“I would not be a Moses to lead you into the Promised Land, because if I could lead you into it, someone else could lead you out of it.” IfsLandIf I CouldMosesPromised Land Author:Eugene V. Debs
“I do not want you to follow me or anyone else; if you are looking for a Moses to lead you out of this capitalist wilderness, you will stay right where you are. I would not lead you into the promised land if I could, because if I led you in, some one else would lead you out.” IfsWantBusinessLandIf I CouldWildernessWhere You AreCapitalistMosesFollow MePromised Land Author:Eugene V. Debs
“If you go to the city of Washington, and you examine the pages of the Congressional Directory, you will find that almost all of those corporation lawyers and cowardly politicians, members of Congress, and misrepresentatives of the masses - you will find that almost all of them claim, in glowing terms, that they have risen from the ranks to places of eminence and distinction. I am very glad that I cannot make that claim for myself. I would be ashamed to admit that I had risen from the ranks. When I rise it will be with the ranks, and not from the ranks.” IfsWould BePoliticsTermCitiesPoliticianMembersMassClaimsCongressLawyerGladCorporationsAshamedDistinctionRepresentativesGlowingRisenCowardlyLabor UnionEminence Author:Eugene V. Debs
“Yes, I am my brother's keeper. I am under a moral obligation to him that is inspired, not by any maudlin sentimentality but by the higher duty I owe myself. What would you think me if I were capable of seating myself at a table and gorging myself with food and saw about me the children of my fellow beings starving to death?” IfsThinkingChildrenHelpingMoralSawsBrotherDutyHigherMoralityCapableFellowsTablesInspiredHuman RightsHelping OthersObligationMy BrotherStarvingKeepersSentimentalityVolunteerismMoral ObligationMoral Duty Author:Eugene V. Debs
“Too long have the workers of the world waited for some Moses to lead them out of bondage... I would not lead you out if I could; for if you could be led out, you could be led back again. I would have you make up your minds there is nothing that you cannot do for yourselves.” IfsWorldMindLongFreedomLibertyWorkersIf I CouldBondageMosesBack AgainMake Up Your Mind Author:Eugene V. Debs
“Every one of the aristocratic conspirators and would-be murderers claims to be an arch-patriot; every one of them insists that the war is being waged to make the world safe for democracy. What humbug! What rot! What false pretense! These... tyrants, these red-handed robbers and murderers, the "patriots," while the men who have the courage to stand face to face with them, speak the truth, and fight for their exploited victims - they are [called] the disloyalists and traitors. If this be true, I want to take my place side by side with the traitors in this fight.” IfsMenWorldWantWarWould BeFacesFightingSpeakSidesDemocracyHe ManSafeRedClaimsVictimBeing TrueTyrantsAntiwarSolitaryPatriotMurdererFace To FacePretenseSpeak The TruthTraitorRobbersArchesAristocraticHumbugConspirators Author:Eugene V. Debs
“If I were hungry and friendless today, I would rather take my chances with a saloon-keeper than with the average preacher.” IfsTodayChanceAverageHungryPreacherKeepersSaloonsFriendless Author:Eugene V. Debs
“Why should the railroad employees be parceled out among a score of different organizations? They are all employed in the same service. Their interests are mutual. They ought to be able to act together as one. But they divide according to craft and calling, and if you were to propose today to unite them that they might actually do something to advance their collective and individual interests as workers, you would be opposed by every grand officer of these organizations.” IfsShouldDifferentMightWould BeTodayAbleTogetherIndividualInterestOughtCallingOrganizationWorkersCraftsEmployeeScoreCollectivesMutualDividesOfficersEmployedProposeRailroadsTogether As One Author:Eugene V. Debs
“If it had not been for the discontent of a few fellows who had not been satisfied with their conditions, you would still be living in caves. Intelligent discontent is the mainspring of civilization. Progress is born of agitation. It is agitation or stagnation.” IfsLifeStillsBornProgressConditionsCivilizationIntelligentFellowsIntelligenceSatisfiedCavesDiscontentStagnationAgitation Author:Eugene V. Debs
“Solidarity is not a matter of sentiment but a fact, cold and impassive as the granite foundations of a skyscraper. If the basic elements, identity of interest, clarity of vision, honesty of intent, and oneness of purpose, or any of these is lacking, all sentimental pleas for solidarity, and all other efforts to achieve it will be barren of results.” IfsMatterFactsPurposeInterestResultsEffortVisionAchieveHonestyIdentityColdElementsLaborFoundationClarityOnenessSentimentsCooperationSolidarityLackingSentimentalBarrenSkyscraperGraniteCommon PurposeClarity Of Vision Author:Eugene V. Debs
“If the people would but analyze the human equation of a prison they might better account for the crimes that are visited upon them in cities, towns, and hamlets, ofttimes by men who graduated with an education and equipment for just that sort of retributive service from some penal institution.” PeopleIfsMenHumansMightCitiesCrimeAccountsTownsInstitutionsPrisonEquipmentEquations Author:Eugene V. Debs
“In the very progress of society, the prison has in the very nature of things undergone some improvement, but there are vast stretches yet to be covered before the prison becomes, if it ever does, an institution for the reclamation and rehabilitation of erring and unfortunate men and women.” IfsMenDoeProgressMen And WomenInstitutionsPrisonImprovementCoveredUnfortunateRehabilitationErringProgress Of SocietyReclamation Author:Eugene V. Debs
