Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-07-27
EUGENE v. DEBs,

road companies would not be likely to
treat its demands cavalierly; that with
proper conduct on the part Of the unions
representatives conferences and arbitration
could always be brought about and
strikes would be unnecessary even from
the standpoint of organized labor.
The union was formed early in 1898,
and, as 1 have said, grew with marvellous
rapidity. The locomotive 1remen had I'M
n confidence in e as a ma who
was square, who could do and would dare
He had become known to them most IA
vorably not only by reason of his place as
one Of their executive officers, but because
of his position as editor of The Fireman's
Magazine.
Though at first the firemen did not join
the union in large numbers, their un-
bounded confidence in the integrity and
ability of it's founder undoubtedly had
great weight with %switchmen, trackmen,
trainmen and others, and his action in de-
clining to accept a long term as president
of the Railway union, saying that he
would simply fill the place Professionally
till the first regular q%uadrennial conven-
ton should be held, when very likely an
other man ought to be chosen to fill the
chief Office of the order, added to his hold
upon them. OF course he was finally oho.
sen president for the long term of four
years, and an attempt was made to fix his
salary at SIS, 900, though he insisted on
taking only SO, 900. His plan had many
alluring features. The old unions, he said,
had always been too exucting in fees and
dues, which had been placed ut such.high
figures as to become burdensome. Then,
when by reason Of idleness, enforced or
0fhoru1ico fho WOW ,,~n11, .-
promptly, they were suspended from mem
bership, dubbed 'scabs and unable to get
work alongside Of other union men. The
fees and dues of the new union were put
at low figures indeed, and it's official ma
ehinery was lpade as simple and inexpen.
sive as possible.
Naturally the old brotherhoods regarded
the union from the start with dislike, and
while other labor organizations sought to
make alliances with it the brotherhoods
held aloof. Three harmony conferences
have been held this year, the first at Phila-
delphia, at the call of Joseph R.. Buchan-
on, the second at New York, under the
auspices of the brotherhoods, and the third
at St. Louis, at the call of the knights Of
Labor. The Railway union was invited
to send delegates to the first and last, but
not to the second. None was sent to any
of them, nor was anything decisive &C.
complished at any, though it Ia believed
that in time the first will be found to have
not been held in vain. Immediately after
the St. Louis conference some sort of a
coalition was entered into between the
Railway union and the Knights of Labor,
but the exact nature of it has not yet been
made known to the general public.
In the meantime the antistrike policy
of the Railway union had been abandoned,
and the Great Northern railway strike
had been inau9urated and carried through
without the aid and indeed in spite of the
opposition of the brotherhoods. Then came
the Pullman strike and the boycotts that
resulted in the most extended suspension
of railway traffic since the first rail was
spiked to q tie. This strike has been spoken
of as being ordered by Mr.. Debs, but this
Is q mistake, at least technically. 1t could
be ordered only by the union itself, and
Debs has stated that it was so ordered in
q telegram to the writer.
j Eugene v. Debs was born in Terre
Haute in 1866. His father kept q grocery,
and the son helped wait on customers by
day and STUDIED by night. When he was
old enough to learn q trade, he went to
work In the paintshop Of the Vandalia
railroad and after a time was transferred
from the shop to the tender of q locomotive
on the same road. He served as fireman
for some time and when the brotherhood
was formed was sent as a delegate to the
national convention. There his ability
was recognized at once, and he was made
secretary, serving continuously thereafter
till, feeling that the brotherhood had done
its work, he resigned to form the union.
Personally he is q pleasant faced, agree
able hammered mar, neat of dress and
quiet Of speech. He has been city clerk Of
Terre Haute, has served in the Indiana
legislature and is talked of for Populist
nominee for governor OF the state.
M. /. DEXTER.