Birmingham age-herald., 1894-07-14
ILLINOIS.

CHICAGO, July 13.-Eugene V. Debs, who ordered the great railway stike, made one more intellectual effort looking to set tlemeut of the strike. He drew up formal proposition to the managers agreeing to \ have the men return to work provided they |be reinstated in their former positions Ailhout prejudice. He made an exception
 the case of any man who has been con- y1Sted of crime, but offered to have all others go back immediately. He said that the proposition was inspired by desire to ksubserve the public good, as the strike, Small and unimportant in it's incep-
 ln, has extended until "iG now involves
 threatens not only every public interest,
 the peace, security and prosperity of
 common country" This proposition was signed by Debs, Howard and keliher, the principal officers of the American Rail- way union.
 It was taken by them to Mayor Hopkins, who at their request presented it to Chair man St. John of the General Managers association. The association was not in session. but after the individual members had been consulted it wao returned to Mayor Hopkins without answer and with the Information that no communication whatever from Debs, Howard and Keliher could be received and considered by the managers association.
 This action of the strike leaders was taken, they claim, not because of inpsnd- ing defeat, but in order that they should
 
 dent Cleveland made in announcing that he would appoint commission of arbitra- tion. The refnsal of the general managers to even consider the proposition, which would necessitate the dismissal of all men engaged to fill the strikers places and would place them again in the power of the organization which had paraIyzed their lines for days, was decided set back to the union.
 Following it came the result of the two I 6ali ihorof of hn mi faro If labor leaders called by Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor. The leaders of all the big organizations outside of the American Railway union and the Knights of Labor decided not to involve themselves by ordering general strike. They expressed sympathy with the Pull, man employees, but declared a strike at this time of general business depression an act of folly. Early in the day the action of President Cleveland had been hailed by the labor men as a victory for organized workingmen, as they claim to have obtained for the first time a recognition of the principle of arbitration by the resident of the United States. The strike leaders then looked for settlement: The failure of their mode of settlement leaves them only unconditional surrender or fight to the bitter end. They choose the latter and claim the strike Is on as strong as ever, in spite of what the railway managers say.
 They claim to be able to make it still more effective here, and declare that to- day's action of the managers will solidify their men who are out and send out many who have been undecided. Meetings were held today in half dozen halls and strong talk was indulged in. Danger of a resort to violence by some of the more exctable of the strikers or their sympathizers still ex- ists.
 change in the method of the federal troops on duty at the sub treasury indicates apprehension among those in authority. The guard line was today extended Into the street and no one was allowed on the sidewalk adjacent to the building. It is said the United States secret service de- tectives advised extending the lines to guard against the use of dynamite.
 The railroads operated their principal passenger trains today, as they have been doing for several days past, and moved some freight. No change was made in the national and state troops guarding the lines, but United States Marshal Arnold began reducing his force of deputies.
 Judge Grosscup gave the f'deral grand jury additional instructions today, advis. ing them that in case evidence was pre- sented showing that the mails were de- layed and interstate commerce interfered with as the result of an agree ment by railroad officials or others in order to create public sympathy, 1t consti- tIted conspiracy, and no matter how high in position the individuals may be they