The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-13
He Gives a History of the Pull
man Trouble.
The Causes Leading Up to the
Strike Given.
GOMPERS' SPEECH,
Sympathized With the Strike
but COunseled Moderation.

The central points of interest were
the meetings of the labor leaders with
President Gompers. OF the American
Federation of Labor at their head
quarters in this city. 1t is admitted
that the action of that body, if taken
unanimously, Will have marked eff
feet on the situation, and persons well
informed as to the predictions of
the persons composing it express the
opinion that unanimous action by it,
except in the direction Of quieting the
present agitation or turning it into
other channels, is unlikely.
1t is known that several suggestions
are being considered by these lead
ers. Among them are the following
First That the striking Pullman
employees. on high patriotic grounds,
appeal to President Debs to declare
the strike off because Of the infn tie
damage which is being done to the
business Of the country.
Second-That che leaders unite in
an appeal to the public to quit pat
ronizing Pullman sleeping, drawing
room and dining cars
Thiro-That President Cleveland
be requested to appoint a commission
To INVESTIGATES the strike and the
causes which led up to it in expecta-
tion that the report OF such cOnmi< IS
sion would Justify the action taken
BY the strikers. and free them from
the charges Of rioting and disorder
Fourt h-That immediate efforts be
made to secure the Impeachment of
Attorney General Olney.
Fifth-That an effort be made to
secure the passage of compulsory
arbitration law by congress
Sixth-That complaints be lodged
looking to the indictment of the rail-
way managers for conspiracy to OBJ
mails BY refusing to run mail cars
except in connection with Pullman
cars.
Mr.. Debs Heard
Last evening President Debs Of the
American Railway union appeared IN
response to the invitation sent him by
President Gompers. Mr.. Debs was
introduced to the conference, and
spoke substantially as follows: He
thanked the officers OF the Anne rican
Federation of Labor and the other
gentlemen present for their presen
and cor operation in the great work in
hand, and then addressed himself to
the subject in hand.
He reviewed in detail and quite elo-
quently the cause OF the strike at
Pullman: told how nliserablv even
cruelty, the employees were treated
He gave in detail the wages paid, the
high rents and the high prices for
provisions which they were compelled
to pay. He outlined at length the
manner in which the Pullman en-
ploves had tried to get the manager
of that corporatio to submit the mat
ter to arbitration before they struck,
and he called attention to the various
offers that had been made to Mr.
Pullman by his employees
LAS a last resort they came to me
and the A. r. u. and they asked US
frna fnf FlaaAraq fra "A CsAl1 faeav--
ated over the matter for long time
and finally concluded to strike IN
sympathy for these Pullman opera
tives.
He said they had not acted hastily
in going out. il did not jump at them,
but was devised by some Of the best
citizens of Chicago and some Of the
best men of the nation We believed
the present strike was right and just
in principle.
The A R. Z. even went ahead and
requested the General Managers as
ISOLATION not to handle Pullman cars,
and they promised not to'dO so. Yet.
in the face Of all that, thew went
ahead and passed resolutions; first,
that they would haul Pullman cars;
second, that they would support Pull
man in his strike. and third, that they
would exterminate the A. r. u
Upon hearing these resolutions, the
a. r. It. declared a strike
Mr. Debs then went on at length to
tell what had been done in the boy
colt, of the numb of people who
had gone out as strikers and Of the
sympathizers who had come forward
for their encourage He
planned the line of action here in
Chicago and elsewhere throughout
the country. He said he was very
much elated over the work which had
been accomplished The A. R. U. had
brought one of the greatest strikes
this country had ever seen and he
hoped to see it carried through to a
grand success He had no doubt that
this could be done most effectually
with the alliance with the American
Federation Of Labor and the other
organization
He asked the Federation of Labor
to give the A. r. e. whatever assist
ance they could in the work they
were doing on behalf of the working
men of this country
At the conclusion of Mr.. Debs'
speech Mr.. Gompers took the floor
and spoke at some length He coun-
seled moderation and. while avowing
the most profound sympathy for the
Pullman employees as well as for the
A. R. u, he hoped for wise and
peaceful solution OF the difficulty a
solution which would restore business
activity and yet protect the rights of
organized labor
At Ill o'clock Mr. Debs retired to his
hotel leaving the meeting still in ses-
sion The cOnkere nee lasted until
1890 a. m, and was marked by sew
eral heated arguments, the hot heads
being in favor Of a strike at once,
while the more conservative counseled
mcdarmtfonm No decision was reached.