The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1894-07-13
The 9euIatrat.
To The Prideut.

Sovereign, leader of the heKnights ofLabor
aud Debs leader of American Railway Union
sent the following letter to the president
Saturday:
Through loag period of depression,
enforced idleness and low wages, resulting
in widespread poverty and in many cases
actual starvation, the working people have
been ratient, patriotic ard lawabiding. and
not until the iron heel of corporate tyranny
was applied with the intention 10 subjugate
the working people to the will of arrogant
monopolies did they make any effort to stay
their cppressors. The Pullman strike was
not declared until the employees of the
Pullman Company we're driven to the verge
Of starvation, their en'reaties spurned with
contempt and R,heir grievances denied
hearing. No refusal 10 handle Pullman
cars was declared by any railway employee
until all proposition looking toward aIbitra-
tlon we're rejected by the Pullman Comp any.
Notwithstanding the fact set forth above
were known TO he public and the nationa!
authorities, you have seen fit, under the
guise of protecting the mails and federal
property, to iavoke the services of the
United States army, whose very pres esence
Is used to coeIce and intimidate peacsable
working people IN humilAting obedience
the will of their .opPressors. BY your
acis, insofar as vou have supPlanted civil
RS Fssss sqAaasIsifs tSe " t S4ess and desgrue
tion has so far been augmented that deep
seated conviction is becoming prevalent that
this government is soon t. 6e declared a
military despotisn.
"rhe transportation of the United States
mail Is not interrupted by the striking
employees of any railway company, but by
the railway companies themselves them
selves, who refused to haul the mails on :he
trains TO which Pullman cars were not at
tached. II it is criminal interference with
the United States mails for the employees
cf e railway company 20 detach from a mali
train Pullman palace car, contrary to the
will of the company. thea it holds true that
il is the same criminal interference when
ever Pullman palace car is detached from
mail train in accordance with the will of
a railway company while said mail train
is in transit. The line Of criminality in
such cases should not be drawn at the will
ingness or unwillingness of railway employ
ees, but at the act itself, ard ;nasmuch as
1t has been the common practice ofrailway
corporations to attach and detach from mail
trains Pullman palace cars at will, while
said trains are in transit and carrying the
mails of the United States, it would seem
an act of discrimination against the employ
ees of the railway corporations 10 declare
such acts unlawful interference with the
transmission Of the mails when done by
employees with or without the consent Of
their employers.
ain view of these facts, We lo.Ik upon
the FAR fetched decision of Attorney Cen
eral olney the sweeping iniunctiOns against
railway employees and the movements of
the regular srmy as employing the powers
Of the general government for the support
and protection or, the railway c5rpcrAiions
in their determination TO degrade and op-
press their employees.
"The present railway strike was pre-
ciPi'aied by the uneasy desire of the rail-
way corporations TO destroy the orgaLi-
cations Of their employees and make the
working people more subssrvient 10 the
will of employers, and as all students OF
government agree that free institutions de -
pend for their perpetui:y on the freedom
and property of the common people, it
would seem more ic consonsnce With the
spirit of democratic government if federal
authority were exercised Ia defense of the
rights of the ioiing masses to life. liberty
and tie pursuit of happiness.
But. on the contrary, there is not an in
stance on record where, in any conflict be-
tween the corporations and the people, the
strong arm Of the military power has been
employed TO protect the working people
oe'A tAC AbhuoAi'ui uldScrS ALOLl luc ldNEkcs
of persecution of corporate greed But
the measure Of justice has been in the line
of declaring the corporations always in the
right and the working people always in
the wrong
Now, sir, We offer to you the power of
our respective organizations, individually
and collectively, for the maintenance of
peace and good order and the preservation
of life and property, and aid in the pun
ishment of all criminals. In the present
contest between labor and railway corpora
tions We shall use every peacable and hon
orable means at our command consistent
with the law and our constitutional rights
to secure for the working people just COM
pensation for the labor done, and respect
ful consideration in accordance with the
inherent rights of all men and the spirit Of
republican government In SO doing we
appeal 10 all TIE liberty loving people of
the nation tc aid and support US in this
most just and righteous cause"