St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-20
STRIKE SYMpATHIzERS
HELD A KEETiRC AT LABOR HALL
LAST MIGHT.
A. Il. U. LABOR LEADERS

Debs and Howard Make Adj
dresses-No strike Ordered in
ST. Paul or Minnea poiis-Ghe
Men to Be Ready IL Necessary
- Moderation Urged = Claim
That Pay Has Been Reduced
in Spite of Dcnials.
The sympathizers in the strike on the
Great Northern road held almeetlng
last night at Labor hail that packed tine
room to its utmost iicaracitDi There
were over 500 packed into the room.
The meeting was good-humOred. Eu-
gene V. DebS, of Chicago. president Of
the American Railway union, George
Howard. vice presidentsof the as
ISOLATION, 6l-uandS- zL.s% ID. i Foster,
president Of the local union
at ST. Cloud. made good-tempered
speeches that were listened to with in
terest and were at times greeted with
applause and laughter. The tenor of
the speeches was very temperate. They
were earnest, and at times humorous.
AT the close of the mass meeting 2l3
new members joined the local branch of
the A. r. u. 1t was declared
by the speakers that at present
there will be no strike ordered
i'll st. Paul and Minneapolis. and at no
time except as an extremity. The
strike will, If possible, be confined to its
present limits. At the close of the
meeting Mr.. Debs stated that if II be-
came necessary it was the intention to
eXli u t all their resources, and without
appealing to prejudices. he would like
to ask all who favored standing by the
boys 10 say aye. There was tremend-
GUS shout of approval and not mega
tive vote when the noes were asked for.
As Messrs. Debs and Howard made
their way to the stand through the
crowd at the opening of the meeting,
they were given a great reception.
George Howard. vice president of the
A. K. u. began TO speak as soon as he
reached the platform. He said there is
not 4 man who works for his bread but
who deprtcates a strike, and there are
net enough axes in the country to cut
strike unless vital principle is at
stake. Labor has always been ready to
arbilrate, but it was Oh the part of cap
ltal that arrogance was shown. The
laboring people concede the rights of
capital to remuneration, but think it
unfair to deprive men of the right to
live. He declared that on one railroad
the labUrers are only getting G7115 cents
per day, While hating to admit it. yet
he felt it to be true that
such wages go far to drive men
to anarchy. His union believes in fair
days pay for fair days work. He said
that the officers of the road at first de-
clarpd there had been no cut in wages.
but stopped making such statements
when lie threatened to publish tie
schedule. One of tie men in the audi
ence volunteered the information that
tluckmeu had been cut SO per cent.
The prospect O. a conference was men,
toned and Mr.. Howard said he hoped
the trouble would go no further, but he
feared they are not yet over the chaSm
Eugene V. DebS delivered a very
temperate speech, in which there was
much Of humor and good sentiment. He
began by saying that labor has steadily
become degraded in the past quarter of
century, and spoke of the degraded
condition of the Pennsylvania coal
miners as being typical Of what
others are coming to. He declared
America TO be striking nation.
anG the right TO do so is recognized in
the principles of the government. He
wanted labor to recognize that ii is lis
OWL worst enemy and TO Danish aristoc-
racy from its midst. He does not be-
lieve that the man getting 81 per day
has ght to think lie IS four times
better than the man who only gets one
dollar. He declared that there never
ought to be revolution or riot in the
country and believed the time will
come when justice will he done between
men OH humane theories.
Speaking of the strike. he declared
that there is Il principle at stake. and
he could not see why there should he
harsh criticism of the men. The paper
that characterized 1t as being brutal to
strike was ignorant of the condition of
affairs. He declared that in Montana the
section man works for 81 day, when il
costs him SO week to secure
the commonest OF nccessaries. And
the man and lis family have to live in g
verlable novel not fit to shelter a dog
instead of cottage. Besides these
there are multiplied thousands who dt
not get dollar day. He said the re
Guct!ons are made by sections, ant
after getting around once, the SAM,
course is repeated time and again. Thi.
will continue Until the railroad men are
reduced to the level of the Hungarian
and the Pole of tie coal mines Ill Penn
sylvania.
At the conclusion of MIR. Debs
speech the crowd c!alUored for more