Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-14
END NOT YET.
Labor Leaders Make Offer to
End the Strike.
Will Give the Word if the Striking
Employees are Re-nstated,
But Managers Refuse 10 Consider Any Propo-
siion From Debs, ct ais.

CHICAGO, July 13.-Mayor Hopkins and
Alderman McGillen, this afternoon, at the
request of President Debs and Vice Presi-
dent Howard of the American Railway
Union and President Gompers of the
American Federation of Labor, presented
to the General Managers Association a
proposition which will end the strike at
once if everything goes smoothly. This
proposition is to call off the big strike at
once, provided that all men who have not
committed any offence against the law be
reinstated in their former positions.
This was the result of a conference held
at the Briggs house, between the labor
leaders and others, and indirectly attributa-
BILE to President Cleveland's action in decid-
ing to appoint an arbitration commission.
This will leave the Pullman employees
in exactly the same position as before the
Pullman boycott was declared. They will,
however, have their grievances arbitrated,
if the Presidents plan is carried out.
Mayor Hopkins and Alderman McGillen
had a short and harmonious conference
with Chairman St. John and Strike Mana
ger Egan of the General Managers Associ-
alton. No others were present. The con-
ference was rather unsatisfactory SO far as
the general element of the strike is con-
cerned. Chairman st. John declared that
the general managers of the various roads
running into Chicago did not recognize the
president of the A. Il. U. or his conferees.
Egan said he would call meeting of
the General Managers Association
as soon as possible, but did not
think that they would take any
action.
So far as the roads are concerned,
Mr.. Egan declared, the strike is already at
an end. All roads, he said, were running
in nearly as good order as at first and they
had nothing to say beyond the fact that they
felt they had been grievously injured and
much of their properly wantoDly destroyed,
and they did not see why they should grant
favors to people who had done them this
harm.
Mayor Hopkins pointed out that if the
general managers refused to accept the
opportunity, the troops must be kept guard
ing the city at least two weeks more, en-
taiing cost of many thousands of dollars
on the state and there might be more riot
ing and bloodshed. Chairman St. John
seemed to relent somewhat at this and said
he would do all in his power to bring about
a settlement.
After an all day conference the executive
committee of the American Federation of
Labor ended by declaring that at the present
time general strike of the allied trades
would be unwise and iDjudicious. The
only dissenting votes were by +. w. Arnold
of the Order of Railway Trainmen and Z.
Ii. Morrissey of the Brotherhood of Fire
men, who we're instructed by their orders
to vote against the clause which declared
the American Railway Union strike just.
The only other business transacted was
the passage of resolution recommending e
that the American Frederation of Labor
appropriate $40 900 to assist Debs in the
cases to be brought and now pending
against him in the federal courts.
Scores of kilograms were received at the
headquarters of the American Railway
Union, this afternoon, from all the union
and railroad centers in the West asking if
the strike was declared off. Replies were
sent disclaiming any responsibility for the
statement about the strike being off and
telling all the strikers to stay out and 1e-
main firm.
Late in the afternoon the announcement
came from the general managers headquar-
ters that the proposition laid before the
association by the mayor and Alderman Nc
Gillen had been returned unopened, with
the statement that the general managers
would neither receive nor consider any
proposition coming from Mr.. Debs and
fellow officers of the American Railway
Union.