the children freed from the workshop and sent to schools. I know of no question of to-day that demands from those who have at heart the perpetuity of this republic more attention.

The child of to-day is the man or woman of to-morrow, the one the citizen and the other the mother of still future citizens. I ask, Mr. President, what kind of citizen will be the child who toils twelve hours a day in an unsanitary atmosphere, stunted mentally and physically, and surrounded with often immoral inﬂuences. Denied education, he cannot assume the duties of true citizenship, and enfeebled physically he falls a ready victim to the perverting inﬂuences which our present economic conditions have created.

I grant you, Mr. President, that there are State laws which should regulate these matters, but results have proved that they are inadequate. In my little band are three boys, the eldest 11 years of age, who have worked in the mills a year or more, without interference from the authorities. All efforts to bring about reform have failed.

I have been moved to this, Mr. President, because of actual experience in the mills. I have seen little children without the ﬁrst rudiments of education and no prospect of acquiring any. I have seen little children with hands, ﬁngers and other parts of their bodies mutilated because of their childish ignorance of machinery.

I feel that no nation can be truly great while such conditions exist without attempted remedy.

It is to be hoped that our crusade on behalf of enslaved childhood will stir up a general sentiment and secure the enforcement of the present laws.

But that is not sufﬁcient as this is not alone a question of separate States, but of the whole nation. We come to you as the chief representative of that nation. I believe Federal laws should be passed and enforced governing this evil and including a penalty for violation.

If this is practicable, and I believe you will agree that it is, surely you can advise me of the necessary steps to pursue.

I have with me three children who have walked one hundred miles, serving as living proof of the truth of what I say.

If you decide to see these children, I will bring them before you at any time you may set.

Secretary Barnes has assured me on an early reply, and this should be sent care of the Ashland House, New York City.

Very respectfully yours,
Mother Jones

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Oyster Bay-President Roosevelt Refuses to See Mother Jones and Her Army of Child Textile Strikers

1st August 202315th August 2023 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

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Hellraisers Journal – Saturday August 1, 1903
Sagamore Hill, Oyster Bay, New York-President Refuses to Meet with Mother Jones

From The New York Times of July 30, 1903:

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones and Her Army of Child Textile Strikers Travel to Coney Island as Guests of Frank Bostock

29th July 20233rd August 2023 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

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Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday July 29, 1903
Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York – Mother Jones and Her Army Guests of Bostock

From the New York Tribune of July 26, 1903:

From the Indianapolis Sunday Journal of July 26, 1903
-Mother with one of her girls:

From the New York Worker of July 26, 1903
-Socialists plan rally to receive Mother to New York City:

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones and Her Army Rest and Relax in New York City, Hold Evening Meeting Near Madison Square Park

28th July 20233rd August 2023 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

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Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday July 28, 1903
New York, July 24th: Mother Jones and Amy Relax During Day, Hold Evening Meeting

From the New York Tribune of July 25, 1903:

From the New York Sun of July 25, 1903:

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Gets Her Permit; Crusaders March in New York and Hold Meeting Near Madison Square Park

27th July 20231st August 2023 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

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Hellraisers Journal – Monday July 27, 1903
New York, New York – Mother Jones and Her Army Have Their March, Hold Meeting

From the New York Tribune of July 24, 1903

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Is Guest of Honor at Socialist Picnic at Sulzer’s Westchester Park, States Her Army Will March to Oyster Bay to See the President

22nd July 202323rd July 2023 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

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Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday July 22, 1903
Mother Jones Warmly Welcomed at Socialist Picnic at Sulzer’s Westchester Park

From The New York Times of July 20, 1903:

“MOTHER” JONES IN THE CITY.
———-
She Is Warmly Welcomed by the Socialist
Democrats at Westchester Picnic.

“Mother” Jones was the guest of honor yesterday [July 19th] at the annual picnic of the Socialist Democratic Party at Sulzer’s Westchester Park.

‘There were 4,000 persons present, and much disappointment in the afternoon when “Mother” Jones did not appear as she had promised. She arrived in the early evening, however, and was given a rousing welcome. Escorted by a committee to the platform in the pavilion, she had to wait some minutes before she could be heard.

