Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-11


 lentlcss fury, and the chasm between the masses and the classes Is growing deeper and wider with each succeeding day. If peace Is restored and this nation saved from acts repulsivc to the conscience of all Christian people, there must bc wise action, and that quickly.
 Sincerely believing that the flames of discord are being purposcly famed by the railway corporations at the risk of tho life of the government, I take the liberty to appeal to you. and through you to the conscience of the whole people. implortng you tO lay down the implements of toll foI n short season, and under tho banner of peace, and with a patriotic desire to pro nlotc the public welfare and tEc power of your aggregated numbers through peace able asscmblagcs, to crate n healthy pub lie sentiment in favor of an amicablc set clement of the issues growing out of the recent strike of the Pullman employees, and you arc further requested not 10 rc- turn to your usual avocations until n set clement of the pending trouble Is made known to you through some authentic source.
 Sovereign Review the Cause.
 In the present strained relations be. tween corporations and the employees Is involved a principle near and dear to all Americans-the right of labor to present its grievances to tho owners and repro. sentatives of corporate capital.
 The Pullman Palace Car company re fused to arbitrate the differences between itself and employees on tho ground that cars were built below cost, and therefore there was nothing to arbitratc. But the conclusion of every unprcjudiccd mind must be that if such were tho true facts it could have nothing to fear at the hand: of an arbitration committee
 Suppose the Pullman company had in vited organized labor to arbitratc, and or ganizcd labor had declined the invitation and refused to discuss the question us tC whether there was anything to arbitratG or not. It is needless tO say q wave oi popular indignation would obliterate ev cry labor organization from the face of thi: country. and no more could be formed fol the next 50 years. The stigma of such position would follow every maine con nected with organized labor to the grave
 But in the present crisis corporation. whose wealth has been created by labol take the position that they are prior anC choke their creators. Like the brigand of old, they rob the laboring mascs, anC employ the sword ard the bludgeon anC set up throne on the bones of the van quishcd, and declare their divine right tt rule over the balance of monkind.
 Pullman Scored.
 The Pullman company claims that notwithstanding the wages of their Cm ployccs were reduced to the starvation point, there is nothing to arbitrate, be cause cars have bCcn built at loss, yet i neglects to state that tho stock of the com pany has becn watcred thrce times over and that the company has not only becI able to pay its regular dividends on wate and all but that its stocks have long beel and are at the present time at n premium on the stock markets.
 Mir. Pullman cries poverty to his starv ing employees, and then retreats to hi princely summer mansion on Pullman island, in the St Lawrence river. an, wires the business men of Chicago that h has nothing to arbitrate. Like a Nero h laughs in luxury while devoted martyr burn.
 If the present strike Is lost to labor, will retard the progress of civilization an reduce the possibility of labor to eve emancipato itself from the thraldom c greed. The dignity of labor and all tn victories won in the past are at stake i this conflict.
 Il beseech you to bo true to your obliga | ton in this hour of trial. Court the e operation of the generous public Stan firm and united in our common cause and the victory will be one of peace an prosperity for the faithful
 ''J. k. SOVEREIGN, Grand Master Workman. All Knights of Labor assemblies in Ch eago were notified by the district mast< workman to take action on tho plar | adopted at the recent labor conference al members being adjured to maintain pesc md order