Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-07-13
WIRED CLEVELAND.
A Request That He Travel al
Once to Chicago.
INVITED WEST BY Mr.. GoMPERs
With the Object of Taking Part in the
Conference Now in
Progress.
NATIONAL ARBITRATION IN VIEW

Tho President to Appoint a Commission
Under the Law of 1888 to Arbitrate the
Pullman Strike-Debs Lays His Case Be
fore the Federation and in Doing So
Charges the Railway Managers With
Bad Faith With the A. Il. U.-Strike
News Items.
WASHINGTON, July 13-It is officially
dent has promised to appoint an arbitra-
tion commission us soon as the disturbance
In Chicago has subsidized, so far as the
strikers are responsible for it and pea ce
restored.
CHICAGO, July 1a.-The following tele-
gram was sent to President Cleveland yes.
terday by the American Federation of La
Dor conference:
1.-The gravity OF the industrial situation
of the country demands extraordinary
and exceptional action of conciliatory
character at the hands of all men. Recoc.
niZ.ng this fact the executive council of
the American Federation of Labor and
the undersigned executive officers of the
national and international trades unions
and brotherhoods OF railway orcaniza-
tions of America are in conference in this
ely.
Want Cleveland to Come West.
I'VE ask you in the name of the working
people and the entire citizenship OF our
country to lend your influence and give us
your aid SO that the present industrial
crisis may he brought to an end alike to
try and the institutions under which we
live. We therefore ask you to come 10
Chicago and meet this conference or if
the state of public business does not war;
rant such a course that you will deputize
some one rs your representative" This
was signed by Samuel Gompers and all
the officers OF the Federation of Labor
land representatives of all organzat ions
present"
The Industrial Conference.
The conference which the president is
desired to join was III secret session all
day with Gompers and his officers and
executive committee and consisted of
representatives of the printers, cigar
makers, painters, carpenters, brewers,
trainmen, miners, firem en-, building
trades, bakers, tailors, ironworkers, ma
chine woodworkers. musicians and sea-
men, said 10 represent in the aggregate
Geo, GOO men. Neither Debs nor Sovereign
We're present at the opening but il was
understood that they would be called in
later, though it seemed that there was
some feeling as 10 the admittance of the
latter rs possible disturbing factor. on
account of the antagonism bstween the
knights and federation.
Debs Speaks to the Conference.
At the evening session Debs appeared
for the first time in response to an invita-
ton. He was introduced to the confer
ence by Gompers and spoke substantially
rs follows: lie thanked the officers of the
American Federation of Labor and the
other gentleman present for their presence
and cooperation in the great work he had
in hand, and then addressed himself to { he
subject in hand. He reviewed in detail
and quite eioquently the cause of the
strike at Pullman. lie gave in detail the
wages paid, spoke of their utter in
adequacy and of the high rents and the
high prices for provisions which they were
mpelled to pay.
Went to Debs as Last Resort.
He continued: "As "A last resort they
came to me and the American Railway
Union and asked us to assist them. The
| American Railway Union deliberat ed
over the matter for IL long time and
! finally concluded 20 strike in sympathy
| for tbes. Pullman on.r.tors Tno =;
| l. did not ,ct hastily. il d;d NO, -, ~.
| the matter but il wss ndyise1 80 i,s
cours. h,, COW. of .ha ~ -, 80
| Cbio.,,,, "a b.. s,,,,,, =, - ~ o
ths ra,;on w, I,,iio,.o ~. ~, ii,e" ..
IL l. I'll, .,J ~, J., ,.;, -"
Enises "a Question Of Fact.
,.,nor.I No., NV ~ NC
.eIed ,ri,I -, 81 ne,.ad - '. .e''.i
r,n p,il,,.n onr " "d " ,i, ."eni iio' 20