Debs in 1897
Source: See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
His mother and father were not your typical mid Victorian parents.
Debs A Progressive Victorian Family
Eugene Victor Debs was born November 5, 1855 in Terre Haute Indiana .He is one of the little known Hoosiers of influence in American history. Eugene Debs was a labor organizer and a member of the Socialist party. He ran for the US presidency five times between 1900 and 1920.
His parents were Jean Daniel and Marguerite Betrich Debs. They were both recent immigrants from Colmar Alsace-France. His father was the son of successful textile producers. Marguerite chose to name him in honor of the authors Eugene Sue and Victor Hugo. He was one of 10 children. Eugene Debs was one of six children that lived till adulthood.
His mother was Roman Catholic, but the family was intellectual and not orthodox. The family living room contained busts contained busts of Voltaire and Rousseau. None of the Debs children were baptized. This is all ironic since today see the socialist speech used by Eugene Debs, as being in the Christian socialist tradition, despite his lack of religion.
His parents enrolled him in public school. He left school at age 14. This was a fairly normal experience even for middle-class boy in the Victorian midwest. The Debs family was not destitute; but was only marginally middle class and large. Eugene Debs took a job in December 1871 to help with family bills. Deb began to work on railroad cars first as a painter and then as a cleaner. Debs stayed with the railroad and became a locomotive firemen.
Eugene Debs continued his education by attending a local business college at night. In 1875 he left home to work at a wholesale grocery house.
His parents were Jean Daniel and Marguerite Betrich Debs. They were both recent immigrants from Colmar Alsace-France. His father was the son of successful textile producers. Marguerite chose to name him in honor of the authors Eugene Sue and Victor Hugo. He was one of 10 children. Eugene Debs was one of six children that lived till adulthood.
His mother was Roman Catholic, but the family was intellectual and not orthodox. The family living room contained busts contained busts of Voltaire and Rousseau. None of the Debs children were baptized. This is all ironic since today see the socialist speech used by Eugene Debs, as being in the Christian socialist tradition, despite his lack of religion.
His parents enrolled him in public school. He left school at age 14. This was a fairly normal experience even for middle-class boy in the Victorian midwest. The Debs family was not destitute; but was only marginally middle class and large. Eugene Debs took a job in December 1871 to help with family bills. Deb began to work on railroad cars first as a painter and then as a cleaner. Debs stayed with the railroad and became a locomotive firemen.
Eugene Debs continued his education by attending a local business college at night. In 1875 he left home to work at a wholesale grocery house.
Union leaders Martin J. Elliott and Eugene V. Debs in prison together .
Source: Wikimedia Public Domain Elliot Family Photos
When Brotherhood was not Enough
Debs held this job for a few years and then returned to working as locomotive firemen. He joined the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen in February 1875. This organization was less of the union; and more of a mutual fraternal support organization. Debs was very involved in this group He served as a delegate at the national convention of the group.
Despite his lack of formal; education Eugene Debs became the editor associate editor of Firemen’s Magazine in 1878 .This was the member’s magazine for this fraternal group. He later became the secretary-treasurer of the local chapter of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. Debs worked with this group until 1894.
During these years he also served as a political figure on the local level he was the town clerk for Terre Haute for two terms and in 1884 he was elected to the Indiana General assembly as a Democrat. Eugene Debs served one term.
Eugene Debs married 1885. His wife was Kate Metzel. They never had children. The house the Debs shared for many years is still preserved on the campus of Indiana State University in Terre Haute.
At some point Eugene Debs began to see trade brotherhoods; such as the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen as in effective. They turned out to be nothing more than social organization that looked to provide minimal welfare benefits to its members. These groups in failed in gaining living wages for entry-level workers and safe working environments. While, these organizations would provide some financial help in case a worker was injured or died this was not enough.Debs felt the railroads or any employer had moral obligations to also contribute to the welfare and safety of workers.
