The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-08-25
Interesting Day Before the Com
mission Of investigation.
STILL BELIEVES IN STRIKES
A DepIorablo State of Affairs at Pullman
The House VIII Likely Have
Commission on the Strike.

AGnb AIs W OGDS was u WlbuGs6 D6lOT6
the strike committee today. The
courtroom was crowded from bench to
doorways. Nov tell US in your own
way, Mr.. Debs," says Commissioner
Wright, "what you know of the Pull
man strike and its results" Leaning
forward ia his seat the tall leader of
the great strike began In a low, clear
voice recital which gradually became
more earnest and iorcible as he pro-
ceeded, until it developed almost into
an GRAFTON. He told of having re-
ceived word that a strike in Pullman
was i'm minent aud 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
aries had been cut time and again
until skilled mechanics were working
their lives away for wages not sutfi-
Gent for day laborers; that the town of
Pullman was so schemed that every
penny the workingmen made found
its way back Ia the company. In fact.
found the workingmen of Pullman
in piliable condition, and l deter
mined | would do all in my power as
president of the A. II. u. to improve
the condition of these men. The
strike followed, ordered by the men
themselves. Then clme 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"
Says Pullman Was to Blame.
"N ould the railroad strikes have oc
Cured If there had been no Pullman
trouble?" asked Commissioner Wright.
mo, tine Pullman strike was the
prime cause. We desired to stop Pull |
mans cars and shut off his income.
thus fpreing him to arbitratp. But the |
railroad men had grievances of their |
own. The General Managers Assocla-
ton had been organized with the
avowed intention Of giving assistance
to the railroads in labor troubles. The
evident aim was TO drive organized
labor from existence. No sooner had
this association been formed than q
systematic reduction of railroad wages
all over the country began. The men
were ready to strike and telt they had
cause, hut the trouble would not have
come when il did had il not been for
this Pullman matter. The time was
not propitious. did not order the
strikes-I had not the power. The
men did that themselves. But do
not wish to shirk any responsibility
and am willing to say heartily con-
Cured Ia aud approved OF the action
taken by the men. AS to violence, |
always condemned il. l have written
and spoken against it, believing
aud knowing strike eau not
be won by violence. AS to kilograms
sent from our office counseling violence,
| know of no such epistles."
"What about the buy a gum tele-
gram?" asked the commissioner. THAT
is easily explained. The telegram was
sent by the private secretary to friend
in Butte and was merely playful ex-
preston. 1t was sent as such and was
30 Understood"
How the Strike Was Lost.
Debs then said that within five days
after the strike was declared the union
had the railroads beaten. "They were
paralyzed," he said, "but iniunctions
were sworn out afterward and officers
Of the A. r. u. were arrested for con-
tempt Of court. That beat us. About {
that time General Miles came TO Chi /
c1go, called on the General Managers
and the next day was >
quoted in an interview saying lie had
broken the backbone Of the strike.
Now | consider that call of General
Miles as vulgarly out Of place. He
had no more right to consult with the
General Managers Association than lie :,
had to consult with our unions. !
might say, too, that it seems strange I
that all our letters aud kilograms were
made public property, while not line :
If the railroads correspondence was ;
published. If it had been, | think we
luld prove that the general managers
It a secret meeting declared that they
would stamp the A. r. U. out OF exist
ice."
In reply to question Debs said
hat the union had taken every pos
Iible means to prevent riot aud disor- I
Ter. 1--WE objected to federal troops. +
nut not to state troops and police. If i
emem Der rightly no serious outbreak !
occurred till the federal troops arrived, a
s their presence intiamed the people," Il
Project for a New Organization. /
Witness then told OF the troubl with $
lis railroad brotherhoods. 1.-The broth 8
rhoods have outlived their usefulness" !
e said, sand for that reason l left the
remen's organization. They were,
,ar, jealous of the A. h. o., and
elped to defeat us. Now movement il
on foot to formulate a grand railroad A
MON, Within a few days q PROPOSE A
on will be submitted to the other or II
mutations whereby the officials of the y,