The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-01


pie can vote for years, but nothing can DC
| accom- plished. Let US reorganlze sniS
Government" shouted Mr.. Sovereign.
Let us stand up and assert ourselves
Behind these iniuncsions stand Gatlhe
guns and Winchesters, but we tear them
not. Let us hold up the Tag ana ,ear
down the courts. We stand on our ois-
nifty and will have our liberty from thls
time on, shouted Mr.. Sovereign
The convention broke into wild cheer-
ing, which developed into spontaneous
call for Mr.. Dabs. He rose from his seat
and came slowly 10 the platform. When
the cheering cea>ed NJ. Debs began q
speech which was interrupted az Inc emu
of nearly every sentence by cheering anu
handclapping. He said:
1 believe that the gravity of the industrial
situation in this country is well understood
1t is quite evident the delegates to TINS con-
vention recognize the fact that civil liberty 10
dead in America L have said and say again.
for the last time have Appealed 10 the couf ts
for Justice and shall appeal TO them no more
The A. r. U. expended $45 600 10 nave the
question OF civil rights tested in the supreme
Court OF the United States, only to be iolu tna'
we have no rights that capltal IS
bound to respect Shall we appeal 10
the Supreme Court agein? No. we
appeal to this convention and the
country for an uprising of all the Common
people in every walk of lite to beat back the
courts and re-enthrone the rights OF the Amerl-
! can people.
Labor day is near What shall we do! L
predict, my friends. that we will see the eA-
traordinary spec tacle OF ensaved aoor rafting
its chains and dancing to the music. Labor is
+IDo oLo oodit on Gods n.
yet there are those who would have 1t at
lower price The united voice OF labor has
been raised against the appointment OF MI
PowderIy to Federal position, and l notce
that he 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 the Ia
borer All the organized sources of society are
against the laborer, and If la Dor expects eman-
cipation labor itself must do it.
Mr.. lbs then told the convention that
much restitution existed among the min
ers of the once proud State OF Indiana,
and stated that 1000 underground workers
and their families were starving. He read
the report of the committee appointed by
Governor Mount to examine into the con-
dition of the miners of Indiana, and then
took up the thread of his argument:
The time has not quite come to incite the
population, but l serve notice on the pluto
cratic element of this country that we are on
the eve of another great meeting in Chicago
which will be attended by all branches of Ia
Dor That convention will take up these same
questions, and will institute agitation and
keep it going until the public conscience and
the public heart is aroused. Then will come
such uprising as the world has never SEEM
l do not come to this conven ton to exploit
Social Democracy or any other movement
There is something greater in this movement
than any one element can manage-the eman-
cipation of labor. There is no division here.
Each man is entitled to his own opinion and
his right to express it-each man 10 speak as
becomes that man. l am side by side with
you. l am trades unionist and a social
unionist Tremendous applause.l Whenever
the trades unions desire TO do battle with
their common enemy they can count upon US
to come 10 the front and take our places side
by side with them and fight with them.
Never in my life have l been more hopeful
than now. am not gifted with great vision
ary power, but l see the beginning of the
end. [Cheers
This meeting is inspirations; it will lea d
| to great results. This movement has attained
tremendous petus and Will go ahead with
rush. When the people are ready, and that
day is not far Off my friends. there will be n
| spontaneous uprising. the Supreme Court will
be abolished, Congress dispersed and the
sacred rights of American citi ms and Amer
lean freedom will be enthroned. lGreat APP
plause.]
| plead guilty to the charge of being radical.
! l only wish you would allow me to be more
radical still. Support US, gentlemen OF the con-
vention, and l will promise you We will sup
port the attempt to abolish government by
injunction and the Judges who issue them.
On bearing arms l hope, in this march OF
common intelligence, we will reach point
where we Will be able to settle these questions
without appealing to the sword or bullet. ]
of our fellow-citizens suffering, and certain it
! is this cannot last. The time will come TO in
| cite this populace. When this time comes you
can depend on me. [Cheers will not stand
| in the rear and ask you to go ahead. will be
| in front and say 10 you to ''Come on" IRE
| newed cheering,1
| l shrink from that bloodshed land Debs
paused impress sivelyl, but If this is necessary
| to preserve liberty and our rights. in that
| event Will shed the last drop of blood that
| courses through my veins. [Outbreak OF
| cheering.l
Plutocracy cannot buy me. They may send
me 10 jail; may ostracize me or hang me, but
| in the language OF the revolutionary heroes,
| / do not propose to part with my self-respect
! independence and manhood. We no longer
| have republic; there is moi a vestige or il
left The judiciary of this country has placed
! paddock my lips, forbidden me to walk
on the public highways and destroyed all OF
my rights. / submit, but you compelled me
to it. 1 am helpless. l appeal 10 you and to
| the country to come 10 the front, take this
cause to heart and these questions will be then
| solved. viii be free and so will you.
The people are ripe for great change. All
| they lack is direction and leadership. Let
! this conference supply it. Let this confer.
ence set the pace. 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 If you
have to walk. No one has right to plead
| poverty.
Mr.. Debs went over the conditions ex-
listing in Pennsylvania. When he had
finished with that State he took up West
Virginia. West Virginia, he said, had
more government to the square inch than
any Stats in the Union, and that meant
| less liberty The | IS government the