The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-07-13
DEBS TALKS.
The American Railway Union President
Tells of the Grievances That Led to the
Great strike.

The American Railway Union President
Tells of the Grievances That Led to the
Great Strike.
/ CHICAGO, July 6.-President Debs. of
the A. Z. T., issued an address last
night to the public, the purport of
which, he said, was to acquaint the
people with the facts relating to the
present trouble. He declared that the
Pullman employees who struck on May
s did so entirely on their own ac-
cord Their action was spontane-
GUS and unanimous, a revolt against
the series of wrongs of long stand
ing. The labor leaders not only
had no part in it, but those connected
with the A. r. q. advised against it.
The employees at Pullman had virtually
become the slaves of the cooperation.
At the time of the strike they were in
arrears for rent alone to the extent Of
4 $4,000. Within short time they
would have become hopelessly involved
in debt and would have belonged soul
and body to the company. This had
resulted because while wages had been
reduced the cost of living had remained
the same.
The employees of the company from
the beginning had been willing to arbi-
trate their differences. The claim of
the company that there was nothing to
arbitrate was absurd. The committee
waited on the officials of the company,
but was always rebuffed. The COM
pany was and is still as unyielding as
adamant.
Finally on June IL the delegates of
the A r. L. met in convention in Chi
cago. The Pullman trouble had been
discussed at their local meetings Two
commissions were sent to the officials,
but no satisfaction could be obtained.
As last resource the delegates deter
mined. by unanimous vote, to decline
to haul the Pullman cars unless the
company would do justice within Eve
days. This action was taken six weeks
after the strike at Pullman occurred.
How did the strike extend to the
railways? The day before the order of
the union declining to haul the Pull
man cars went into effect, the General
Managers association, representing
the principal western railways. met
and agreed substantially to uphold the
Pullman company in its fight against
its employees, that they would haul the
Pullman cars and that they would
stand together in crushing the life out
of the 4. r. L.
The trouble resulting had spread
from line to line and from system to
system until crisis had been reached.
Every good citizen must view the out
look with a grave concern What
could be done to restore peace and con-
fidence? The A. L. L. stood ready to
do anything in its power that was hon.
orable to end the trouble. 1t simply
insisted that the Pullman company
meet its employees and do them justice.
The latter would accept any reasona-
bic proposition. The company might
act through its officers or otherwise
through their representatives Let
them agree as far as they could and
submit disputed points to arbitration.
The question of the recognition of
the A. f. l. or any other organization
was waived. Let the spirit of concili-
alton, mutual concession and compro-
mise animate and govern both sides,
and there would be no trouble in reach
ing a settlement that would be salts
factory to all concerned. Then let the
receivers agree to restore them to their
positions without prejudice. and the
trouble would be ended. The rail-
ways were not inclined to recognize
the A. f. Q. If any thought this a
weakening on the part of the employees
they were welcome. The employees
had been misrepresented, but the truth
would finally prevail -
AS to the charge that this was SYM
pathetic move, the employees had only
done what the corporations had done.
Other organizations of worlHingmen
had felt the oppressive hand of corpo-
rations. They would not be called out,
but would go out
As to his own part in the strike. Mr..
Debs said it was not ordered by him
self. nor by any other individual. He
had never ordered nor called anybody
out Under the rules of the A. r. q.
members could only strike when ma
jority of their numbers decided.
One vote OF the delegates in this in
stance was unanimous. Whenever men
have struck they have done so OF their
own will He had simply served the
notice of the determination that they
would quit.
In closing Mr. Debs said: Let me
repeat that we stand ready to do our
part toward everything in the impend-
ing crisis We have no false pride to
stand in the way of a settlement We
do not want official recognition If
the corporations refuse to yield and
stubbornly maintain that they are not
going to arbitrate, the responsibility
for what may ensue will be on their
heads and they cannot escape the pen
allies q"