The record-union., 1894-07-28

pany, upon being asked what viii be the
effect generally of the Pullman boycott
and the tie-up of the railroads, and the
successful suppression of the attendant
lawlessness, answered as follows:
1.-The recent uprising of the American
Railway Union was not strike. 1t was
3 rebellion. It was concocted in open de-
fance of the authority of the United
States over interstate commerce and
over the carriage of United States mails.
The Pullman employees struck against
the scale of wages offered them by refus-
ing to work at the wages offered. Neither
Mr.. Debs nor the members of the Amer
ican Railway Union were Pullman en-
ployes. Calling them out in support of
the Pullman strike cannot properly be
characterized as a strike. There was no
allegation of grievance. and no dispute as
TO wages or hours of labor or other things
which usually disturb the relations be-
tween employer and employe. The rela-
tions between the railroads and the men
employed by them was amicable. 1t was
a state of repose growing out OF fair treat
ment and fair pay, and both the railroads
and the employees had right to con-
finuation of the relation.
DEFIANCE OF RIGHT.
"The tie-up of the railroads and the
resultant injury to their business was an
open defiance of every principle OF right
and every consideration of natural
justice. It invaded the right of every
citizen of the country. It inflicted in
jury upon every class-the agriculturist,
the orchardist, the manufacturer and the
merchant; and when injurys is in
ficted upon people who have done no
wrong, a gross outrage is committed.
Debs defied the authority of The courts of
the United States; refused to obey the
injunctions issued against his proposed
acts.
when all industry and ali commerce
are made party TO a petty quarrel in
workshop in Chicago. both the common
law and the statute law against the re-
straint of commerce are violated; and
when the entire public are arbitrarily in
yolved in dispute to which they are not
parties, both its motives and extent as
sumo the fall proportions of a rebellion.
SUPPRESSION or THE REBELLION.
1.-THE successful suppression of this re-
belHon by the Government has already
had very salutary effect upon all kinds
of American securities. The value of
property resides in the security of its
ownership. Where the ownership or
possession of property is insecure. it
ceases TO have value, or, at least, its value
Is very greatly reduced. The successful
establishment of the principle upon
which the Debs rebellion proceeded
would have inflicted injury upon all
kinds Of property in the United States,
because it would have made its owner
ship insecure. The success of the Debs
rebellion would have injured American
credit in all departments-its commercial
credit, its banking credit, the credit OF its
State, municipal and Government bonds.
1t would have discredited the efficiency
OF a republican form of government by
proving its inadequacy to perform the
office of government.
THE MEANING OF THE DEBs CLAIM.
''If the leader of labor organization
can arrest all industries and all commerce
OF a country. wantonly destroy property
by burning trains Of cars. forcibly pre-
venting the operation of the railroads,
paralyzing the internal commerce of the
country, and all this as coercive measure
in the settlement of a dispute arising IN
single workshop IN the country, it viii
be accepted by the world as proof posi-
tive that the Government Of the United
States is powerless to protect property.
American credit in all departments
would have taken no higher rank than
that of the Spanish republics of America,
where the security of the ownership of
property is impaired by the liability of
recurring revolutions.
''The firm and digniSed stand taken by
the Government and the summary sup
preston Of the rebellion is an incident in
our history Of the highest value to the
country. It's value is emphasized by the
States asserted its power and its author
ity 10 keep order, largely Independent of
the action of the States themselves.
GRATIFYING FEATURES.
1.-THE most interesting and gratifying
feature of the case is TO be found in the
hearty approval which the action of
President Cleveland met with in the
States of the Union which are supposed
TO be welded to the old doctrine of States
rights, and jealous of the authority of the
States as against the authority of the
Federal Government. Another very
gratifying incident is found in the fact
that the sympathizers of the Debs rebell-
ion universally declared that resistance
10 the action of the President, whether
he was acting within his constitutional
powers or without them. was treason to
the flag of the country; and that resist
ance would not only be useless but Grim
inal.
a RESTORATION OF CONFIDENCE.
''Tnese indications of the stability of
the Government of the United States, and
the universally of respect for its author
ity. will not escape the attention OF the
political, the commercial or the financial
world, The suppression of the Debs re-
bellion will restore confidence in the per-
manency of our political institutions
where such confidence is wanting, and