The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-07-14
CHAUNcEY STATES HIS VIEWS.
The Strike Is Due to the Ambition
of Eugene Debs.

LONDON, July 13.-Chauncey M. Depew,
at the request of that paper, has furnished
the Times with the folio wing statement by
cable as to the causes and meaning of the
la Dor troubles in the United States. The
! Times granted the Associated Press cor
respondent permission to cable the inter-
view to the United Sta ties:
'The labor troubles in the United States
are due to the long continued industrial
depression. and The strike was caused by
the ambitious efforts of Mr.. Debs. presi-
dent Of the A. r. u. to absorb all organi-
cations of railway employees into one. The
success of this disorder aud the delay in
suppressing it we're owing to the here to-
fore underlined boundary between State
and Federal authority. In the depressed
financial and industrial situation the Pop
ulist party found its opportunity, or rather
the situation created the party. The idea
which its members gather from its teach
ings is that liberty means the right TO VIC
late law and stop or seize railroads and
industries, providing tie law breakers are
poor ana are sufficiently strong to defeat
or overawe the ordinary peace ana estab-
lishment Of community. In the States
where this party is IN power strikes. lock-
outs, boycotts and suppression of railway
traffic receive direct assistance or passive
permission from the authorities.
'Mr. Debs was for many years a high
and popular official in the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen and the editor of a
labor magazine of socialistc and some
what anarchistic views. He conceived the
| idea of breaking up the existing Organiza-
tiOnS and gathering the railway world
into his order He scheme was attract
i've. The order was to control the railways
and coerce their managers. Debs made
his first appeal TO the switchmen, and
selected the Great Northern for his at
tack. This line had been built paralleling
the Northern Pacific, had forced the latter
into bankruptcy and could not afford tie
up. After a few days the manager of The
line surrendered. Debs' victory surprised
himself BY its compile teness and far-rea ch-
ing consequences.
East of Chicago and in the oldest and
thckly settled States the old organizations
stood firm against him. He must again
demonstrate his power. Finding no griey-
ance on any railway he chose to make his
fight upon the trouble between the Pull
shops over the construction of hundreds OF
freghtcars for various railways. Debs
ordered a boycott of the Pullman cars.
and on the refusal pf the railways to
break their contracts with the Pullman
Company and nflict nameless cruelties
upon their passengers, lie ordered their
lines closed. The strike reached its rdicu-
| lous stage when the Governor of Calif0r-
mia requested a permit from the strike
| leader 10 visit his capital, which was
contemporary refused. Alter Pre- sident
| Cleveland's proclamation it required a
few days for the general public and the
! strike leaders to grasp the idea that the
President was in earnest and the army and
navy in motion. when this gigantic con-
| spiracy collapsed as suddenly as it had
organized. The losses occasioned by the
strike are numerous, but it is destined Il
prove of great benefit 10 The country. The
national idea has been strengthened and
| broadened. Safe anchorage will be found
| for persons aud property.
zone of the hopeful features of the situs.
ton has been The unmistakabe display OF
loyalty in the South The so-called rebe
States have unanimously demanded the
! intervention of the Federal power TO re-
store order before everything else."