Debs: His Life, Writings and Speeches, with a Department of AppreciationsDebs, Eugene V. (Eugene Victor)
History
Debs: His Life, Writings and Speeches, with a Department of Appreciations
Debs, Eugene V. (Eugene Victor)
Socialism -- United States; Socialist Party (U.S.)
In spite of the facts stated, most of the great capitalist papers either
ignored these meetings or belittled them, or flatly misrepresented them,
but the people are quick nowadays to get the truth about these things
and there will be more wonderful meetings in the campaign of 1908 than
ever before known by a rising militant minor political party. Those who
heard him, heard the polished American orator; those who agreed with him
were strengthened and confirmed in their beliefs; those who came seeking
Truth were moved by his oratory and convinced by his array of facts and
unerring logic, in making conclusions from them, while those who
disagreed were disarmed of prejudice and commended him as a sincere,
earnest man.
In 1880 he persuaded Susan B. Anthony to speak in Terre Haute in a
series of meetings advocating Woman’s Suffrage, and with her he walked
and stood the odium that ignorance and prejudice poured out upon that
great human question, at that time not so popular as it now is, when
100,000 women may surround the Parliament of England and demand that the
voices of women be counted in the rules of life that concern them and
their children as it does men and their children.
Mr. Debs has always stood for equality of rights, equality of
opportunity for men and women everywhere without distinction of race,
religion, color, or sex, and no Socialist platform fails to clearly
state its attitude upon these great vital questions. Search the old
party platforms and you may find terms of evasion but not of real
affirmation of these fundamental demands.
Mr. Debs was nominated by the Socialist party for President in 1900,
receiving 97,000 votes; again in 1904, receiving 409,000 votes; again in
1908.
Debs has said these immortal words to the working people:
“I am not a Labor Leader; I do not want you to follow me or anyone else;
if you are looking for a Moses to lead you out of this capitalist
wilderness, you will stay right where you are. I would not lead you into
this promised land if I could, because if I could lead you in, someone
else would lead you out. YOU MUST use your heads as well as your hands,
and get yourselves out of your present condition; as it is now the
capitalists use your heads and your hands.”
To teach, to serve is his mental and moral mission. He seeks no place of
power or profit,—did not want to be nominated either time for the
presidency, but when the rank and file lead and order, he has never
hesitated to obey, and he believes, with unquestioning faith and love
for the people, that when they are educated and understand, they will
peacefully and intelligently set government about its proper
business,—the government of the forces of production and the same
arrangements of distributing the things the people need, and must have,
if they are ever to rise to complete physical, mental and spiritual
freedom.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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