Despite his lack of formal; education Eugene Debs became the editor associate editor of Firemen’s Magazine in 1878 .This was the member’s magazine for this fraternal group. He later became the secretary-treasurer of the local chapter of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. Debs worked with this group until 1894.
During these years he also served as a political figure on the local level he was the town clerk for Terre Haute for two terms and in 1884 he was elected to the Indiana General assembly as a Democrat. Eugene Debs served one term.
Eugene Debs married 1885. His wife was Kate Metzel. They never had children. The house the Debs shared for many years is still preserved on the campus of Indiana State University in Terre Haute.
At some point Eugene Debs began to see trade brotherhoods; such as the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen as in effective. They turned out to be nothing more than social organization that looked to provide minimal welfare benefits to its members. These groups in failed in gaining living wages for entry-level workers and safe working environments. While, these organizations would provide some financial help in case a worker was injured or died this was not enough.Debs felt the railroads or any employer had moral obligations to also contribute to the welfare and safety of workers.
Pullman strike 1894 lead to Debs going to jail and reading Marx.
Source: See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
The Industrial Union Is Born
In 1893 Debs became president of the American Railroad Union. This was one of the first functional industrial unions in the United States. In 1894 the American Railroad Union ran a successful labor action against the Great Northern Railway. The union was able to organize enough different kinds of railroad workers to stop work on the Great Northern Railroad on the for 18 days. The workers won concessions for better pay and safety.
Pullman workers hoping to gain a living wage and safer working conditions followed suit, They began a strike on May 11, 1894. The strike started in Chicago where The American Railroad Union was having its convention. In November the Pullman workers decided to seek worker unity withThe American Railroad Union. This would mean a large diversity of trades involved in railroad work; would support the Pullman workers. They did this by refusing to provide services to trains pulling Pullman cars. Debs himself saw this as a dangerous approach to workers rights. The federal government was supporting management in the Pullman strike.
Many railroad cars carrying federal mail were attached Pullman cars. The union voted to support the Pullman workers by work stoppage. There was a federal injunction issued for all the railroad employees to cease the strike. Debs and other union leaders ignored the federal injunction and were found guilty of interfering with delivery of the US mail. They ended up in jail twice. Debs was in jail the second time in May 1895.
While in jail, Eugene Debs started to look for more complete political underpinning for his labor actions. He developed a larger view of the workers struggle in society. Debs did this by reading Marx. He began to understand that workers rights were tied to race and class struggle.
Even after leaving jail Eugene Debs was not a full-blown socialist. In the election of 1896 he supported the Democratic candidate William Jennings Bryan. Debs embraced socialism in 1897.
Eugene Debs became the founder of the Social Democratic Party later known as the Socialist Party of America. Debs himself became the presidential nominee in 1900 . He ran a disorganized campaign. Eugene Debs lacked the political savy to appeal to national audience. In 1904 Debs found his ability to campaign on the national level had greatly improved, He still was not a widely known political figure in the eyes of the American public.
Debs ran for President in 1920 from prison.
Source: Public Domain Political button
Not Anarchist Are Us
Debs was not a revolutionary radical. He did not advocate anarchy. This was a feared out come of the labor movement in general. It was a feared outcome among even socialist workers in the midwest. Haywood was a fellow socialistis name only. Haywood showed his true colors in a speech , berating the use of the normal political means to improve the lot of the worker. Cities like Chicago had already experienced the violence of foreign anarchists. Debs feared losing political and social credibility.
Eugene Debs was an effective organizer in the labor movement, even if he was a marginal political organizer. He founded the International Workers of the World. The IWW was especially appealing to recent immigrant workers on the East Coast. Soon Eugene Debs found his democratically run organization; moving much farther to left then he had anticipated. Yet, there seemed to be a lack of political commitment to established forms a populist politics.
Soon Eugene Debs disassociated himself with the labor organization he had founded. He however; had sympathy of Haywood and his followers. Twenty years after Haywood had gone to prison;Debs pleaded passionately for his release.
Eugene Debs continued his national political career. He ran for president on the ticket of the Socialist party of America in 1908 1912 in 1920. His most successful run was in 1920, where Debs received nearly 1,000,000 votes.
