Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-09

Thirty-Nine Years Old. Bold. Eioqoens
and Absolutely Honest.

and Absolutely Honest.
Terre HaUte Dispatch to the New York Recorosr.
The man most talked of in America to-
day. Eugene V. Debs. the head and 'front.'
Of the American Railway Union. IL In his
thirty-ninth year. is bold. eloquent as-
gressive. absolutely honest, looks something
like Bill Nye. was the discoverer Of the
poeucai ability of James whitcomb Riley.
who is his fast friend. and until the pres
ent year has been a radical democrat
He Is married, lives in an elegant house
IN the city. where he Was born on Noyem-
Der 0, 1865. and has no children. He As TAN
anu straiSht as an arrow, Icing several
ihches over six feet in height and Is nos-
sesseo OF wonderful personal magnetism.
30 'hat scarcely any one who has met him
mas tailed to come under the spell of his
arabic and persuasive manners
Deps Is natural born organizer ana
LABOR leader. Twice he has served "a city
clerk OF this city and once he was SEM 10
.ne legislature. where he made the speech
United States Senate In 1885, which Gained
MN quite reputation an orator al DE
uime. His parents. who are eth living IN
rms eiy. are natives OF Alsace. Germany.
Inc eioer Debs Is still the proprietor OF a
grocery store here and is well TO do.
Az the proper age young Debs was ssna
70 tne public schools Of this city and al.
vanced through the different grades IA
ne entered the Terre Hauts high school
Ihen his parents gave him a course an the
Terre Haute Commercial College He was
noted as boy for his studious habits. his
rapid acquisition OF knowledge and mis- dis
terminating appreciate OF poetry
AT hfteen he entered the paint shops AZ
the Vandalia here an apprentice. but
ne ne preferred more active life. and in 1871
ne TOOK a position as fireman on q Van.
JANA locomotive running between here and
Indiana polls He continued Is q fireman
till 1874.
Ar nineteap vaar. 81, 49, - ,,
cierkship In the large wholesale grocery
mouse or Huffman e. Cox. in which he re-
manned Tor several years. As q young man
ne was one of the organizers Of the Oc-
cloehtal Literary Club. now disbanded, be-
ing chosen its president
IL was at that time, when Dehs was
twenty-four years old, that the democrat o
city convention, in casting about FOR 4
candidate for city clerk, chose him by &C.
clamation. and he was elected By a ma
Jority OF 1,1oO in a city that usually gives
a republican majority. He was elected q
second time to the same Office, serving in
that capacity four years altogether.
IL was during his first term as city CLERK
That Debs came prominently before the
public as the chief promoter Of a coopers'
strike. Clutter. the boss cooper, resented
Debs Interference in the strike. on &C
count or his being public official, and q
controversy ensued in the newspapers be-
tween the two men, resulting In q verdict
Tor Debs on paper, as well as for the strik-
ers In what they demanded. The bitter
ness of the coopers' controversy still lin
gers in the minds OF many.
Debs was Initiated a member of Nigo
Lodge No. l6. Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen, on February "a, 1874, and at once
became one OF its most active members In
1917 he represented his lodge at the annual
convention OF the order at Indianapolis, at
Which time the brotherhood was entering
upon a period OF trials and vicissitudes that
for several years threatened IL with disrup-
ton.
Dehs WAS ono ~ tho laaa;,c, ,,,ar,,,...-. -
this convention. In 1873 he was sent as a
delegate TO the national firemen's conven-
ton at Buffalo. where he offlciated as as
sistant secretary. IL was at that convention
that the brotherhood recognized his literary
ablnties and elected him sssociate editor OF
The Locomotive Flremen's Magazine"
In June, 1871. Mr.. Debs was appointed by
the then grand master. Frank ". Arnold 10
be grand secretary and treasurer OF the
nremen, ana in September of the same year
he was elected to that position by the ma
tional convention held ia Chicago, which
place he held for twelve consecutive years.
each year being Reelected, until he declined
the Reelection two years ago at san Fraa-
cisco to organize his new union. ae was
prevailed upon still to retain his edi;orshIp
OF The Locomotive Firemen's Magazine"
which he still holds and he never mentions
his own order in that paper
When Debs became grand secretary and
treasurer OF the hremen there were ninety
eight lodges. When he lett that office there
were over 400 lodges. When lie was elected
at Boston, IN lSsl, editor OF The Firemen's
Magazine" the monthly circulation was
300 copies; now IL has Upward OF 5OUyu
circulation.
In 1894 Debs was elected by the democrats
TO the legislature. and while IN that body
was instrumental in passing several i'm
portant labor laws. Inc democrats have
since tried TO induce him TO accept the nom
ination for Congress without avzu Inns
year in a public speech in this city Dehs
renounced democracy and announced him.
self populist
His rev order. the American Railway
Union. is absolutely his own creation. he
devoted much though; to its general plan
before Re launched it, He was always an
earnest advocate OF a federation OF railway
men, and through his Efforts the United
order OF Railway Employees COMPOSED OF
the brotherhood Of Railway Trainmea and
Conductors. Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen and of the Swftchmen's Mutual Aid
Association. was formed. That federation
dissolved because the switchmen withdrew
from IL, greatly TO Debs' disgust
For year and a half he worked at the
details of the American Railway Union and
II came into existence I'm this city on June
~, lS.2. Since its organization IL has pros
pered and the union is now the largest body
of railway men In the world. Its recent
victory in the strike against the Great
Northern railway was a signal one.
Deos Is fighter. He never tires. He is
as rapid writer as he is a talker His
voice has silvery ring In this city, where
he has lived all his life there is not a per-
son who does not know him 20 be conscien-
uous and honorable. above suspicion in HIS
dealings with his fellow-men. lie will sell
out no laboring organization.
Chief Arthur OF the engineers Debe hates
with all his SOUL believing him 20 be a tool
OF the railway presidents. and he attacks
him on all occasions. THE Flrernen's MAYA
zine has vciously attacked Arthur many