Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1894-08-25
Interesting Day-Before the Com
mission Of investigation
STILL BELIEVES IN STRIKES
D+plorlble State of Affairs at Pullman
The House VIII Likely Have
Commission on the Strike.

the strike committee today Th
courtroom was crowded from bench t,
doorways. Now tell US in your owl
way, Mr.. Debs," says COMMISSIONS
Wright, Hwhat YOU know Of the Pull
man strike and its results" Leaning
forward iu his seat the tall leader o
the great strike began in q low, clear
voice a recital which gradually became
more earnest and forc.ble as lie pro
ceeded. until it developed almost into
all GRAFTON. lie told of having re-
ceived woft that a strike in Pullman
was i'm minent and of his coming to
Chicago TO investigate. II found,' he
said, linen were working for the Pull
man company at wages upon which
they could not live. | found that sal
cries had been cut time and again
until skilled mechanics were working
heir lives away for wages not sutfi-
cient for day laborers; that the town Of
Pullman was so sci emed that every
penny the Worklngmen made found
its way back 10 the company. In fact
found the workingmen Of Pullman
III q pitiable condition, and | deter
mined | would do all il my power as
president Of the A. r. Y. to improve
the condition of these men. The
strike followed, ordered by The men
themselves. Then came the boycott.
ordered by the duly elected Delegates
TO our convention, and then followed
the railroad strikes, ordered by the
various local unions, each Of which
had grievance OF its own"
Saws p,,iIn,.p Wa - s,I,,
"Would the railroad strikes have oc,
cured if there had bean no Pullman
trouble?" asked Commissioner Wright.
"No, the Pullman strike was The
prime cause. We desired TO stop Pull
mans cars and shut otT his income,
thus forcing him to arbtrate. But the
railroad men had grievances of their
own. The General Managers Associa-
ton had been organized WI Ia the
avowed intention Of giving assistance
to the railroads in labor troub.ts. The
evident aim was to drive organized
labor frcm existence. No sooner had
this association been formed than
systematic reduction of railroad wages
all over the country began. The men
were ready to strike and felt they had
cause. but the trouble would not nave |
come when it did had it not been for
this Pullman matter The time was
not proptious. / did not order the
strikes had not the power. The
men did that themselves. But | do
not wish To shirE any responsibility |
and am Wiling TO say heartily con-
cured in aud approved OF the action
taken by the men. AS to violence, ! /
always condemned it. | have written
itpt
and knowing a strike can nol
be won by violence. As to kilograms
sent from our office counseliEg violence, |
| know of no such eDistles.'
"What about the buy u gum te.e- |
gram?D asked the commissioner. THAT !
is easily explained. The telegram was 4
sent by the private secretary t" friend
in Butte and was merely playful ex |
preston. / was sent as such and was |
50 understood"
How the Strife Was Lost.
Debs then said that within five days
after the strike was declared The union
lad Tie railroads beaten. "Ihev were
paralyZed," (" he said, "but injunctions /
we're sworn out afterNsrd and officers i
of the A. K. q. were arrested for con
tempt of court. That beat us. About /
that time General Miles came 10 Chi
cago, called on the General Managers
Association, and the next day was
quoted in an interview saying he had /
broken the backbone Of the strike.
Now | consider that call Of General /
Miles as vulgarly out Of place. lie
had no more right to consult with the
General Managers Association than he
mad to consult with our unions. !
might say, too, that ii seems strange
that all our letters and kilograms We're
made public property, while not line
ot the railroads correspondence was
published. If it had been, ! think we
could prove that the general managers
at secret meeting declared that they
would stamp the \. Il, L. out OF exist
ence."
In renly to a question Debs said
that the union had taken every pos
sible means to prevent riot aud disor
der. 1--WE objected to federal troops.
but not TO state troops and police. II !
remember rightly no serious on break
occurred till the federal troops arrived,
as their presence inlllned the people"
Project for IA New organizat.on.
Witness then told Of the trouble with
the railroad brotherhoods. "TEe broth
erhoods have outlved their usefulnes ~
he said, "and for that reason | left the
1iremen's organization. They were, |
fear, jealous of the A. II. u, ard
helped TO defeat us. Now movement
is on foot to formulate a grand railroad
union. Within Il few days a proposi-
tion will be submitted t. the other or
CARNATIONS whereby the officials Of the
A. X. L. and other unions shall resign,
with no possibility Of election TO office.
1t is believed an organization can be
effected, if the brotherhoods viii con
sent, which shall include ali railroad
employees"
"Wnat is your opinion as to The
methods Of preventing sirlkes?H asked
Commissioner Worthington Of Debs.
"AIy idea--and it is the idea OF the A.
r. us to unity all til. railway men
of the country. A power like that, pru
IDENTIFY managed, would avoid strikes
The railway managers would recognize
the wisdom of treating it f4irly and
meeting it IN conciiatory spirit
''Do you believe q strike is justi1iable
that interferes with public conven-
fence" II beleve striking .Csttiable,
no matter what the result, when it
prevents enslavement."
AdJonrneu
The strike commissioners have noii-
fled George M. Pullman to appear and
testify, and will also call for several
members Of the General Managers
Association.
TIE DEsTITUTIoN AT PULLMAN.
Governor AitgeId Finds a Dismal State
of Affairs.
CHICAGO. Aug. 20.-Governor Alt ..
geld went to Pullman today to investi-
gaze the condition of the strikers. His /