The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-06-25
LEADER OF SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

ment He was apprenticed TO a turn
er, and when bis trade was learned he
tramped through Germany, getting
work wherever he could He Joined
the Social Democratic party founded
by William Liebknecht, forty years
ago. Both he and Liebkneeht We're
sentenced to Imprisonment in 1872,
serving two years each. In 1856 he
served another sentence of nine
months and has suffered many shorter
terms of Imprisonment for his opin-
ions sake. OF these imprisonments he
has often spoken with eheerfuIness.
Altogether he once said to an in
terviewer, Il have been behind the
bars ffty-seven months and each time
for political reasons. Ny fortress life
| call my university life, for it was
there / first had the chance to study
In peace" His first and most sue
cessful book, "Die Frau was planned
in prison. There, too, he learned the
English language, He has written
many other works, but "Die Frau" is
the most widely read Of them all. It
has had twenty-five editions in Ger
many and has been translated into If.
teen other languages. 1t deals with
the industrial conditions in which wo-
men have been forced to live. Bebel
is stout champion of woman's equali-
ty before the law and at the ballot
box
He has at all times shown himself a
lion hearted leader. On Bismarck's
eightieth birthday he led the Socialist
members Of the reichstag in their re-
fusal to send congratulations to "the
man Of blood and iron" why" he
asked, should we send greetings to
him? He has prosecuted us, banished
us and urged the emperor to 'yank us
into the street and shoot us down.
But German unity Bebe glories In.
though he does not credit it TO Bis
marck.
He has shown bravery again in his
denunciation Of the annexation of Al.
SAGE and Lorraine 1T was a great
mistake he says, "and is the cause OF
all the ornaments that now burden
Europe The German and French
people should, he insists, be reconciled
and disband their great armies.
Believing thoroughly in theoretic so
cialism as taught by Carl Marx he Is
nevertheless active in the reichstag in
his efforts to secure immediate install.
ments OF reform. He is now sixty
three years Of age. and his physique Il
erail Yet he Is easily the most for
midable debater on the opposition side
of the chamber. He can easily hold an
audience for six hours on end by the
spell Of his earnest and effective ora
tory. He Il absolutely beloved by tie
rank and file Of the party which has
just scored an increase OF 100000 votes
in the empire.
He was the uncompromislng foe OF
the new tariff. with its high duties on
imported food. lie bitterly denounced
them as hunger duties" He charac-
terized the German army's exploits in
China as shameful" and said they
were marked by "bestiality lower than
among beasts He blamed the emper
or for 1t all because Of his order that
no mercy should be shown. He has re-
peatedly criticised and censured VIII
liam ii. for his public utterances, and
once he intimated that he thought the
emperor was insane. This was on the
occasion Of the latter,s speech to young
recruits telling them they must be
ready il needs be to kill their own ia
Tiers and mothers
Very remarkable for Its intense feel
ing and bold prophecy was Herr Be
bells speech Of Jan. % last IN which
he spoke Of the emperor's attitude to-
ward the socialists in exceedingly
plain terms. He recalled the emperor's
declaration that he and his party were
"enemies OF the state and men un
worthy to bear the name Of Germans"
and proceeded to utter this remarkable
prophecy:
Our party has not only been most Off
fensively condemned in the lump, but in
the emperor's last speeches we, the rep
resentatives of the party, have been att
tackled with the severest expressions
The workmen are directly enjoined to
hold aloof from us because we are dam
gerous persons. These are attacks, gen
tlemen which cannot be endured for
ever-attaells against the strongest party
in Germany, party which, look at It as
you will. plays very decisive part in
the policy Of the German empire. We are
not only by far the strongest party in
Germany, but we shall be still stronger
after the next electionsI am not bragg
ging-and by and by we shall have the
majority Of German voters on our side
and perhaps some day also the majority
Of deputies.
That prophecy IS now fulfilled in SO
far as it relates to the elections Of 1908.
Continuing his now famous speech, Be
bel said.
Now, gentlemen 1t Is not enough that
the German emperor speaks against us,
but his son. too, the crown prince Of the
German empire, comes forward to initiate
him. This young gentleman, twenty years
old, steps forward TO talk Of our party as
s'wretches." What kind Of service has
this young gentleman given to the state
that he dare take it upon himself thus
10 speak OF the German Social Demo-
Gratis? OF course we don't mind 1t. II
we are called the party Of wretchest we
know that IN the end the name win be-