Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-08-04
pess AT TEaRg AAuTe.
He Talks to His Townsmen About tn
Big strike.

He Talks to His TOwnsmen About the
Big strike.
TERRE HAuTE, Ind, July 3O.-1here
were 1,s00 persons in the opera house
Sunday night to hear Eugene v, Debs,
and 1000 more could not get in. When
the familiar figure of the American
Railway union president appeared on
the stage there was loud and long-con-
tinued applause. A synopsis of his re-
marks follows:
Mr.. Debs began his speech by saying chat
as a general proposition he is opposed to
strikes but there are times when not to
strike is to accept degradation. I'VE are
striking government, he added. Every star
In the flag represents strike" The revolu-
tionary fathers struck against tyranny and for
liberty. II all employees had been treated
fairly there would have been no labor orRani
zations. He said he had done all he could to
prevent the Pullman strike Then followed
narrative OF the efforts of committees to secure
arbitration. W r .....L
Mr.. Debs followed with the story OF the
American Railway union national convention
and its efforts to secure redress for the Pull
man employees, but the company would make
no concession and the convention by unani
nous vote decided to haul no more Pullman
cars. The charge that he had ordered the
| strike he said, was absolutely false In all Of
his connection with organized labor he had
not advised a man to leave his employment
The railway managers met and decided to sup
port the Pullman company in the fight 1t was
making on it's employees
THE managers also decided to destroy the
American Railway union, said he, but that
| is q contract they would like to sublet now"
The American Railway union, he said, simply
| followed the example OF the managers by COM
| bining for mutual protection.
| Mr.. Debs said 1t had been printed that he
| was foreigner and an anarchist. He was
| proud OF the fact that he had been born and
reared in Terre Haute He had no patience
! with violence in any form. He said it could be
| proved that at the time of the Buffalo switch
mems strike the companies caused cars to be
burned so they could have the militia called
| out.
| When the truth is known it will be found
| that the American Railway union was in no.
| wise responsible for arson or any lawless acts.
| With the aid OF soldiers the managers finally
| succeeded in operating their roads in man
ner."
| Workingmen would no longer be supplicants.
| They would take what was their right, not in
| an unlawful manner, but they were the people
and this was peoples government. He spoke
| OF the failure to enforce the Interstate COM
| merce law agaiNst the corporations. which
called up the same law against workingmen.
He denied that he was to be branded as an
| anarchist because corporations dehed the laws.
He urged his hearers to bear in mind that they
must use the power of the ballot
He hoped there would never be another
| strike. He had about made up his mind never
| again to be connected with a strike He would
do his striking ut the ballot box He did not
have much fcith In public opinion, but when II
| gets right the A. r. Z. strike would be over
| whelmingly vindicated, and he was content tt
wait for that time.
He said no word as to the future OF the
strike, but in his story OF it he spoke of it in
terms indicating that he thought of it as
thing of the past. He said in closing that IL d
penalty attached to his actions he would ac
| cept his fate like man. He would not shirl
the responsibility for his acts
CHICAGO, July 30.-Judge Woods has
granted an appeal by the American
Railway union from the decree of in
junction issued by the circuit court
The effect of the appeal will be to stol
any further proceedings in the circui
court under the bill filed July on be
half of the railroads, but it leaves tn,
injunction which was issued still il
force and does not interfere in an,
way with the contempt proceeding
against Debs and others.