The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-03
Senator Davis, Answer.

The answer sent by Senator Davis TO
the railway employees at Duluth who re
quested him 10 support Senator Kyle's
resolution ought TO. if il hash t. opened
the eyes of the railway employees at Chi
cago and elsewhere in the west who are
ohstructing the running Of trains. 10 the
DANGEROUS character Of their acts. The
senator tells them that they are approach
ing the overt act of levying war against
the United states. and that is the truth.
1t is greatly TO be regretted that they
have permitted themselves TO be led into
taking such a position by their leaders,
who having nothing to lose, are as reck-
less in the course they are pursuing as
! they are unwise.
1t is remarkable that there is a man in
| the United States Senate who is so far
| forgetful Of his duty TO the people as TO
| offer q resolution that would aid in OBJ
structing interstate commerce. Senator
| Kyle could hardly have understood the
full meaning of his resolution when he
offered il. If he did, he certainly per
mitted himself to be controlled by his
sympathies rather than his Judgment.
1t looks now as if the government would
soon take very active part in the strike
The deputies of the United Sta ties courts
have been resisted and the government
will see to it that the processes of the
court are enforced. The bill that has
been drawn under the interstate com
merce law is meant to be broad enough to
prevent interference with the running of
trains, and whatever order the courts
grant viii doubtless be enforced promptly
and vigorously.
At the beginning Of the strike Mr.
Debs, the president of the railway union
declared that there would be no VIC
| lence-that the railway companies would
be permitted TO run their trains. if they
could He must have known when he
made this statement that, however much
he may have wished to prevent violence,
he could not control the strikers. In the
beginning of all great strikes the
leaders announce that there will be no
violence, but there is always more or less
violence. II could hardly be otherwise
The strikers are under 10 unusual re-
| straint, and it IS but natural that they
should resort to force to accomplish the
object they have in view. AS soon as they
see indications that the contest is going
against them, they cease to be peaceful
citizens
No reliance was placed on Mr.. Debs'
statement that there would be no law
lessness. 1t is pretty safe TO say that he
himself did not believe it. de could not
help knowing that there would be law
lessness, and plenty of it. In undertake
ing to tie up all the roads in the west he
and the other organizers of the strike as
sumed a fearful responsibility. 1t is not
improba bic that some lives will be lost.
| that much property will be destroyed and
that very large number Of men who, a
few days ago, We're earning good wages
and who had no grievance against their
| employers will be reduced to absolute
poverty.
1t looks as if Mr. Debs and his advisers
wanted to test the strength of the union
they had organized. If the railway en-
ployes had a grievance, which they could
not get adjusted satisfactorily, there
might be some excuse for the
strike, but they have no griev-
ance. They are being used to
force a settlement between the Pullman
company and its car shop employees. OF
the merit of the trouble between that
company and its employees they know
very little. The theory of the present
strike is that the commerce of the whole
country is TO be INSTRUCTED, and the trav-
cling public subjected to all sorts of annoy
ances and Inconvenience, if in some shop
| or factory in any part of the country
members of the railway union get in to
trouble with their employers which they
cannot get settled to their satisfaction!
| There can be no sympathy with anything
of that kind. The traffic and other bust
ness of the country could not be carried
on under such a state of affairs as the
railway union proposes.