Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1911-10-19


that gifted orator, Eugene v. Debs.
each had been sold, and the supply
of tickets giving out, more than 100
paid admission at the door. A collec-
ton, amounting to considerable, was
also taken up.
The meeting was opened at 1880
O'Clock by Newton Wyckoff, Typo
graphical Union member, and Socialist
candidate for Mayor of Martins Ferry.
He gave, in a. few we'll chosen words,
an outline of the objects of this and
other like meetings, and introduced
George H. Harris, Flint Glass Worker,
and Socialist candidate for delegate to
the Ohio constitutional convention.
Mr.. Harris spoke briefly and to the
point, and among other things ex-
planned that the Socialist acmpaign
will not end with the November cleo
ton, but that Immediately afterWard
the Socialist lecture course will be-
gin, series of five lectures by promin
ent men continuing the work of educa-
ton.
Little Miss Thomas was next intro
#duced, and this little lady reused the
vast audience greatly by. reciting a
poem entitled, Where do you stand?'
The thunder of applause that greeted
her effort compelled an encore and she
gave that brief:
tThundering the good news; the
.thunderer of the day-a voice
For the masses the son of Progress!
Elevating the poor to fortune and to
faith
Is the seal and dispensation of the
Socialist"
Debs is Introduced.
Chairman Wyckoff then stepped to
the center of the stage and said:
"The next number on the program
is"-with an eloquent wave of the
hand Gene Debs!"
To Veritable storm Of applause,
the great leader of the working class
stepped modestly forth. The applause
continued until Debs held up his hand
for silence and begun. At that mo-
ment the little lady who had recited,
was presented with red bouquet,
and taking the choicest flower from
the lot, she stepped forward and pro-
ceeded to pin it on Debs' breast. AT
this the applause broke out anew.
And Debs said: There are many little
children IN the world who are denied
the life and light they ought to have"
Launching directly into his subject,
Debs then began, and for an hour and
half eloquence poured from his lips
and charmed his audience that sat in
silence, hanging on every word, and
every few moments ripple or roar
would burst forth as the orator made
his telling points.
Commends Amalgamated Men.
Debs made reference in his address
to the steel strike. II want to COM
mend the valiant unionists of this Sec
ton" he said, "for the magnificent
battle they put up against the Steel
Trust. No men anywhere ever made
better fight, and if they had fought
fought everywhere as you fought here,
the battle would have ended in a vic
tory for the workers. The battle was
sought by. the Steel Trust, in carrying
out. j. p. Morgan's prearranged plan
to destroy every union connected with
the steel industry. First, the Amalga-
mated was practically destroyed, so
far as the trust mills were concerned,
and then a two years battle waged
against the Lake Seamen'S Union.
Now the Steel Trust, through its
agency, the National Erectors' Asso-
citation. is seeking by its persecution
of the McNamaras to destroy the
Structural Iron Workers, the last I'M
ion that stands in the way OF the
Steel Trusts absolute domination.
Their charges against the McNamaras
mean nothing to me, for know, OF
my own personal knowledge. that the
thugs and hirelings of the corpora
tion will commit any crime for the
pay that they receive, A crime has
been committed. The men we're kid
naped. This Is crime in Indiana.
Yet no one will be put in Jail for this.
only workingmne are put in jail. In,
nv home town of TeFre Haute, capi-
talist was charged with brihing city
commissioners in another state, and
extradition to that state was asked OF
the governor Of Indiana. The nrst
thing that the governor did was 70
notify the capitalist of the request Tor
extradition and tell him to resist It.
Consequently, when the application was
made in open court, the court refused
it. and through continued technicali-
ties. it never has been granted, and
that capitalist has never been taken
out Of Indiana, and has never been
brought to trial on that charge Of
bribery. On the other hand work
ingman, glass blower against whom
there was a. trivial charge Of domes7
tic nature. was treated differently.
Extradition was granted secretly by
the governor of Indiana, and the first
thing the glass blower knew about it
ali. was when two officers came into
the factory where he worked, and took
him out and rushed him into another
state. This is equality Of justice be-
fore the law. This Isl the impartiality
Of our courts "
He called attention to the class
struggle that has been going on all
through history There has always