The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-23
RICH ARE SLAVES,
Says Debs, and the Social Dem ocracy
Win Help Them to Freedom.

Chicago, June 23-Eugene V Debs
made two sensational speeches yester-
day before the convention of the So
cial Democracy of America
He stopped a little short of declaring
for a policy of war, but aroused his
hearers to frenzy of enthusiasm by
denunciatiOn of the present industrial
system and his frequent iteration of
the declaration that the present form of
government must give way TO socialism.
He spoke also of Peace on earth; good
will to men, and a moment later he
said:
Mark you, I do not hate the rich;
I do not hate man because he is IN
fortunate enough to be worth $20,C0OO0O.
The rich man is as much of a slave to
the preSant system as the poorest work.
man. Perhaps they are not to blame.
Perhaps they cannot let go of their
wealth, but we are among those who
believe in helping them to let go"
IF you go to Kansas and kill a jack
rabbit and you find the little animal
well nOurished and fat you may be sure
that every rabbit in Kansas is fat.
There are no plutOcrats among rabbits
None of them is smart enough to corner
all the food in the country, and none of
them is fool enough to hunger while its
neighbOrs grow fat
Debs intimated that the question of
the cooperative commonwealth might
have to be settled by resort to force
Il hope and believe we can solve this
question peaceably," he declared. But
il not I am among those who believe in
getting ready to solve it otherwise"
This statement was repea teddy cheer
ed by the delegates and it was some
time before Mr.. DebS could proceed.
For nearly an hour he walked up and
down the platform, thrilling his hear
ers and arOusing to high pitch the eX-
citement on the floor of the convention.
I'm no sense is this movement similar
to that of COxey." said he. His was
simply to display the rags and wretch
edness in this country to the congress
-sI.F. 60, 30 1,r
public at large. He had no ultimate OBJ
iect in view We propose to work under
carefully prepared plans. When man
is about to build a house, he prepares
plans and specifications. That is what
we shall do. We are going to build
state.
But cooperation cannot be estab-
Hshed within the boundaries of one
state" he shouted. ct must be nation
al one man alone cannot be free. They
must all be free. 1t might be said we
will come in conflict with the federal
courts. Perhaps. I suppose We will
Shall we be supinely inert for that rea-
son?
1--WE shall get three good constitu-
tfonaI lawyers to find out what rights
we have Then if the supreme court
avs STOP we shall probably do 50, but
nothing will give socialism a greater
impetus. We want to make them the
law breakers. We want to stand under
the flag they praise about so much
Debs' whole form shook and his face
Redeemed as he said:
IF they send the regular army to
washington to suppress US, we shall
give them plenty to think about through
the country along the way. IF they try
to suppress US. there will be 100000 pat
riots who will meet them on that is
sue
Debs went on to tell of calling
legislative convention together to
amend the constitution.
Eve shall eliminate all rot" he said
1--WE shall accept q new constitution as
simple as possible. That government is
best governed which is least governed
and that government is perfectly gov
erned which is not governed at all
Il don't predict that we are going to
elect a president in 1900" he declared,
"bl1t I wouldn't be surprised. We shall
be in the field at the next election with
a new partv-the party of the people
and we shall go on with resistless
force"
The greatest reforms the world has
ever SEEN he declared. were brought
about by s0-caIIed "demagogues."
First a demagO then demi-
god" he said, and graphically told the
story of John Brown in support of his
sta tement.
There was another great demOnstra-
ton of enthusiasm at the close of the
speech. The remaining portion of the
constitution was read and adopted
Prof. Frank Parsons deprecated any
more "nilitiaisn," and the word enlist
ment was changed to selection.