Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-09-09
Deb's Anarchistic speech.

The revolutionary harangue of Dele
gate Debs of Chicago at the Labor
Convention" in st Louis is being very
generally condemned.
1t was reported as follows.
L believe the gravity of the indus
trial situation in this country Is well
understood. 1t Is quite evident the dele
gates to this convention are cognizant
of the fact that civil liberty is dead in
America. l haye said and say again
for the last time l have appealed TO the
courts for justice and shall appeal TO
them no more. We appeal TO this con
vention and to the country for an upris-
ing of all the common people in every
walk of life to beat back the courts and
re-enthrone the rights of the American
people Labor day is near, l predict
thar we will see the extraordinary spec
tacle of enslaved labor rattling its chains
and dancing to the music. Labor is the
cheapest commodity on Gods earth, and
vet there are those who would have 1t
at lower price Only the other day
the united voice Of labor was raised
against the appointment of Mr,Powder-
" 10 Federal position, and | notice
that he was promptly put into the place.
Mingled cheers and hisses) From
Justice of the peace to justice OF the
Supreme court of the United States, all
the judicial powers of the United States
are directed against labor. Al! the or
ganiZed sources of society are against
labor, and if labor expects to emanci-
pate itself. labor itself must do it.
The time has not quite come tOlncite
the populace. | serve notice on the pluto
cratic element OF this country that we
are on the eve of another meeting IN
Chicago which Will be attended by all
branches of labor That convention
will take up these same questions and
will institute agitation and keep 1t going
until the public conscience and public
heart are aroused. There will come
such an uprising as the world has never
seen.
The time will come to incite the
populace. When this time comes You
can depend on me, l viii not stand in
the rear and ask you to go ahead l
will be in front and say to you, come
on l shrink from that bloodshed, but
if this is necessary to preserve liberty
and our rights-in that event L Will shed
the last drop of blood that courses
through my veins We no longer have
a republic; there is not a vestige OF 1t
left. The Judiciary of this country has
placed paddock on my lips, forbidden
me to walk on public highways and de
stroyed al of my rights. IsubmIt be
cause you compelled me to. | am help
( I 1r1ro
try to come to the front. take this cause
to heart and these questions will then
be solved | Will be free and so VIII
YOU. The people are ripe for q great
change All they lack is direction and
leadership Let this conference supply
it. Announce to the world that it Will
temporarily adjourn for three weeks to
renew preparations. Ask every man to
pledge himself to be there. Come II
you have to walk. No man has right
TO plead poverty.
Mir Debs went over the conditions ex-
isting in Pennsylvania, and when ne
finished with that state took up West
Virginia West Virginia, he said, had
! more government to the square inch than
any State in the Union, and that meant
less liberty. The less government, the
more liberty-the only perfect govern
ment was no government at all In con
clusion Debs said: My friends, assert
yourselves; enforce your cause. Let
/ every man who can be as good as his
word stand erect.
Never in my life have l been more
hopeful than now. | am not gifted with
great visionary powers, but l can see
the beginning of the end When the
people are ready, and that day is not
far off, there VIII be a spontaneous up
rising, the Supreme court will be abol-
ished Congress dispersed and the sacred
rights Of American citizens and Amer
leans freedmen will be enthroned. |
no pc in the march of common intel
ligence we will reach point where we
will de able to settle these questions
without appealing to the sword or bull
let.
Nearly every delegate in the convention
rose to his feet and cheered the speeker
He went on: The significance of this
movement portends new and important
developments along the line OF battle.
! look forward to the time when the
people Will dethrone the power that has
enslaYed them. The movement Is
marching grandly forword and pluto
cracv will soon understand that silver
and despotism have no right to place
on American soil
As Debs finished, the delegates rose to
their feet, jumped in the air, threw
their hats in the air and crowded forward
to greet the Speaker Chairman Pom
eroy pounded vigorously for order, but
it was fully five minutes before the con
vention recovered from this spell wnich
Deb's ora tory had cast about them.