The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-08-03

were the people WHO cTOWucu TIC
opera house Saturday night to hear
President Debs, Of the A. X. IT,, at
his home discuss the great strike.
The theater never held such crowd
and hundreds were turned away.
The utmost enthusiasm prevailed
and when the A. X. u. leader APP
pearcd at 5 O'Clock there was APP
plausc that lasted several minutes.
The aged father and mother Of
Debs and his wife occupied box.
President Scholtz, Of the local
lodge, presided and introduced Debs
as the greatest labor leader Of the
age. A mighty shout greeted this
statement. Dcbs plunged at once
into the strike.
1t was crisis, he said, brought
about (D by the inhuman cruelty
and oppression of Pullman toward
his employees; (2), by the railways
deciding to stand by Pullman in his
oppression; (3), by an understand
ing among the railway managers
that it was necessary To crush the
rising American railway union. He
believed firmly in the principle Of
arbitration all his life, and did not
favor strike until the gauntlet was
thrown down and an effort made to
crush organized labor. Although
not in favor of strikes, there was a
time when not to strike meant deg
relation and dishonor; this was that
time. There was not star in the
American flag, from Lexington to
Yorktown, that did not mean a
strike-a strike against tyranny.
(Applause). The existence OF all
labor unions to-day was an evidence
of oppression in the past. Oppres-
sion gave them birth. The loco
motive engineers, the parent of all
railway organizations, was born on
the Michigan Central road in 1868,
and its founder had told him per-
sonally that it was started because
the men were treated like serfs.
Referring to Pullman, Debs said
arbitration or investigation was the
last thing Pullman wanted, as that
would disclose a set Of facts that
would shock the American people.
The workmen, he said, besides be-
ling reduced in wages three times
the past year, were treated with
supercillious contempt, and the men
only struck after three Of their com
mitteemen who waited on Pullman
were discharged. 1t was work and
starve, and they thought they may
as well starve and strike. Cap
plause). He had no apology for
the part the A. X. U. took in the
strike. The Pullman employees were
their brothers and it was not only a
sympathy strike, but a humanity
strike. Some of Pullman's acts,
which the A. X. U. would show up
before the presidents investigation
lcommittee, would make a decent
hyena hang his head in shame. 1t
was the only strike in American his
tory, Debs declared, that when a
strike was ordered every man,
woman and child working for Pull
man quit
Debs declared the A. X. L. was
not responsible for the rioting.
He greatly regretted there was
any lawlessness.
lie was no anarchist.
1 He loved order and the American
flag.
i He had the strike won fairly and
Isquarely on the sixth day after the
A. X. U. took hold, when the gov
eminent interfercd on behalf Of the
corporations and rushed forward its
soldiers and its injunctions
Whatever action might be taken
at the coming A. X. L. convention
the strike on Pullman would 90 on.
There was no ending to them.
Pullman must be whipped
He said that when strike was
ordered it invited lawlessness, but
as there was never strike without
: cause, why should not the cor
porations take their share Of the re-
! sponsibility Of rioting?
When sectionmen were cut t.
} 67s cents day, as they were OF
, the Louisville 4 Nashville, the rail
way managers who made that GU
were the real anarchists. Gap
: plause).
I, In conclusion Debs said: 81
), have feeling, my friends ane
! neighbors, in talking to you that
9 cannot describe. II is a pleasur,
: to return and hear your applaus,
e and your well DONE have made
J mistakes, may always do so, but
! will always do what ! think nea. es
! right and shall always follow wher,
= my conscience dictates. If an,
G penalty shall be in store for me 70
49,, MT, 1ur;pu fbo crib I ,rsl1 a..