[She said:]

I will be here with my children from the textile works Thursday evening, when I will address you at some length. I am too tired to do so now, and as you see, I am very hoarse.

There is one thing I must tell you, and that is, that I am going to complete the journey to Oyster Bay with my army to see the President. The newspapers say he will not see me. I am going there to find out if he is the President of the capitalists only, or whether be is the President of the workingmen too. If he is the President of the capitalists only, he will be wiped out at the next election.

At the conclusion of her remarks “Mother” Jones was escorted about the park. She was deeply interested in the tests of strength, particularly the work with the sledge hammer, and praised the workingmen for the power they showed in their play.

She was attracted by the neatly dressed children for whom many entertainments had been arranged, such as egg races and skipping the rope for prizes. She said she was glad they could play and had a chance to go to school. Watching the many drinking beer, she remarked that if they would save the drink money they would have more with which to win strikes.

The committee in charge promised “Mother” Jones that they would have Cooper Union engaged for her Thursday evening, or Madison Square Garden, if possible. They asserted that if they could get the big garden it would be overcrowded with the union workingmen and women of New York.

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones and Her Army March from Elizabeth to Paterson; Mother Speaks at Socialist Picnic

21st July 202323rd July 2023 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

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Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday July 21, 1903
Mother Jones and Her Army Reach Paterson; Mother Speaks at Socialist Picnic

From the New York Tribune of July 18, 1903:

From the New York Tribune of July 19, 1903:

From the New York Tribune of July 20, 1903:

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Hellraisers Journal: John Spargo on the Struggle of the Kensington Textile Workers; Mother Jones’ Army Enters New Brunswick

15th July 202317th July 2023 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

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Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday July 15, 1903
John Spargo on Kensington Textile Strike; Mother Jones’ Army Enters New Brunswick

From the New York Worker of July 12, 1903:

From The Washington Times of July 13, 1903:

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Hellraisers Journal: From The New York Call: Mother Jones Speaks to Socialists at Carnegie Hall, “Cowards! Moral Cowards!”

29th May 20232nd June 2023 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, WV on Trial re Military Court Martial, Speech NYC Carnegie Hall, NYCl p, May 28, 1913, per Foner —————

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday May 29, 1913
New York, New York – Mother Jones Speaks to Socialists at Carnegie Hall

From The New York Call of May 27, 1913:

From The New York Call of May 28, 1913:

This was the scene, as described by the New York Call, when Mother Jones was introduced by Max Eastman last night at Carnegie Hall:

Scarcely had her name left his lips then the audience burst into shouting, stamping, and handclapping. Several women surged down the aisle toward the stage and threw kisses to the aged agitator and flowers at her feet.

Mother Jones spoke at length about the West Virginia strike, the terror inflicted on the miners by the gun thugs, and the mass round-up of strikers by the military. She referred to West Virginia as “The Little Russia in America.” She sounded this warning:

West Virginia is on trial before the bar of the nation. The military arrests and the court martial to which I and others were forced to undergo in West Virginia was the first move ever made by the ruling class to have the working class tried by the military and not civil courts. It is up to the American workers to make sure that it is the last.

The comfortable New York Socialist were not spared the ire of Mother Jones:

What galled me most about my confinement at the military prison at Pratt, West Virginia, was the knowledge that a bunch of corporation lickspittles had the right to confine me. But I must be frank and tell you that the second thing that galled me was the silence of many here tonight who should have shouted out against the injustice. I would still be in jail if Senator Kern had not introduced his resolution… No thanks, then, to you that I am here today. Cowards! Moral cowards! If you had only risen to your feet like men and said, “We don’t allow military despotism in America! Stop it!” A lot of moral cowards you are. Not a word of protest did we get out of you, but instead you sat idly by and let these things be.

The New York Call continued:

After Mother had spoken a collection was taken up and $267.80 contributed. It was intended for the striking miners. Mother Jones announced the miners would take care of the miners, and said the collection could go to the Paterson silk strikers.

[Emphasis added.]

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“MOTHER” JONES IN THE CITY. ———-She Is Warmly Welcomed by the SocialistDemocrats at Westchester Picnic.

“MOTHER” JONES IN THE CITY.
———-
She Is Warmly Welcomed by the Socialist
Democrats at Westchester Picnic.