The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-05

TERRE HAUTE, Ind, July 4.-The people
of Terre Haute are watching the American
Railway unions boycott strike with per
sonal interest. This is the home of Dicta-
tor Eugene V. Debs. the president of the
union. He was born here and has always
lived here. He has taken part in politics
and in other ways has been before the pub
lie. He brought the headquarters Offices
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire
men TO this city when he was elected sec
rotary and treasurer Of that organization
and thus made Terre Haute people famil-
lar with the various movements IN the
world of railway labor.
Debs decided two years ago that the
time had come to organize the employees OF
railroad companies on new basis, that OF
q universal brotherhood, He had taken
part in the formation of the old supreme
council scheme by which all the brother
hoods, except that of the engineers, en-
tered into an agreement by which they
were TO act as one body in times OF serious
dispute with railroad companies. When
this federation scheme proved Intellectual
the embryo dictator declared that
no railway labor movement would
be equal to the occasion until there was
convention of the Brotherhood of Fire
men held in Cincinnati two years ago, he
insisted upon reslgnlng as secretary ana
. treasurer and had to resign a second time
before the convention would let him retire,
and then only after he had agreed to con-
tinue as editor Of the tIreman's Magazine,
10 which each member of the brotherhood
is an enforced subscriber. Soon afterward
Debs announced he would organize the
American Railway union. which was to
include In its membership all classes Of
employees. The old brotherhoods, the
class organizations, he said, had passed
the day Of their usefulness; that they
were as the stage coach compared to the
modern vestibule train.
For fifteen years he had been travelling TO
nll par's of the United States, meeting the
local labor leaders, on whom be made a
personal impression which stood him in
good stead when he launched his new
duion. Although out of active and official
control OF the Brotherhood of Locomotive
I'll emen he has continued TO be leader
among the men of that organization
While he and his vice-presidcnt, George
Howard, have been decrying the
brotherhoods be has remained as
editor of the Magazine. That there have
been strained relations on this score is
true. although on the surface there appears
TO be nothing Of the kind. In the Great
Northern strike the Brotherhood of Fire
men were told that they would be violat-
ing the law OF their organization if they
joined ia the strike, but all of them, with
two exceptions, followed Debs' leadership.
They are ready TO do SO in the present boy
colt strike.
1t is a common remark among his fol-
lowers that "Debs ought TO be president of
the United States, and will be some day"
In this local union are all classes of en-
10. H. l. 81 4
Eastern Illinois and the Evansville and
Terre Haute men at this point TO strike
among those who quit were a cashier and
Ii chief clerk in a freight office. Il is, no
doubt, the first time in the history Of
strikes that cashier went out"
Debs until lately was always a Democrat
In politics. He was twice elected CITY
clerk by majorities far beyond that given
Tor other candidates on the ticket. He has
made some speeches in state and national
campaigns. In 1883 he spoke here against
Harrison at a time when the railroad
men were recalling a story that
The Republican candidate had once said
that "a dollar a day was enough for "A
workingman." Several mouths ago he
appeared at a meeting of the Populists,
md being called upon for Il speech an
nounced that he could be counted upon
from that time forward as Popuist and
the leaders of that party at once pro-
claimed him as their candidate for gov
erDor in 1896 He possesses that intano-
Ible quality OF personal attractiveness
Dalled magnetism TO = remarkable degree
His friendships are in All classes of people
Colonel Bob Ingersoll and he are on in
Innate terms and James Whitcomb Riley
Is his fast friend.
Debs has what woman would call n
lovely home. 1t is furnished elegantly and
with refined taste. Mrs. Debs is tall,
stately and diguified woman. They have
10 children. He has several sisters and
one brother, the latter holding the position
OF cashier at the headquarters of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. HIS
father and mother are living. Mr.. Debs.
sr., has been merchant here for several
years Both parents of tie president of
ihe American hallway union were born in
.alsace. In a biographical sketch of the
son 1t Is said, speaking of the native town
of his father and mother, Once province
Of France, where the love of liberty aud
independence characterized the people,
rs i6 has Tor century the great body of
the French population" Therefore il is
said that Eugene's Doybood home in this
city was "a place where every lesson
taught wss well calculated to develop an
ardent love of American ideas and princi-
pies OF government"
Debs was born in Terre Haute November
5. 1850 tie went TO the public schools. and
after one year III The higu school went TO a
commercial college. When 10 years old
he entered the Y ,nGalia paint shop as an
apprentice. In 1871 he became a fireman
on the NandalIa and continued in that
capacity Tor three Years. When 10 wears
Old he became clerk in Human & Co.'s