During these years on a practical level Debs supported him by public speaking and writing. He was an associate editor of the magazine appeal to reason which was published in Kansas. This was a popular publication for the educated classes. It had a circulation of several hundred thousand.
Many regarded Debs to be a great public speaker. His speaking style was of an evangelical politician. He sought to convert the political fence sitter to the cause of common man and the possibility of the brotherhood of humanity
Eugene Debs was an effective organizer in the labor movement, even if he was a marginal political organizer. He founded the International Workers of the World. The IWW was especially appealing to recent immigrant workers on the East Coast. Soon Eugene Debs found his democratically run organization; moving much farther to left then he had anticipated. Yet, there seemed to be a lack of political commitment to established forms a populist politics.
Soon Eugene Debs disassociated himself with the labor organization he had founded. He however; had sympathy of Haywood and his followers. Twenty years after Haywood had gone to prison;Debs pleaded passionately for his release.
Eugene Debs continued his national political career. He ran for president on the ticket of the Socialist party of America in 1908 1912 in 1920. His most successful run was in 1920, where Debs received nearly 1,000,000 votes.
During these years on a practical level Debs supported him by public speaking and writing. He was an associate editor of the magazine appeal to reason which was published in Kansas. This was a popular publication for the educated classes. It had a circulation of several hundred thousand.
Many regarded Debs to be a great public speaker. His speaking style was of an evangelical politician. He sought to convert the political fence sitter to the cause of common man and the possibility of the brotherhood of humanity
Eugene V. Debs delivering his anti-war speech in Canton, Ohio on Jun 16, 1918. He would later be jailed for the speech.
Source: Public Domain
Peace and the Brotherhood of Men
During World War I, Debs spoke passionately against the U.S involvement in the European war. He was committed to pacifism.. As the U.S began to be involved in the war that seemed so disconnected from American interests; Debs spoke out. He gave a famous speech in Canton Ohio. His speech was moving to the audience. Deb speech also gained the attention of the federal government. Debs was tried under the new espionage law. Eugene Debs was convicted of treason. He was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison and lost his citizenship.
During this time in prison in Atlanta, Debs continued to write .Debs actually ran his 1920 political campaign for president for from prison. Officials at the prison and the public at large were so moved by Debs selfless attitude and humility that many doubted he was guilty of treason. There was great public pressure put on the government to release him from prison. President Warren Harding in 1921 released Eugene Debs from prison with a presidential pardon. He was still stripped of his citizenship.
However, in Terre Haute Indiana when he returned on December 28th of that year; Debs was greeted with a heroes welcome. Thousands gathered to welcome him home. Among those celebrating the socialist release, many had conservative political views. They admired Eugene Debs for his commitment to the common man and the overall betterment of his community. Among Debs supporters and friends during his lifetime, were such public figures as Susan B Anthony and James Whitcomb Riley.
During last few years of his life, Debs Eugene Debs was in poor health. His health had declined significantly during his time in prison. He still continued to write and speak publicly when his health allowed it. In 1926 Eugene Debs health took a turn for the worst and he required 24-hour care. He moved from his home in Terre Haute, and was sent to the Lindlahr Sanitarium near Chicago. There he died on October 20th. Eugene Debs’s body was returned to Terre Haute for a burial befitting a national political leader.
During this time in prison in Atlanta, Debs continued to write .Debs actually ran his 1920 political campaign for president for from prison. Officials at the prison and the public at large were so moved by Debs selfless attitude and humility that many doubted he was guilty of treason. There was great public pressure put on the government to release him from prison. President Warren Harding in 1921 released Eugene Debs from prison with a presidential pardon. He was still stripped of his citizenship.
However, in Terre Haute Indiana when he returned on December 28th of that year; Debs was greeted with a heroes welcome. Thousands gathered to welcome him home. Among those celebrating the socialist release, many had conservative political views. They admired Eugene Debs for his commitment to the common man and the overall betterment of his community. Among Debs supporters and friends during his lifetime, were such public figures as Susan B Anthony and James Whitcomb Riley.
