St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-13


Trouble-Suggestio Consid-
cred for Bringing About Arbi-
tration.
CHICAGO, July 12.-The session of
the executive council of the American
Federation of Labor was held at the
Briggs house with closed doors. Presi-
dent Debs, of the A. r. u. appeared in
response TO the invitation sent him by
President Gompers. MIR. Debs was in
troduced to the conference by Mr..
Gcmpers, and spoke substantially as
follows:
He thanked the officers of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor and the other
gentlemen present for their cooperation
in the great work he had in hand. and
then addressed himself TO the subject in
hand. He reviewed in detail and quite
eloquently the cause of the strike at
Pullman; how severely and even cruelty
the employees were treated. He gave in
detail the wages paid; spoke of their
utter inadequacy, and of the high rents
and the high prices for provisions which
they were compelled to pay. He out
lined at length the manner in which the
Pullman employees had tried to get the
mayor Of that corporation to submit
the matter to arbitration before they
struck, and they called attention TO the
VARIOUS OFFERS
that had been made to Mr.. Pullman by
his employees. "As last resort they
came to me and the A. r. o., and they
asked US to assist them. The A. r. U.
deliberated over the matter for long
time, and finally concluded to strike in
sympathy for these Pullman operatives.
The A. r. U. did not act hastily; 1t did
not jump at the matter, but it was ad-
vised to It's course by some of the best
citizens of Chicago and some of the
best men of the nation. We be-
lieved that the present strike is
right and just in principle. AL
though the A. R. u. went to the General
Managers association and counseled
with them and asked them not to run
Pullman cars, and they promised to do
so and promised to assist the A. R. u,
yet, in the face of all that, they went
ahead and passed resolutions. first, that
they would haul Pullman cars; second.
that they would support Pullman in his
strike; and third. that they would ex-
terminate the A. r. U. Upon hearing
of these resolutions the A. R. U. de-
clared strike"
NJ. Debs then went on at length to tell
of what had bppn dime in
The 3 oYCoTT.
of the number of people who had gone
out as strikers and of the sympathizers
who had come forward for their en-
courag ement. He explained the line of
action here i'll Chicago and elsewhere
throughout the country. He said he
was very much elated over the work
which had been accomplished. The 4.
r. u. had brought about one of the
greatest strikes this country had ever
seen, and he hoped to see 1t carried
through TO grand success He had 10
doubt that this could be done most eff
tectually with the alliance with the
American Federation of LABOR and the
other labor organizations. He asked
that the Federation of Labor give the
A. K. U. whatever assistance they
could in the work they We're doing in
behalf of the working men of this
country.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Debs' speech
Mr.. Gompers took the floor and spoke at
length. He counseled moderation, and,
while allowing the most profound SYM
pathy for the Pullman employees, as
we'll as for the A. r. o.. he hoped for a
wise and peaceful solution of the diff
ficulty, solution which would restore
business activity and yet protect the
rights of organized labor.
THE STRIKE SITUATION
throughout the country today was, in
general, one of QuetnesS.
The central point of interest has been
the meeting OF labor leaders with
President Gompers. of the American
Federation of Labor, at their headquar-
terS in this city. 1t is admitted that the
action of that body. if taken unanimous
ly. will have a marked effect on the sit
uation, and persons we'll informed as to
the predictions of the persons COM
posing>it express the opinion that unan-
imous action by it, except in the direc-
ton of quiet!ng the present agitation or
turning it into other channels. is un-
likely.
1t is known that several suggestions
are being considered by the leaders.
Among them are the following:
FirSt-That the str king Pullman en-
plOyes, on high patriotic mounds, ap-
peal to President Debs to declare the
strike off, because of the infinite dam
age being done to the business of the
country.
Second-That the leaders unite in an
appeal to the public to quit patronizing
Pullman sleeping, drawing room and
dining cars.
Third-That President Cleveland be
rR0IeSfPn QnnnInt aicSi tp
investigate the strike and the causes
which led up to it, in the expectation
that the report OF such commission
would Justify the action OF the strikers
and free them from charges of rioting
and disorder.
Fourth = That immediate efforts be
made to insure tile impeachment OF At
torney General Olney.
Flfth-That an effort be made To Sc
cure the passage Of Il compulsory arbi-
tration law by congress.
Sixth - That complaints be lodged
looking to the indictment of the rail.
way managers for conspiracy to OBJ
struct the movement of United States
mails by refusing to run mail cars ex-
cept In connection with Pullman cars.
AT IL O'Clock, Immediately after his
interview with the Associated Press
representative, Mr.. Debs retired to his
hotel, leaving the meeting still in ses-
sion.
The conference lasted until 1890 and
was marked by several heated argu
inents, through the hotheads being in
favor of strike at once while the more
conservative cOunseled moderation. No
decision was reached, however, and the
meeting adjourned until morning. At
the close of the session President
GOmperS was shown the statement Inv
John w. Hayes of the reception of the
committee which called on President
Cleveland. He said:
II am pleased to hear that the presi-
dent has determined to take action in
the matter and appoint committee of
arbitration under the law. regret II
was not done before the trouble became
so fearfully accentuated and the bitter
ness of feeling aroused. 1t seems to me
that the effort looking toward media
tion at this time would be productive of