The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-07-11
A PROTEST ENTERED.
DebS and Sovereign Talk to Presi-
dent Cleveland.

CHICAGO, July THE following let
Ter was telegraphed to President Cleve-
and tonight by Messrs. Debs and
Sovereign. of the y r. u. and Knights
pf Labor:
CHICAGO. H., July Z.
To the Hon Grover Cleveland. Presi-
dent OF the United States, Washington.
D. G.
Dear Sir-Through a long period Of de-
preston. enforced idleness and low
wages. resulting in widespread poverty.
and in many cases actual starvation,
the working people have been patient
patriotic and law-abiding; and, not until
the iron heel Of corporate tyranny was
applied with the intention 10 subjugate
The working people TO the will of AFRO
CANT mOnOpolies did they make any ef-
FORT to stay their oppressOrs-
The Pullman strike was not declared
until the employees Of the Pullman COM
pany were driven TO the verge of starva-
lion, their entreaties spurned with con-
Tempt and their grievances denied a
hearing. No refusal TO handle Pullman
ears was declared by any railway en-
ploye until all propositions looking to-
ward arbitration and Cancellation were
rejected by the Pullman company. Not
withstandinS the facts set forth above
were known to the public and the ma
1iOnal authorities, YOU have seen fit. I'M
der the guise Of protecting the mails and
federal property. 10 invoke the service
Of the United States army. whose very
presence is used to cOerce and intimidate
peaceable working people into a humili-
ating obedience TO the will OF their op-
pressors.
BY your acts. in SO far as you have
sUpplanted civil and state authorities
with the federal military power. the spir-
1t Of unrest and distrust mas so far been
augmented that a deep-seated conviction
IS fast becoming prevalent that this
government is soon 10 be declared a mil
ltary despotism. The transmission Of the
United States mails is not interrupted
by the striking employees Of any railway
company. but by the companies them
selves who refused to haul the mails on
trains 10 which Pullman cars were not
attached. If IL is a criminal interference
with the United States mails for the EN-
ployes Of a railway company to detach
from a mail train a Pullman palace car
contrary 20 the will of the company,
then IL holds true that it is the same
criminal interference whenever a Pull
man palace car is detached from a mail
train in accordance with the will of a
railway company while said mail train
Is in transit The line of criminality in
such case should not be drawn the
willingness or unwfllingness of railway
employees, but at the act itself, and in
bsmuch as 1t has been the common prac-
tice of railway corporations to attach and
detach from mail trains Pullman palace
cars at WILL while said trains
are in transit and carrying the
mails of the United States,
It would seem an act of discrim-
nation against the employees Of a rail-
way corporation to declare such acts I'M
lawful interference with the transmits
sion Of mails when done by employees
with or without the consent of their en-
ployers.
In view of these facts we look upon the
Pa naH of Co.. Il
Olney, the sweeping unamerican injunc-
lion against railway employees and the
movements of the regular army as en-
ploying the powers Of the general govern
ment for the support and protection of
the railway corporations in their deter
mination to degrade and Cypress their
employees.
The present railway strike was precipi-
tated by the uneasy desire of the railway
corporations to destroy the organizations
Of their employees and make the working
people more subservient TO the will of
their employers, ana as all students of
government agree that free institutions
depend for their peTpetuity upon the free
dom and prosperity Of the common peo-
pie, 1t would seem more in cOnSOnance
with the spirit Of democratic government
II federal authority was exercised IN de-
Tense of the rights of the toiling masses
10 life, liberty and the pursuits Of hapDi-
ness But on the contrary there Is not
nict between the corporations and the
people, the strong arm Of the military
power has been employed TO protect the
working people and the Industrial masses
from the ravage and persecution of cor
porate greed. But the measure of char
acter has been in the line Of declaring
the corporations always good and in the
right and the working people always bad
and in the wrong.
Now. sir, we pledge to you the power Of
our respective organizations. individually
and collectively. for the maintenance Of
peace and good order and the preserva-
ton Of life and property. and will aid
IN the arrest and punishment Of all viola
tors Of the civil and criminal laws Of
state or nation. In the present contest
betweeu labor and railway corporations
we shall use every peaceable and honor
able means at our command consistent
with the law and our constitutional rights
20 secure for the working people Just
compensation for labor done and respecta-
bic consideration in accordance with the
inherent right Of all men and the spirit
of republican government. In doing so
we appeal to all the liberty-loving people
of the nation to aid and support us in
this most just and righteous cause.
EUGENE V. DEBS,
President American Railway Union.
j. r. SOVEREICN N,
General Master Workman Knights OF
Labor.