Evening journal., 1894-08-22
New IIeht upon an old snhIect.

There was general disposition among
the people to blame Debs for not calling
of the late strike when its failure seemed
to be apparent to everyone, except the
president Of the American Railway
Union. No doubt be was to blame, as
his course kept many Of his victims from
securing employment, but his reasons
for not ending the strike were not under
stood at the time According to q speech
OF Switchman Musterd, who, as one Of
the victims Of the strike. has been max
ing himself famous in exposing the plots
Of the labor leaders, the reason for not
ordering the strike off. was this: Fear
ing that to order the STRIKE off would be
TO acknowledge that they ordered IL on,
and thus prejudice their case In court
these martyred leaders were willing to
see their dupes starve forever rather
than jerpardize their own safety" And
30 the leaders Of the combine would not
allow their victims to return to work
when they had the opportunity, lest they
themselves should be held to aceounta-
bility for their acts.
We have always believed that the
Pullman strike was rather pretext than
q cause for the action OF Debs, and It Is
now becoming more and more evident
that the real cause was hidden from the
public It was undoubtedly an anarchistlc
movement, Of which Coxey's army was
intended to form part. With business
paralyzed throughout q large section OF
the country, rloting and murder at
Chicago, and an army Of hundred
Thousand desperate trampers In Wash
ington, such as the leaders fondly ex.
pected, the conspirators evidently
thought 1t easy to become masters Of the
situation And OF these leaders, Debs.
bad as be was, was undoubtedly more OF
tool than a leader. Waite, Altgeld,
Coxey and other Anarchists whose
names, II We knew them, would doubt
less spread terror throughout the coun
try, were no doubt the real leaders who
stood In the background until success
full issue Of the plot was In sight
But tine plot was complete failure.
Coxey's army did not materialze and the
action Of the President In sending United
States troops 70 put down the rebellion
that Debs had so successfully started III
Chicago, was an unexpected blow. Debs.
Coxey, Waite, Altgeld & Co, protested
against Interference from Washington
but, when they found that the President
was resolute and unfnching they saw
that ali was lost From that moment
the rank and file Of the strikers aud tn,
trampers we're deserted by the leaders
and left to take care Of themselves
These leaders had no further use for th,
victims whom they had cajoled and de-
ceived. nor did they have the grace :,
help them ont Of their troubles. Coke,
deserted his army as soon as he saw that
it's mission was failure, and Debl
would not even permit the men who wer,
acting under his instructions to returr
to their work, lest it might reflect upor
himself and his fellow conspirators.
Everything goes to show that th,
Pullman trouble and the labor ques
tion were the excuse for getting
up a gigantic anarchistic movement
and honest laboring men should appre
ciate the position they were made Il
hold and let 1t bs lesson for life.
No man, rich or poor, should surrendei
bis tight to reason for himself. MeI
who do this are none the less slaves be-
cause the despot who rules over them Il
society leader, political chief walk
ing delegate or an ordinary slave driver
The true American idea is that ever
man has a right to think and act foI
himself without regard to the dictates 0
others.