The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-14
LABOR MASS MEETING
Messrs. Debs and Howard, of the
American Railway Union, Talk.
Vice President Howard Denies the
Statement that the Pullman Ser
vice Would BE Tied Up.

Union. The meeting was presided over by
E A. Perkins. president of the Central
Labor Union, and continued from 3 10 5
O'Clock.
Rev. Father O'Donaghue occupied a seat
upon the stage and was the first speaker.
He spoke briefly upon the labor question,
saying that labor used to sell to the high
est bidder, but there was now no opposi-
ton in the bidding. He took a silver dol
lar from his pocket and spoke OF the diff
ferent uses TO which ii would be put by
different persons. and concluded by say
ing it was simply that much labor. Money
was condensed labor.
Both Mr.. Debs and Mr.. Howard are able
speakers in the line of their present work.
Both possess a power of attraction that
seems irresistible with a gathering Of work
ingmen. Their styles, however. are rad
ically different. Mr.. Howard is of a fiery
disposition. and assails an opponent.
whether 1t be a man, or a principle, or
lack of principle. with the force of a pile
driver. He strikes hard and strikes often,
without regard for who or where ,the
blow lands, so that it lands upon al OPP
posing force He uses every available
weapon in his attack, from ridicule to
calm, sober logic; is fowery at times and
serious at others The addresses of both
men yesterday were expositions OF the
principles and purposes of the organiza-
ton of which they are at the head. Mr..
Howard spoke for nearly an hour, and
was greeted with applause and laughter by
turns, as he became sarcastic or in the
deadest sort of earnest. He said the pur-
pose Of the American Railway Union was
to establish and maintain a perfect and
compact organization of all railroad en-
ployes, regardless of their position or sta
ton. He asserted that there was not this
sort of feeling existing now, and referred
10 the organizations of the engineers and
fremen as an example The engineers,
when trouble was caused by the firemen,
were inclined to say that they could take
another person on the engine and teach
him TO fire in a short time. and then the
fremen were ready to say that they would
about as soon run the engine for SIS per
day as TO fire IT for that amount. Then,
continuing, Mr.. Howard said 1T was not
the purpose of the American Railway
Union to tear down the old railway organ
was ready to stand by the old and as
sist them in their efforts to maintain their
railroad men whom the old organizations
had failed to get. The old organizations,
he said. had been trying for thirty years
to get these men, and failed, and now
they ought not to object to the new one
getting them if it could, and it was get
ting them at the rate of 1000 per day.
The organization, he said, is not a con-
federation of organizations. but one COM
pact organization of all classes. Tn dis
sessions existing among railroad men make
perfect organization impossible. In the
new union one cannot belong to two class
es, for as soon as a brakeman becomes
a conductor he must leave the brakeman's
class and enter the conductors. In the old
organization, he said. there were too
many men in each striving to reach the
90 ma UnQ1 Tho nnur rtnfnn 6f6 not oalx
the members of old organizations to leave
them, but did ask them TO help the new
one to get the men that the old ones lad
failed to get. The new organization does
not kick a member out when he can't
pay his dues. Mr.. Howard spent consid-
cradle time upon this phase of the situa-
tons. He said: You members of the old
organizations are compelled TO go out on
You often lose your job by doing SO, and
are compelled TO pay in thousands Of dol
lars to support useless strikes. You are
compelled to stand by the union In it's
adversely, but in your adversely the union
kicks you out and makes a tramp of you.
ment long enough, and are you not now
ready to seek the truth? Heretofore you
nave been dominated by one grand mas
ter. Some of you who have been delegates
to a convention may feel like denying
this, but l say TO you that no delegate 10
any convention ever succeeded in getting
any OF his ideas adopted by the conven-
ton .uness he was a henchman Of the
grand master or the committee"
THE SPEAKERS INVITATIONS.
| The speaker caused no little amusement by
his imitation of the grand master address
ing a convention. describing him as he steps
forward upon the stage. with his Prince Al
bert coat buttoned tight around him, and
is introduced by some one as a person
with whom you are all acquainted" His
acting of obsequious bowling and the deliv-
49, ~ H.
dience in 4 good humor for several min
utes. Then, returning to the all-important
question of paying dues. he said when a
member could not pay dues the new organi-
cation Cancelled the obligation, but If il was
a case OF won't and not of can't
then the new organization dropped them
pretty quickly. He said their meetings
were public and conducted for business,
without any opening exercises, any goat
riding or closing exercises. The obligation
was simply. Il will support the c~onstitu-
tlon and be a mar In all things" and the
speaker thought that a person who would
not respect that obligation would not re-
his knees before the Bible. He said there
was no aristocracy in the new organiza-
uon, all were equal. The man who earned
as good as the man who earned but 81.
Their purpose was TO bring all railroad
ton and concentration he said, ARE the
masters Of the situation. This is a cold
business and gives respect only where 1t is
compelled TO. Twenty-Five years ago a gen
eral manager wouldn't look at a brake
man. but now he receives him respectfully,
all on account of the organization" The
speaker then went into the political phase
OF the organization, and said the new one
did propose TO enter politics, because it be-
lieved this to be the only way to accom-
dish some of its ends. 1t did not believe
that a man or a firm could be compelled
to pay higher wages by legislation; this
was TO be accomplished through organiza-
ton. The new organization did believe thai
the eight-hour day could be accomplished
through political action and furnish EN-
ployment for more men. He spoke in fay-
or Of electing Senators by popular vote
and animated that he would not oppose
the total abolition of that body, which he
termed the American House of Lords. In
concluding. he said the railroad men must
come together before they could accom-.
plish anything. The new organization was
not a striking organization, but at the
present time the strike and the boycott
were the only weapons they had. Wher
they became solidified they would not be
compelled TO use them from the mere fact
of their possession. with the power OF unity
TO back them When the companies cam,
to know that a strike meant all the mer
out and that they would be compelled tC
meet a perfectly organized force they
would rot permit a strike. but would al
ways agree to arbitration.
Mr.. DEBS'S ADDRESS.
Mr.. Debs followed with an address Of
about an hour. A great part of his tall
was a substantial repetition of what tn,