The Princeton union., 1894-08-23
DEBS AS IA TN NESS.
TESTIFIEs BEFORE THE ARBITRA-
sTION COMMISSION.
Leader Of the Recent Railway Strike
Gives His Version of Tint Great
Event-Says 1t Was Caused by
the Pullman Strike. I

: 4 -
Chicago, Aug q BY far the largest
audience which he's yet been in attend
ance upon the strike commissions ses-
sions was present to-day, attracted BY
the appearance as a witness of Presi-l
dent p. Debs, ofethe Ar. u. The
court room where the commissioners
sit was crowded from the, bench to the
.doorways. President Debs took the
witness chair
Now, tell us in your own way, Mr..
Debs,'' said Commissioner Wright,
what you know Of the Pullman strike |
and it's results. -
Leaning forward in his seat the tall
leader Of the great strike began in a
low, clear voice, q recital, which grad
ually became more earnest and forcible
as he proceeded, until it developed into
almost an oration. He told of having
received word that strike in Pullman
was imminent and Of his coming to
Chicago to investigate.
Il found he said, "that the men
were working for the Pullman company
at wages upon which they could not
live. found that salaries had been
cut, time and again until skilled me-
ehanics were working their lives away
for wages no sufficient for day labor
er. That the town Of Pullman with it's
shops, it's houses and it's stores was so
schemed that every penny the working
man made found it's way back into the
cc1npanv's Golfers In fact I found the
workingmen Of Pullman in a pitiable
condition and determined would do
all in my power as president Of the A.
r. u. to im prove the condition Of these
men. The strike followed, ordered by
the men themselves. Then came 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 grievances Of it's own"
Mr.. Debs then told Of the strike, his
account differing but little from that
| Of the other A. r. U. officials who had
preceded him cn the witness stand.
! would the railroad strikes occurred
! if there had been no Pullman trouble?'
asked Commissioner Wright
/ 'sNo, the Pullman strike was the
prime cause We decided to stop Pull
/ mans cars and shut off his income,
thus forcing him to arbitrate. But the
railroad men had grievances of their
! own. The general managers associa-
ton had been organized with the
aynWed intention Of giving assistance
! to, the railroads in labor troubles. The
| evident aim was to drive organized Ia
Dor fron> existence. No sooner had this
! association been formed than systemat-
J j.; reductiln Ms Of rail:ou1 wages all over
| the country began. The cuts were made
on one road at a time, and in one de-
partment at time, but the systematic
/ regularity with which they appeared
was sufficiently significant The mel
were ready to strike, and felt they had
cause. But the trouble would not have
come wher. it did had it not been fol
the Pullman matter. The time was TN
propitious, bLsir ess was depressed and
II oney was scarce. did not order the
strike. | had not the power; the 1ner
did it themselves. But 1 do not wish
to shrink any responsibility, and an
Willing to say that heartily commend
ed, conquered in and approved of the
action taken by the men. AS to VIC
lence, I always condemned it. I have
written and spoken against it, believ
ing and knowing that a strike canno
be won by violence. AS to kilograms
sent from cur office counselling vic
lence, L know Of no such epistles.
What about the buy gun tele
gram,'' asked Commissioner Herman.
THAT is easily explained. The tele
gram was sent by a private secretary
to friend in Butte, and was merely {
playful expression. 1t was sent as sucl
and was So understood"
Mr.. Debs then said that within fiv.
days after the strike was declared th,
union had the railroads beaten
They were para]yzed,' he said, 'bu
: Just at that time injunctions were sow1
broadcast ard shortly afterward tn,
officers of the A. R. Il. were arrested
for contempt Of court. That beat us
It wasn't the railroads or the army
but the EOwer Of the United State
courts that beat u.s. About that tim
a thing occur1 ed which I desire t,
mention. Gen. Miles came to Chicago
caHcd on the general managers associa
! ton, and the next day was quoted in al
Interview as saying that he had broker
the hackbcre. Of the strike. Now, l con
slider that call of Gen. Miles as vulgarl
out Of place. He had no more right t
consult with the general managers as
sociatoD than he had to consult wit
the men Of our union. might say
too, that it seems strange that all 0
ou. letters end kilograms were mad
public property while not line Of th
railroad corcesr6 nderce was published
!. IL it had been think we could prov
: that the general managers, at one o
their secret meetings, declared the
e would stamp the A. r. u. out of ea
fste nee.
The Mikado's Cousin Arrives. h
New York, Aug. 21.-Among the pas
e sengers on the French liner, La TOT
$ raine, which arrived here today, wa
: the cousin Of the mikado He arrive
; in this country about two years agt
e since which he has devoted great des
: of his time to the inspection Of nave
8 ships building in this country and Ri
: rope. The Inikado's cousin is travelin
4 incognito as Count Mishim With hil
I are his secretary, Mr.. NagasaH, an
= two servants. The count will sail fro1
53lt Gov, nelson fo, Cc,+