During last few years of his life, Debs Eugene Debs was in poor health. His health had declined significantly during his time in prison. He still continued to write and speak publicly when his health allowed it. In 1926 Eugene Debs health took a turn for the worst and he required 24-hour care. He moved from his home in Terre Haute, and was sent to the Lindlahr Sanitarium near Chicago. There he died on October 20th. Eugene Debs’s body was returned to Terre Haute for a burial befitting a national political leader.
Debs in Kansas with the children of The Appeal of Reason staff.
Debs in The Political Landscape of the Hoosier State: Then and Now
It is amazing that a political figure such as Eugene V Debs sprouted in the cornfields of Indiana. Indiana has an extremely polar political environment even today. At the time Eugene Debs was rising as a significant political figure ,both locally and nationally, Indiana was largely neo-Confederate in of it racial and political attitudes.
The state had not been polarized,at the time of Eugene Debs’s birth. Indiana was solidly a Republican stronghold and a supporter of the Union values.
The southern part of the state had always reflected the national divide of North and South in its' attitude towards race and states rights. The19th century saw some more progressive communities in southren Indiana, such as New Harmony. In general southren Indiana remained at least ambivalent to such conditions as slavery. .
The central part of the state after World War I was largely controlled by the Ku Klux Klan. At one point even state government was controlled by the Klan and KKK political cronies.
The northern part of the state had originally been settled by Germans of sensible protestant beliefs and prosperous German Catholics. There was a prosperous educated English and Irish middle class in more urban areas. Irish Catholics also influenced the political realm in Indiana’s early history. There was enough ethnic diversity, including a prosperous black community,to assure that clan Ku Klux Klan influence did not hold sway for long.The central part of the state was soon commited to moderate Republican values again.
Unfortunately, the very strong union jobs that Eugene V Debs fought so hard for in the Hoosier state attracted a large number of poor uneducated whites from the South. They came to work in its many prosperous factories. The first wave came shortly after newer immigrant groups from Italy and Poland had entered the state in the years just before WWI.
This was during the1920s. The depression did not send these workers back to the South. They established themselves in the outskirts of Indiana’s larger urban communities. They brought with them evangelical Protestantism associated now with conservative politics.
At the time many of these workers identified as Democrats. They were truly Dixiecrats.Southren factory workers had little interest in labor organizations like many of their recent European immigrant cohorts. They benefited from middle-class wages that these unionized industrial jobs provided.
Their religion eventually changed from otherworldly, to politically active to protect their newfound middle-class status. This would eventually ironically mean the descendents of the uneducated southern immigrants to Indiana would be decidedly antiunion.
The second wave of uneducated southern workers, who would stay in Indiana, came after factories were converted to the war effort during World War II. The great need for workers, who possessed very little skills, led many to leave their farms and hollows to become urban factory workers. They firmly establish themselves in small towns with auto related factories and blended with the more established and educated middle-class.
It was not until after the 1970s, and the televangelist emphasis on political activity; that many of these southerners would come to truly define Indiana politics. Hoosier Republicans would defined by the new breed of conservative. All of this lead to Indiana being a state where low wage jobs are all the rage and unions struggle to survive.
Today there is little hope that Indiana will produce any kind of great Republican political leaders such as Sen. Richard Lugar .Indiana is now a right to work state. The future is not very bright for any worker of any political persuasion. This is truly a sad legacy ;for a state that produced progressive political thinkers such as Eugene Debs.
Quote on Eugene Debs by unknown associate
"That old man with the burning eyes actually believes that there can be such a thing as the brotherhood of man. And that's not the funniest part of it. As long as he's around I believe it myself."
The state had not been polarized,at the time of Eugene Debs’s birth. Indiana was solidly a Republican stronghold and a supporter of the Union values.
