The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-09-20
Those at Chicago Who Whoop-
ed Around About
DAGGERS ANDTORCHES
Says He Favors Only a Peacea'
BILE Plan of Action
And Tells Them That if They
Have Other Views
They Can't Leave the Organi-
zation Too Quick.

Chicago, Sept. 20.-Eugene V. Debs
attended a meeting of branch No. of
the Social Democracy at Journal hall
last evening and 1ectured it's members
soundly on the incendiary speeches of
the preceding Sunday. Mr. Debs told
them in plain language he did not favor
the use of the dagger or the torch.
He said he did not advocate arson and
assassination. He repudiated the talk
of revolution. He declared that vio-
lence and bloodshed had no part in the
plans of Social Democracy. He said
the hope of Social Democracy lay in
peaceful methods, and he pointed to the
ballot as the remedy for the evils COM
planned Of He told the anarchistic
element in plain terms that it would
better withdraw from the organization.
The hall was crowded and Mr.. Debs
was frequently interrupted with ques-
tions. One questioner, who asked if
Social Democracy was not virtually
anarchy seemed to be hostile, but as a
rule the meeting seemed to be in SYM
pathy with Mr.. Debs, applauding his
repudiation of violence and laughing
at the hostile questioner. Several po-
lice officers were present in citizens
clothes, but there was no excuse for
their interference.
Il want it plainly understood" said
Mr.. Debs after the meeting, that we
repudiate all such sentiments as were
expressed both in speech and in reSOlu-
tion at the meetings last Sunday. We
will give the men who advocate the gun
and the torch to understand that when
they talk that way they go outside the
purposes and aims of the Social De-
mocracy. They will be called down in
no uncertain way. We Will not allow
zation to go forth without a protest.
Nothing is further from our desires.
why, how can anyone imagine that
we would stand for murder and arson,
when those are the very things we are
protesting against? There is no doubt
that the killing of the men at Hazleton
was murder, but we are not going to
commit murder in return. Such talk
is diametrically opposed to our prin-
ciples. L for one will not tolerate it,
and the men who have placed the So
cial Democracy in such a false position
will have to answer for it. We repu-
diate the whole affair.
L understand that the meeting of
branch No. was moderate in tone and
that the resolutions had nothing OBJ
jectionable in them, but the resolutions
of branch No. were of an incendiary
nature.
Such men as Murphy Lloyd, Rich
ardson and others, who pretend to ac-
cept the propaganda of the co-operat-
i've commonwealth and then preach re-
of workmen, must cease such teachings
or get out of the organization. 1t will
not be tolerated. The Social Democ-
racy is not organized for any such pur-
pose.
1.-The organization believes there are
many wrongs done in the name of the
law, but they cannot be corrected by
blood. Our aim is to educate, to di-
rect the peoples thoughts in the right
way, so that they can mend the defects
in the laws in a legitimate manner by
the intelligent use of the ballot
1.-The slaughter of the miners in
Pennsylvania cannot be condemned too
strongly, but let US seek redress in a
lawful way As a body we will do all
in our power to bring the sheriff and
his hirelings to Justice
Debs pacific mood has had it's effect
afioat and ''the red rag of anarchy"
has been put away in a locker
Fitzgerald Murphy, president of
branch No. 1, Social Democracy, said:
L am not an anarchist. Anarchy is a
visionary impossibility. 1 believe in
law and order. I am a student of law
now My utterances of last Sunday
We're those of an individual I was Ia
boring under great mental excitement
when 1 talked as I did. I realize now
that I made a mistake and 1 would be
the first man to try to prevent any
overt act against the law"
This law-abiding student of the law.
thus repentant, was one of the fiery
speakers of last Sunday. He sounded
kill twenty millionaires."
Murphy is now % years old, born in
County Kerry, Ireland. He came to
Boyle O'Reilly, he claims He has since
been printer, reporter and playwright
The gold bug press, he says, killed
his play, THE Silver Lining" in this
city. For year. he said, ''I have
been engaged in politics; worked at the
last spring campaign; expected to get
something out of the city administra-
ton, but haven't"
T. P. Quinn, the torchbearer of the
new confagration, is supposed to be an
insurance solicitor; possibly there is
method in his madness. He is not
named in the city directory. In social
istic circles he first made his appear
ance here in 1898 at a meeting of the
unemployed at Aurora Turner Hall. He
made red-hot talk, saying:
You unemployed see the stores and
you need them. Why don't you go and
take them?'' Then he gave an account
of himself a leader of the steve
dores strike in New York and praised
the Mol1ie MaguireS of Pennsylvania
In 1894 he was prominent in the Peo-
pies Party in the Sixteenth ward and
last year was a Bryan and free silver
urbstone orator OF the Sixteenth ward,
Elmer T.. Cook, another one of last
Sundays torchlight procession, is said
to be square and honest man, a ma
chinist, without a residence in Chicago,
but at one time foreman in the Illinois
Central shops
A E. Gage, 1.-The old soldier" who
said he had faced the business end of
a gum for four years and was ready to
do it again for. the people, is secretary
of branch No. 1 Social Democracy, and
is without a registered habitation. It
is claimed he is an old soldier and
a a