The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-19

How Debs Tried 40 make tntspa" OF tho
Federation Leader.

COLUMBUS. o., July 1.-THE conference
lately held in Chicago under the auspices
Of the American Federation OF LABOR was
one OF the most important labor Gather
ings ever held in this country, said rat
rick McBryde. secretary-treasurer OF me
United Mine Workers to-day, AT. w
Bryde represented the National Miners ~
the conference, and In speaking OF t.T
gathering gave an lnteItstlnb 0'NN 40
On the proceedings as totlo"S. ~ IA
"A convention of local unions had He
clared ~ favor Of genera sttaHo, s-'i IN
demanded the presence ol ~ ..l,',,.,lld ~
Chicago. MI G0mpers recognized we
gravity Of the situation and sent teIe-
grams to ali the national anu lhtet ~
tiOnal trade unions and 70 dlurrent ran
road brOtherhOOds OF hremeh anu u -
men. President Arthur, OF tle eHsHitc'''
wrote that ne was unable to be present.
"As the conference vas ABOUT 10 ON
vene delegation from IocaI uhIy"9 az az.
had already left WORK lh.ori ll.1 t, ~ ce1
gates that II they did not agree TO car q
national suspension, the strike was ioSl,
and that the conference Would De He4N
responsible for the defeat .,..
The delegation was quietly put hrHly
informed that the conference WouId tar
such action as Il believed 10 De IN tue
interest OF the ~orkingmen OF ne country.
After the delegates had listened 70
statement made by Mr. bebs. ana inVesu
gated for themselves into the trouble al
Chicago a peculiar state Of aNairS pre-,
scented ITSELF There was Mr. Deps ana
the =. l.. +. on the one SIDE, ana thef'
was Mr. Pullman. the railroads and me
different brOtherhOOds on the Other. me
representatives, Of the tlremen ana tram
men. while opposed 20 the strike, or, rain
or. 70 the boycott had nothing put WORDS
Of praise for Mr. Debs. For his asso-
ciates they had nothing but words OF con
domination, indeed. IL has seldom peeH NY
lot 70 hear men get such scoring a.
Mr. Howard and other members oil ,. tns
A. Z. L. board. except II be the language
used against l.. ". Arthur, OF the enSl-
neers. by the Trade Union delegates al
the conference. 49,.
1T seems that the organizers Of the
4. r. L. had been so indiscreet as 10 CON
fcss that they Intended 10 break up tne
older ORGANIZATIONS. and bOasted that II
only required victory Of the present Dat
tie i'm order TO b. successful.
1T can be readily seen. therefore. thdl
the boycott at Chicago WAS not only q
fight against capital. but llfe-dnd-deatn
struggle between the different railroad
organizations the older orders being on
the SHE 81 the corporations. Il Is hht
fair 10 state that some Of the brother-
hoods although opposed 50 the strike, at
lowed the members % act for themselves
and over i5.oj0 Of them joined hands with
e You must declare for a national sus-
pension said the trade-unionists OF chi
THE fight Is a fight II capital VS..
l.
To take sides with one organization
against another said the brotherhoods.
And 40 the delegates talked. discussed,
and talked all around the subject. each
afraid to spring resolution Jest II
might be premature. In this condition Mr..
bcbs found the conference. lie realized
the difficult task he had TO perform. The
men he had 10 address were not amateur
in the methods Of labor organizations. a
number Of them had more experience
than himself The man seemed an icicle,
but the voice held his hearers spell
bound as he r.cited the suNerings Of The
wOrkmen az Pullman. the high-handei
policy OF the board Of managers. and the
determination Of the men 10 fight 70 the
end. The delegates seemed magnetized.
What DO you want US 10 do| eX-
claimed one.
Then the matchless ability Of the man
was manifested In a tone of.deep sor-
row he exclaimed: Nothing
"A long pause and then Mr.. Debs said
/ ask nothing Of you, gentlemen, hut II /
were in your place ! VIII tell what J
would DO. Then AiT. Bebs spoke In favor
OF n general strike. 4 sharp exchange Of
words between Secretary Mcclure, of the
| carpenters, and Mr.. Debs followed, Mr..
| Debs having the best of II. but the discus
sion broke the spell The delegates were
! once more business men, and Mr. Debs
| soon realized Il, for he changed his tao
! tics al once.
ct have telegram from Washington
! he said. The President IS going 20 APP
| point an arbitration committee; 50 / have
! prepared the following document. which.
! with the consent Of this conference, !
/ would wish Presl lent GOmpers 70 present
/ 10 the Board Of General Managers
He then proceeded TO read the doru-
ment presented by Mayor Hopkins calling
| olf the strike upon the condition that the
! old men would be reinstated. lie left the
| document. and the conference promised
! 90 send him an answer.
~ little reflection on behalf OF the dele
! gates. and they realized that II ". Comp
| ers was the bearer Of the message and
| the managers refused 70 accept IT, the
| \. F. OF l.. would be placed In an en-
| barrassing position.
1T was resolved 10 tell Mr.. Debs that ne
could choose any three gentlemen In the
| convention. who. with an equal number
| 81 citizens and Mr.. Debs. would call upon
| the Board OF Managers, but Mr. Gompers
! must not 70 alone.
Hour after hour the conference waited
| 10 hear from Mr.. Debs. but no news came
| until the afternoon papers announced the
| fact that Mayor Hopkins had presented
| the document and that President DeDs
| had dumped the conference.
"rhe delegates looked sheepish when
| they realized that they had narrowly es-
capped being trapped into bringing all the
| horrors Of general strike upon the coun-
| try"