The southern part of the state had always reflected the national divide of North and South in its' attitude towards race and states rights. The19th century saw some more progressive communities in southren Indiana, such as New Harmony. In general southren Indiana remained at least ambivalent to such conditions as slavery. .
The central part of the state after World War I was largely controlled by the Ku Klux Klan. At one point even state government was controlled by the Klan and KKK political cronies.
The northern part of the state had originally been settled by Germans of sensible protestant beliefs and prosperous German Catholics. There was a prosperous educated English and Irish middle class in more urban areas. Irish Catholics also influenced the political realm in Indiana’s early history. There was enough ethnic diversity, including a prosperous black community,to assure that clan Ku Klux Klan influence did not hold sway for long.The central part of the state was soon commited to moderate Republican values again.
Unfortunately, the very strong union jobs that Eugene V Debs fought so hard for in the Hoosier state attracted a large number of poor uneducated whites from the South. They came to work in its many prosperous factories. The first wave came shortly after newer immigrant groups from Italy and Poland had entered the state in the years just before WWI.
This was during the1920s. The depression did not send these workers back to the South. They established themselves in the outskirts of Indiana’s larger urban communities. They brought with them evangelical Protestantism associated now with conservative politics.
At the time many of these workers identified as Democrats. They were truly Dixiecrats.Southren factory workers had little interest in labor organizations like many of their recent European immigrant cohorts. They benefited from middle-class wages that these unionized industrial jobs provided.
Their religion eventually changed from otherworldly, to politically active to protect their newfound middle-class status. This would eventually ironically mean the descendents of the uneducated southern immigrants to Indiana would be decidedly antiunion.
The second wave of uneducated southern workers, who would stay in Indiana, came after factories were converted to the war effort during World War II. The great need for workers, who possessed very little skills, led many to leave their farms and hollows to become urban factory workers. They firmly establish themselves in small towns with auto related factories and blended with the more established and educated middle-class.
It was not until after the 1970s, and the televangelist emphasis on political activity; that many of these southerners would come to truly define Indiana politics. Hoosier Republicans would defined by the new breed of conservative. All of this lead to Indiana being a state where low wage jobs are all the rage and unions struggle to survive.
Today there is little hope that Indiana will produce any kind of great Republican political leaders such as Sen. Richard Lugar .Indiana is now a right to work state. The future is not very bright for any worker of any political persuasion. This is truly a sad legacy ;for a state that produced progressive political thinkers such as Eugene Debs.
Quote on Eugene Debs by unknown associate
"That old man with the burning eyes actually believes that there can be such a thing as the brotherhood of man. And that's not the funniest part of it. As long as he's around I believe it myself."
Eugene Debs: A Political Haratio Algers Story
As a product of the middle and late Victorian era, Eugene V. Debs was not unlike many of his capitalist male counterparts in background.It is safe to view this period in American social history as one of middle class conservatism. Yet, any brief reading of Victorian vanity biographies spop will reveal the similarity of Debs to other men of the period. These me were either were from rural commuties or second generation immigrants. All of them sought radical change in their personal life. As a group a number of Amercian men born in the middle Victorian era, ultimately rejected the more conventional paths of living.
Many of these men married outside their ethnic and religious groups. Manyjoined uniquely American religions, like Mormonism, Unitarianism, or Spiritualism. Many future business and political leader of the day had the benefit of some public education.Many of these leaders educated themselves in business or the humanities. Men in the later Victorian era, moved to new cities the on western frontier . They intentionally sought to engage in trades that were very different from their fathers and grandfathers. The second half of the nineteenth century ;was the hayday of the self made in business, politics , and religion.
Many of these men married outside their ethnic and religious groups. Manyjoined uniquely American religions, like Mormonism, Unitarianism, or Spiritualism. Many future business and political leader of the day had the benefit of some public education.Many of these leaders educated themselves in business or the humanities. Men in the later Victorian era, moved to new cities the on western frontier . They intentionally sought to engage in trades that were very different from their fathers and grandfathers. The second half of the nineteenth century ;was the hayday of the self made in business, politics , and religion.
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