The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-29
MANAGERS ARE MONSTERS,
Says Mr.. Erwin, in His Plea for the
the A. R. U. Rioters.

Testified That Way-The Concluding
spesch in the Case for the Govern
ment Made by Sawyer.
Chicago, Sept. 2s.-In an intensely elo-
quent and dramatic speech, which held
! spellbound a large crowd in the United
States court room this morning, Attorney
w. w. Erwin made the closing argument
for the defendants in the American Rail
way Union cases. Mr.. Erwin said in
part: "On account of the feeling in
this case l feel called upon to
say something unusual and not or
dinarily permitted by judges. l
want to say in plain words, before
plain people, that whatever the
outcome of the case you have been
fair. My colleague, Mr.. Gregory, struck
the keynote of tnis matter when he said
that the act of a-strike was one consis-
tent with civil and religious liberty. /
say there was no redress from the Pull
man horror, although there are many
who say otherwise. If there was any
thing that the people could rely upon, il
slept. What could they dol Declare
war! No. Break the public peacel No.
Then what could they do} Anything that
the God-given conscience prompts
them. That is tine liberty
of this flag. Is not it
deplorable state of affairs that, while
the press rang out, while the pulpits
roared against the iniquities at Pullman,
no power in the law of this country
stepped forward to stop them. These
people were starving, yet not flag was
raised, not a drum beat, not an officer Of
this government stepped tooth to raise his
hand in behalf Of them. The French rev.
olution was cited here yesterday. What
was it, 1t was an upheaval by the finger
of God to get refuge from religious perse
cution. This case will not be viewed
in the candle light of the Milwaukee or
the Santa Fe road, but under yonder sun
Gods lamp. This case is the beginning
of suits, our friends on the other side tell
US. To US it is the end of defensive suits
We are on our defense for the last time.
Tomorrow we shall begin on them. The
conscience of this nation will demand
that special counsel be appointed TO
prosecute the general managers. 1 be-
lieve in the courts. But | also believe in
the people and in conscience. These clients
are charged with setting fire to cars. We
will find out tomorrow who set these
fires-these cheap fires to turn the tenn
per of the public. This fair city will
never pay So, 600 900 for the railroads un-
til it finds out who set these fires. hope
the nation will give the managers an op-
portunity to defend themselves. l de-
mand that conscience shall be free to con-
troll the man whenever IL is justified by
Gods law. Between man and his God
there is no mist. When con-
science is justified the man is JUS
tilted. All those things which
people can do which is consistent with
conscience-that they may do. To my
mind conscience is the only rule TO be
guided by. Property rights must be con-
sidered, of course, but when shall the
time come when the rights OF property
shall be greater than the rights
of consciencel The hope of the
have got to cut OF the communication
from the master before you can re-enslave
the common people. Pullman Is, if not in
law, in equity, the sole operator of the
Santa Fe cars. Pullman was guilty Of a
cause tostrike and so the strike came.
If members of the American Railway
Union had right to strike against Pull
man, they had a right also TO strike
against Pullman's contractors, the rail-
roads.
II have now said all I wanted to. So
far as / am concerned, | am willing to
leave the case to your own plain decision.
| would rather leave it to you to decide
than TO decide it myself If you should
deem it wise to decide against these men,
it would be more like crucifxiOn of the
cause oflabor against capital, rather than a
punishment of these defendants. Thisis no
time to indulge in diatribes against the
general managers, but they are here
these monsters are here in Chicago.
Pullman set his foot on the neck of the
poor and the general managers allied
themselves with him. If the law does
not do it, God will give these people JUS
tice; he will punish the general mana
gers"
Edwin L. Walker arose to make the
closing argument and the final one in the
case Mr.. Walker said he would attempt
to prove to the court before he finished
his argument that the Americal Railway
Union was nothing more than huge
trust, organized for that purpose, and,
therefore, it came under the Sherman
antitrust act Of 1890
In regard to Mr.. Erwins intimation
that cars had been set on fire at the in
stance Of the general managers, Mr..
Walker said that the whole matter had
been Investigated by a grand jury, and no
witness had been brought forward 10
prove the truth of the charges. Mr..
! Walker continued: {: "lhe learned counsel
that preceded me said a special prosecu-
tor should be appointed TO take the case
Of the general managers. / will say that
if you will get one appointed will be the
first 20 indorse him."
The special council for the government
then went into the law in the case, reply
ing TO arguments made for the defend
ants Mr.. Gregory interrupted him 10
ask IL the President approved these pro-
ceediuRs. Mr.. Walker answered. "The
administration fully approves all the pro-
ceedings now being taken at Chicago 20
make these defendants obey the law"
Mr. Walker confined himself to an ar
gument on the evidence and the facts
rather than rhetorical demand for the
punishment Of the defendants. He said
he could see no logic in Mr. Erwin's
speech, and that nobody had ever
denied the right of men TO.
strike, whether descended from
Jehovah, or obtained Otherwise.