Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-07-12
DEBS' STATEMENT

| The Claims Of the Strikers Put Forth Ii
FOrcibIe Yet Very Conservative Man
ner-A Revolt Against Practical Slavery
CHICAGO, July 6.-Eugene v. Debs
president of the American Railway
union. yesterday issued long state
| ment in justification of the great strike
Of which he is the central figure. The
article is addressed ITO the public
| and reads as follows:
The Pullman employees who struck on May
last did so entirely of their own accord. Tht
officers Of the American Railway union used
all their influence to pacify the employees ant
bear patiently their grievances until a peace
able settlement could be effected. To the
truth of this statement the employees them.
selves will bear willing testimony.
But the grievances OF the employees. men and
women, had become so aggravated. so CALLING
that patience deserted them and they aban-
doned their employment rather than submit
longer to conditions against which their very
souls rebelled. The Pullman company, be 1t
understood, owns the town Of Pullman. owns
the houses. the homes Of the employees. con-
trolls the light and water and other nee ,ssaries
OF life, and wages are so adjusted to living ex-
penses that in large majority OF cases the
employees are barely able to support their fam
lilies. At the time they struck the employees
were in arrears to the Pullman company S70,-
600 for rent alone Wages had been repeatedly
reduced. but rent and other expenses remained
the same.
The employees from the beginning have been
willing to arbitrate their differences with the
company. but the company arrogantly de-
clares that there is nothing to arbitrate. II
this be true. why not allow board OF fair and
impartial arbitrators to determine the fact?
Committee after committee waited upon the
officers Of the Pullman company, but all their
advances were repealed. Finally. on June IL.
the delegates to the American Railway union,
representing 425 local unions Of railway en-
ployeS located on the principal lines Of Ameri-
can railway. discussed the Pullman trouble at
Chicago. and as q last resort the delegates de-
termined that unless the Pullman company
would agree to do justice to their employees
within five days the members Of the order
would decline to haul Pullman cars. This ac-
tion, be IL remembered was not taken until
the strike had been on six weeks.
Up to this point the trouble was confined to
the Pullman company and it's employees. How
then did the strike extend to the railways?
Let the answer be given in accordance with
the facts. The day before the order OF the
delegates declining to haul Pullman cars went
into effect the General Managers association.
representing the principal western railways,
met and passed series OF resolutions, declar-
ing, in substance, that they would uphold the
Pullman company in it's fight upon the en-
ploycs. that they would haul Pullman cars,
and that they would stand together in crush
1t will thus be seen that the railroad COM
panes virtually joined forces with the Pull
man cOmpany-wcnt into partnership with
them, to defeat their half-starvcd employees
In this way the trouble was extended from
railway system to railway system. The bust
ness Of the country IS dcmoralized to an ex-
tent that deGes description. TO say that the
situation Is alarming Is entirely within the
bounds Of pruGcnt statement. Every good
citizen must view the outlook with grave con-
Germ. Something should. something must be
done. The American people are peace-Ioving
pcopie-they want neither anarchy nor revolu-
ton. They have faith in their institutions
they believe In law and order-thcy believe in
good government; but they also believe In fair
play. Once aroused they will not tolerate ar
Ditrary and dictatorial defiance, even on the
part Of an alliance Of rich and powerful cor
pOratiOns.
What can be done to dispel the apprehension
that now prevails, and restore peace and con-
hdence? The American Railway union, by
whose authority. and in whose behalf, this
statement Is made. stands ready-has from the
beginning stood ready-to do anything In its
power. provided 1t Is honorable, TO end this
trouble.
This, briefly stated, is the position the Or
ganization occupies. 1t simply insists that the
Pullman company shall meet it's employees and
do them justice. We guarantee that the latter
will accept any reasonable proposition. Let
them agree far as they can, and where they
mitted to arbitration.
The question Of the recognition Of the Amer
lean Railway union or any other organization
Is waived. We do not ask nor have we ever
asked for recognition as an organization. We
care nothing about that, and far as we are
concerned it has no part in the controversy.
Let the officers deal with the employees with
out reference to organization Let the spirit
Of conciliatiOn, mutual concession and compro-
mise animate and govern both sides, and there
10 10 H.. ,t,nx.
that will be satisfactory to all concerned. This
done, let the railway companies agree to re-
store all their employees to their situations
without prejudice, and the trouble will be
ended.
have now clearly and briefly as possible
stated the position of the American Railway
union as IL was at the beginning Of the trouble.
as it is now. We have been deliberately and
maliciously misrepresented, but we have
borne it all with unwavering faith that the.
truth Will finally and powerfully prevail, We
firmly believe our cause is just, and while we
hold that belief we will not recede. Were we
to sacrifice the multiplied thousands OF wage
workers who have committed their interests
to our hands, and yield to the pressure OF cor
porate power we would be totally unworthy Of
American citizenship.
1t has been asked, what sense is there in
sympathetic strikes? Let the corporations
answer. When one Is assailed all go to the
rescue; they stand the ground. they supply
Labor. in unifying it's forces. simply follows
their example. II the proceeding is vicious
and indefensible let them first abolish 1t. In
this contest labor will stand by labor. Other
organizations will not be called out, but they
will go out. and the spectacle of Mr.. Pullman,
famed by the bIeeZes Of the Atlantic. while
his employees are starving, is not calculated to
prevent their fellow age-workers from going
to their rescue by the only means at their COM
mand.
Let me repeat that we stand ready to do our
part toward averting the impending crisis.
We do not want Official recognition. All we
ask is fair play for the men who have chosen
rs to represent them.
The statement closes with these.
words:
If the corporations refuse to yield and stub
bornly maintain that there is nothing to arbi
trate." the responsibility for what may ensue
will be upon their own heads, and they cannot
escape its penalties.
President Debs announces that Gov.
AItgeld has been prevailed upon to. in
vestigate the ordering of armed federal
troops into the state without the con-
sent OF sanction of the state authori-
ties.
Another Revolution Threatened In Hayti.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, July 6.-AdviGes
from Hayti state that a revolution in
that country is imminent.
TIE RIOT AT BUTTE.
Ously Wounded.