Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1894-08-17

which g"ined him quite reputation as
an orator at the time. His parents, who
are still living in this city, are natives
of Alsace, Germany. The elder Debs is
still the proprietor of a grocery store
here and is well to do.
At the proper age young Debs was
sent to the public schools Of this city
and advanced through the different
grades till he entered the Terre Haute
high school, Then his parents gave him
a course at the Terre Haute Commercial
college. He was noted as boy for his
studious habits, his rapid acquisition of
knowledge and his discriminating ap-
probation Of poetry.
In 1871 he took position as fireman
on the Vandalia running between here
and Indianapolis. He continued as a
fireman until 1874.
At 10 years of age he obtained
clerkship in the large wholesale grocery
house Of Huffman & Cox, in which he
remained for several years. When Debs
was "a years old, the Democratic city
convention, in casting about for a can-
didate for city clerk, chose him by &C
clamation, and he was elected by ma
jority of LOO in a city that usually
gives Republican majority. He was
elected second time to the same office,
serving in that capacity four years alto
gether.
Debs was initiated member of Vigo
lodge, No. 16, Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Firemen, on Feb. ~, 1874, and at
once became one of it's most active men,
bers. In 1877 he represented his lodge
at the annual convention of the order at
Indianapolis, at which time the BROTH
erhood was entering upon a period Of
trials and vicissitudes that for several
years threatened it's disruption.
Debs was one Of the. leading members
of this convention. In 1878 he was sent
as delegate to the national Firemen's
convention at Buffalo, where he ohci-
ated as assistant secretary. It was at
that convention that the brotherhood
recognized his literary abilities and
elected him associate editor of The Loco
motive Firemen's Magazine.
In June, 1880, Mr.. <Debs was appoint
ed by the then grand master, Frank W.
Arnold to be grand secretary and treas
urer of the Firemen, and in September
Of the same year he was elected to that
position by the national convention held
in Chicago, which place he held for 10
consecutive years, each year being re-
elected, until he declined the reelection
two years ago to organize his new union.
He was prevailed upon still to retain his
editorship Of The Locomotive Firemen's
Magazine, which he still holds, and he
never mentions his own order in that
paper. ...
When Debs became grand secretary
and treasurer of the Firemen, there were
90 lodges. When he left that Office.
there were over 400 lodges. When he
was elected at Boston in 1881 editor of
The Firemen's Magazine, the monthly
circulation was 5000 copies Now it
has upward Of 50, 900 circulation. n =
In 1884 Debs was elected by the Dem
ocrats to the legislature, and while in
that body was instrumental in passing
several important labor laws The Dem
ocrats have since tried to induce him to
accept the nomination for congress with
out avail. This year, in public speech
in this city, Debs renowned Democracy
and announced himself Populist..
4 For q year and a half he worked at
the details Of the American Railway
union, and it came into existence IN this
city on June 90, 1898. Since its organi-
zation it has prospered, and the union is
now the largest body Of railway men
in the world. It's recent victory IN the
strike against the Great Northern rail.
way was . signal one. .
Debs is q fighter. He never tires. He
is as rapid a writer as he is talker.
His voice has a silvery ring. In this
city, where he has lived all his life,
there is not . person who does not know
him to be conscientious and honorable,
above suspicion IN his dealings with his
fellow men. He will sell ont no labor
organizations Terre Haute lInd. Let
ter