The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1897-06-26

my tellOW-man, ana trusting
that you may find it consistent
with your own sense of social
and patriotic obligation to join
hands with us in our emancipat-
ing and ennob1ing mission,
subscribe myself yours very
truly, EUGENF V. DEBs.
In talking with Mr.. Debs upon the new
movement he said: "The Social Democ-
racy is now an assured fact. I have al
ready assurances from at least ten
thousand persons that they will join us
in establishing the new commonwealth
in one of the thinly populated and fertile
states. The governor of Washington
state has written us to go to that state.
The governor is in hearty sympathy
with us, and assures us that we shall
have general support and encourage
mert in that community. .
"The invention of labor saving ma
chinery and the organization of trusts
have filled the country with hundreds OF
thousands of idle and homeless men. La
Dor strikes are useless. l have had ex-
perience enough to know that. They
are simply force against force, and the
trusts and corporations are able to beat
the men in the end. The condition of the
people is intolerable Unless something
is done at once to restore the social, eco
nomic and industrial balance there will
be widespread disorder and armed re-
sistance. The Social Democracy of Am
erica is trying to find peaceful solution.
We are not making war on millionaires.
We are simply trying to build up the
people.
The Social Democracy of America pro-
poses to lead the unemployed away from
the uneqal squal lid and crime-inciting
surroundings Of the cities and establish
them in commonwealth where no man
will be rich enough to Cypress his fellows
and no man or woman or child need go
hungry, houseless or naked.
eve propose to avert a struggle by
force by taking the helpless and desper-
ate victims of cruel system away from
all temptation to commit acts of vio-
lence. We propose to give up labor
strikes and use only the ballot. We pro-
pose to extend our colonies int o the state
we go to until we get control of it's gov
eminent. Then we will adopt new
constitution organizing the people into
a cooperative commonwealth. We ask
the American people who sympathize
with us to send regular contributions.
Already we have many promises of help.
Merchants, doctors, lawyers, small store
keepers have offered to join us with what
little they have.
eve expect to get at least twenty-five
thousand dollars month. Within two
or three months we will send an advance
guard OF pioneers into our new territory
to prepare the way. Our idea is to work
Systematically and not to place a con-
fused multitude suddenly in an undevel-
oped country. We shall send picked men
to prepare the soil for cultivation. Car
penters and builders will be sent to pro-
vide them not with sheds or rough bar
racks, but with decent comfortable
houses Then we shall send experienced
men to organize herds of cattle, After
that an army of timber men, sawmill
hands aid carpenters will be sent to put
up good houses.
1--WE shall build houses, real houses to
live in, not lairs or kennels. We shall
have first class architects, plumbers and
builders. When we have provided COM
Portable and attractive homes our col
onists will move out to them. We shall
build factories, creameries and flour mills.
All these things will be done under the
supervision of experts. By next summer
we will have a great community well
established The unit of political orga-
nizat1on will be local branch of five
hundred men. We fix a limit on the
number in order to prevent the growth
of enough power in any one place to Gre
ate trouble. These branches will elect
state organization to be known as the
State Union. The national organization
will be called the Central Body, consist
ing of one member elected by each of the
state unions. The Central Body will
elect board of directors and the func-
lions of the chairman Of that board will
be simply to preside; as the vice-presi-
dent of the United States presides over