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“...Bellamys Looking Back-
ward, a book that stirred up not a little interest in those
days and that was industriously spread by all who took a
more than passing interest in Socialism. De Leon delivered a
lecture on some subject connected with that Nationalist move-
ment and I had gone over to New York to hear him. Of the
lecture itself I have today no recollection whatever, but the
lecturer, how he spoke and how he looked, all that I can con-
jure up before my minds eye as distinctly as though it hap-
pened yesterday. A portrait of De Leon, published in the 2Sth
anniversary souvenir of the Weekly People, depicting
him as he looked at the time of his entrance into the Socialist
movement, corresponds precisely with the mental picture I
have of him when he delivered the aforesaid lecture; if that
portrait be made part of this volume, it will greatly enhance
its value and be an aid to the reader. It will be observed that,
on this picture, De Leon wears a stiff collar; when I got to...”
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“...protecting S. L. P. men in that way
did not appear very convincing to me. I thought that many
of them might be able to take care of themselves and, if there
were any who could not or would not, we could get rid of
them as individuals rather than to "protect them by such
sweeping preventive legislation. Also I was the National
Secretary of the Party. I had my finger on the pulse of the
organization, knew a good deal about- local conditions and
thought I had a fairly clear idea of what was likely to hap-
pen as a direct result of taking such a step. The labor faker...”
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“...WITH DE LEON SINCE 89. 61
In other organizations there were similar agents preparing
the ground everywhere for things that were to come. The
stories that were told about De Leon by these agents, his al-
leged hatred of Germans, his desire to wreck unions, and stories
about the vulgar language in The People, made some people
actually believe that De Leon was a monster. Whatever hap-
pened upon this planet that was bad they blamed on De Leon.
While on the road for the party in New York state some
years Ago I encountered an individual in a remote part of
Schoharie County, who told me with candor that when the
Democrats were in power we did not have half enough rain.
Similarly there were mental cripples who blamed De Leon for
everything.
In the 28th Assembly District, the district where De Leon
lived, the party organization was about evenly divided between
the loyal S. L. P. men and those who were leaning toward the
opposition. At the business meetings of this district there
were always warm...”
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