The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-05
He EnIarges on the Beauties of
Socialism.
PAINTING A PICTURE
Of the Suffering, Suicide and
Murder
Due, He Says, to Misery of the
Human Race.


amount of hair. Nye had none. In
/ expression and human sympathy Debs
resembles the late Eugene Field. He
! is TALL inclined to the angular, should
/ ers slightly rounded His keen blue
4 eye takes in everything at a glance and
I he looks one squarely in the eye in con-
I versatiOn. Mr.. Debs wears spectacIeS-
/ The lines upon his face and those of his
mouth indicate a strong determination
and earnestness. He dresses plainly
I but neatly. wearing a black cheviot suit
with a cutaWay coat
When Mr.. Debs and his escorts, Gov
ernOr Leedy, G. C Clemens, F. W. FL
lott, Chief Justice Doster, Justice Al
len, Webb McNan, E. c. Little, A. E.
McCoubrie. Superintendent Stryker
State Auditor Morris, and a number of
local POpulists entered Hamilton hail.
the 1000 people gave them hearty re-
ception. No time was lost in getting
settled" The members of the party
were seated only when Charles HOgue
of the state treasurer's office, president
of the local branch Of the Social Democ-
racy introduced G.. Q. Clemens as the
presiding officer.
Mr.. Clemens introduced Mr.. Debs.
Mr.. Debs advanced and was greeted
with much applause. He read from the
State Journal of January q. the inter
view OF Judge P. S. GrOsscup of Chi
cagO, in which he called Debs a malcOn-
tent and an agitator. Mr. Debs paid
his respects to Judge Grosscup in phras-
es similar to those in his afternoon in
terview in the State Journal.
Mr. DebS then took up the theme of
his address which was directed against
the existing Industrial conditions. He
said: There are in this country to-
day millions of people who are the vic
tins of mans inhumanity to man. The
man who works the hardest and long
est hours has the least to show for it.
The man who works the least and is
less useful has the most. Human be-
ings are being reduced to a commodity
-Four millions Of men are out of employ
ment today Millions of others are liv-
ing by permiSsiOn-that is to say they
are working for such pittance as the
corporations see fit to give them This
state of affairs indicates that something
IS wrong. It appears to every cour-
aSeOuS man. Yet every man who
speaks the truth is regarded as a dis
turber of the peace; an agitator
Social garbage is poured upon his
mead and he becomes a malcOntent be-
cause he chooses to work for the inter-
ests of men oppressed by corporate
power This is because there are too
many towards among US. All men are
more or less guilty of this charge. They
endure the expressions without audible
complaint. Ministers indulge in platf-
tudes and advise the wOrkingmen to be
IaW-apldlng, yet they never advise their
oppresSors to follow such a course
When was a boy, tramps were
curiosity. Now we do not have to go
to a museum to see one. They I'll eve
~ highway, searching for EMPLOYMENT
They are compelled to do so; displaced
without cause they are thrown upon
the world to seek employment which
cannot be found People hate tramps
but the man who is by virtue of neces-
slty turned into a tramp has my whole
sympathy l do not despise him be-
cause If existing conditions last long
enough 1 am liable to become a tramp
myself.
The middle class is in process of
destruction In 1896 of 1,150. coo firms
engaged in business, 224 534 were closed
up In 1880 there were 2,O40 suicides In
1850 there Were $500, a threefoId in
crease in six years. In 1886 there were
1882 murders; in 1890 1880 This
abnormal development of crime is the
result of abnormal conditions The
working man seeks employment In
stead ne nnds despair from which he
escapes through the back-dOor of sui
eide The small business man cannot
compete with the trusts and he is fore
ed to the wall and in his desDera ton
takes his life Men out of employment
are forced to become tramps first;
criminals next and then a menace to
society. In Chicago there are so 600 IN
employed men, victims of present condi-
lions.
Statistics show US that one out of
every SlS persons is insane; one of eve
~ 457 OF our population is in jaiI. one
out of every 433 is in the poorhouse
Machines which were destined to aid
labor have become curse to it They
have been seized by the corporation
and used as an additional means Of
breaking down the wages of those who
invented the machines. The Iaborfus
man IS every DAY becoming more and
more slave. His condition is liked and
there is no escape.
I'VE cannot escape the organization
OF trusts. They are the inevitable re-
suits OF existing conditions Competi-
ton is destroyed by gigantic monopo-
les They can no more be regulated by
law than a stream Of water They first
control the necessities of the people and
then the people themselves
We are on the eve of what in nv
opinion, will be the greatest revolution
in the history of the world
This viii come not in anger; nor in
crime; not in bIoodshed and agony, but
by an intelligent ballot
This was the signal for the greatest
applause of the evening, and some time
elapsed before the audience would per-
init Mr. Debs to continue, when he said:
1t VIII come as gentle as the snow
flakes in obedience to the viii of God
Today" he continued, society does
not demand manhood and sterling in
tegrity- Tell me how much money a
man has, and I win tell you what he
registers on the social thermometer
Show me a man that has no money and
viii tell you at once that he is at the
zero point on that thermometer
The golden rule has been perverted
to man; Do others or they viii do you
There IS no conscience in modern COM
merce or business. The chief inspi-
ration to energy is a desire to eat each
other up.
1T has been said that the poorest
man among US may aspire to the pres
idency and stand a good show OF get
ting there, but 1 can show you millions
chances for the presidency for a square
meal The constitution declares that all
men are created equal On Fifth ave
nue. in New York a child is born heir TO