The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-14
The Labor Congress Decides
Against a General Strike.
Reasons Why Walkout Should
Not be Ordered
PRAISE FOR DEBS.
An Address is Issued to the
Public.

CHICAGO, July 1.-THE conference
or the American Federation of Labor
adjourned at 7:3O last evening. after
having decided against a general
strike The petition of President
Debs Of the America Railway Union,
was Endorsed, however, and 81, 900
voted for defense fu nd for the COM
ing trial of Debs. The executive
council of seven viii hold a final ses-
sion to-day. The following address
to the public was issued after long
discussion:
1.-THE great industrial upheave1 now
agitating the cou ntry has been care
fully, calmly and fully considered in
conference Of the executive council of
the American Federation of Labor
and the executive officers and repre-
sentatives Of the national and inter
national unions and brotherhoods of
railway unions, called to meet in the
city Of Chicago on the 18th day of
July, 1894
.'In the light Of all the evidenbe OBJ
tainable, and in view of the peculiar
complications now envelOpinQ the sit
uation. we are forced to the conclus-
ion that the best interests Of the
unions affiliated with the American
they refrain from participating in any
general or local strike which may be
proposed in connection with the pres
emit railroad troubles. In making
this declaration we do not wish
it understood that we are in any way
antagonistic to labor organizations
now struggling for right or justice,
but rather to the fact that the pres
emit contest has become surrounded
and beset with complications so grave
in their nature that we cannot con-
sistently advice q course which would
but add to the general confusion.
The public press, ever alive to the
interest of corporate wealth, has,
with few exceptions, SO malic iously
misrepres Sc nted matters that, in the
public mind, the working classes are
now arraved IN open hostility to fed
eral authority This is a position we
do not wished to be placed in, nor
will we occupy il without a pro
test. We claim to be patriotic
and law abiding, as any other
class of citizens-a claim sub
stantiated by our actions in time
Of public need and public peril BY
nisrep tation and duplicity, GER
tain corporations assume that they
stand for law and order, and that
those opposing them represent law
lessness and anarchy We protest
against this assumption, as we protest
certain individual, or a certain class,
enjoy a monopoly in certain lines of
trade or commerce that it necessarily
follows that they are entitled to a
monopoly in loyalty and good citizen
ship.
'sWhile we may not have the power
TO order a strike Of the working peo-
pie of our country, we are fully aware
that a recOmme ndatiOn from this con-
ference to them to lay down their
tools of labor will largely influence
the memb ers of our affiliated organ
izations, and appreeiating the
responsibility resting upon us
and the duty we owe to all,
we declare it to be the sense Of this
conference that a general strike at
this time is inexpedient, unwise and
contrary to the best interest of the
working people We further recon-
mend that all connected with the
American Federation Of Labor now
out on sympathetic strike should re-
turn to work, and these who cOntem-
plate going out on sympathetic strike
are advised to remain at their usual
avocations-
.'In the strike of the A. R u we
recognize an impulsive vigorous pro-
test against the gathering, growing
forces of plutocratic power and cor
pOratiOn rule. In the sympathetic
rule Of that order TO help the Pullman
hollow shams of Pullman's pharasaical
paradise. Mr.. Pullman, in his per-
sisuent repulses of arbitration and in
his heartless, autOcratic treatment of
his employees, has proven himself a
public enemy
by this railway strike the people
are once more re minded Of the Inn
mense forces held at the call of cor
porate capital for the subiue alton of
labor. For years the railroad inter
ests have shown lavless examples of
defiance to inJunctions and have set
aside laws to control them They
have displayed the utmost contempt
for the interstate commerce law. ha We
avoided its penalties and sneered at
its impotency to prevent pooling,
Determinations and other impOsi tions
on the public In this disregard of
law these corporations have given the
greatest inn petus to anarchy and law
lessness. Still, they do not hesitate,
when confronted by outraged labor
to invoke the powers of the state, the
federal government, backed by United
States marshals. inJunctiOns of courts,
proclamatiOns of the president, and
sustained by the bayonets Of soldiers
and all the civil and military ma
chinery of the law, have rallied on the
summons Of the corporations
Against this array Of armed force
and brutal mOneyed autocracv would
1t not be worse than folly to
call men out on general or local
strikes In these days of stagnant trade
and commercial depres siOn? No.
Better let rs organize more generally
combine more closely with our forcess
educate and prepare ourselves to pro-
tect our interests and that we NAV GO
to the ballot box and cast our votes
as American freemen, united and de-
termined to redeem this country from
unl1f1cel and industrial al