People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-08-24
BITTER AGAINST GENERAL MILES
The A. Il. Z. President Draws a Big
Crowd to the Arbitration Commits
sioner's Hearing in ChicasO-Mr.
Pullman AMI the General Man
ayers Notified to Appear
and Give Testimony.

hliNA ANdh hdAAhdl uhlOls
Asked by Labor Commissioner
Wright to tell in his own way what
he knew of the Pullman strike and
results. Debs began in a low voice a
recital which grew more earnest as
he proceeded until it developed into
almost an Grafton. He told of having
received word that a strike in Pull
man was imminent, and of his coming
to Chicago to investigate. Il fourd,"
he went on, that the men were
working for the Pullman COM.
pany at wages upon which. they
could not live. found, that salaries
had been cut time and, again until
skilled mechanics were working their
lives away for wages not sufficient
for a day laborer; that the town of
Pullman, with its shops, its houses
and its. stores was so Schemed that
every penny the workingman made
found its way back to the company.
In fact, found the workingmen of
Pullman in a pitiable condition and
determined | would do all in nv
power, as president of the American
Railway union, to improve the con-
dition of these men. The strike fol-
lowed, ordered by the men them.
selves. Then came the boycott,
ordered by duly elected delegates to
our convention, and then followed
the railroad strikes, ordered by the
various local unions, each of which
had grievances of its own"
Would the railroad strikes have oc-
Cured if there had been no Pullman
trouble?" asked Commissioner Wright.
NO; the Pullman strike was the
prime cause. We desired to stop Pull
mans cars and shut off his income,
thus forcing him to arbitrate. But
the railroad men had grievances of
their own. The General Managers
association had been organized with
the avowed intention of giving as
sistance to railroads in labor troubles.
The evident aim was to drive organ
lied labor from existence. No sooner
had this association been formed than
a systematic reduction of railroad
wages all over the country
began. The cuts were made
on one road at a time and
in one department at a time. but the
systematic regularity with which
they appeared was sufficiently Signifi-
cant. The men were ready to strike
and felt they had cause. But the
trouble would not have come when it
did had it not been for the Pullman
matter. The time was unpropitious:
business was depressed and money
was scarce. Ibid not order the strike:
| had not the power. The men did
that themselves. But do not wis
to shirk any responsibility and am
willing to say that | heartily con-
Cured in and approved of the ac-
ton taken by the men. As to
the violence, | always con-
demned it. | have written and
spoken against it, believing and
knowing that a strike cannot be won
by violence. AS to kilograms sent
from our Office counseling violence, |
know of no suca epistles."
what about the buy a gun tele-
gram asked Commissioner Herman.
That is easily explained. The tel
egram was sent by private secretary
to friend in Butte and was merely
playful expression. It was sent as
such and was so understood"
pDebs then said that within five DAYS
after the strike was declared the
union had the railroads beaten.
"They were paralyzed," he said. but
just at that time injunctions were
sown broadcast and shortly after
wards the officials of the American
Railway union were arrested for con-
tempt of court. That beat us. 1t was
not the railroads or the army, but the
power of the United States courts that
beat us. About that time thing Oc-
Cured which | desire to mention.
General Miles came to Chicago. called
on the General Managers association
and the next day was quoted in an in
terview as saying he had broken the
backbone of the strike. Now con-
slider that call of General Miles as
vulgarly and out of place. He had
no more right to consult with the
general managers association than he
had to consult with the men of our
unions might say, too. that il
seems strange that our letters and
kilograms were made public property
while not line of the railroads cor
respondence was published. II it had
been think we could prove that the
general managers at one of their Sc
cret meetings declared they would
stamp the American Railway unior
out of existence.
The witness then told the trouble
with the railroad brotherhoods. THE
brotherhoods have outlived their use.
fulness," he said, and for that reason
left the firemen's organization
They were. fear, jealous of the
American Railway union and helped
TO defeat us. There is now a move.
ment on foot to form grand and
united railroad organization. Within
three days proposition will
be submitted to the other railroad
orders whereby all present officers OF
the American Railway union and the
other unions shall resign with no pos
sibility of election to Office. The
principal cause of the strife then be
ing removed, an organization will b,
effected if the brotherhoods will con
sent, which shall include all other
railroad brotherhoods.
The commissioners have notified
George NJ. Pullman to appear and ties
tify and will also. call for severa
members of the general managers as
ISOLATION. The date for Mr.. Pullman:
/ L.. l. L.