The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-07-25
APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC.
American Railway Union Officers
Issue a Manifesto From Jail.
The Travelling Public Urgently Requested
Not to Patronizo Pullman Cars, as q
Means Toward Bringing tho
Company to Terms A
Change OF Tactics.


four guests from the ranks of the A.
R. u, Debs, Howard, Keliher and
Rodgers, issued their first public mani
festo from their new headquarters yes
terday. The document, prepared by
the president of the organization in
the seclusion of his cell, appeals to the
travelling public not to patronize Pull
man cars as another means towards
bringing Pullman to terms. The mani
festo is as follows:
To the public:
ut is almost universally conceded
that the Pullman company, through
oft-repeated reductions of wages, with
excessive rents and many causes, has
grievously wronged its employees, and
whatever may be said about the great
railroad strike which resulted in con-
sequence of such grievances, the arbi-
trary refusal Of said Pullman company
to submit to arbitration in any form
(even to decide the question if there
was anything to arbitrate) is proof
positive that said company had no
faith in the justice of its cause and
fears the disclosures that are certain to
result from an honest investigation,
and in view of the heavy loss entailed
upon the country such obstinacy on
the part of the Pullman company is de-
serving of the severest condemnation.
"The Pullman company makes the
plea that it is asked of them that they
shall run their works at a loss. The
statement is absolutely false. What
was asked was arbitration, and this
would have resulted in even-handed
justice. The Pullman company has
robbed its employees and an investiga-
tion would have disclosed a state of af-
fairs that would have Mortified the ma
tion. This is why arbitration was re-
fused. 1t is notoriously true that the
Pullman company pays its conductors
and porters such paltry wages that
they are obliged to depend on the pub
lie to support them. Yes, this rich and
powerful corporation virtually tells the
public to pay the wages of their sleep
ing car employees, and this notwith-
standing extortionate rates are charged
for sleeping car accommodation.
ave propose that the Pullman COM
pany shall be brought to justice, and
this in way that will not necessitate
a strike with its attendant ills.
"Shall the Pullman company have
the support of the public in carrying
out his hellish policy? Shall the public
be party TO the starvation and degra-
dation Of more than 1000 employees;
men and women whose only crime is
that they ask living wages? We be-
lieve, indeed we know, what the an
swer will be. We have faith in the
American people. They uphold justice;
they love fair play. And now, in the
name Of justice and fair play we appeal
to the great American public, to every
good man and every good woman, not
to ride in Pullman car until the Pull
man company does justice to its en-
ployes. Let the cars run absolutely
empty. No friend of labor, no friend
of humanity will occupy seat or berth
in Pullman car. Let this policy be
inaugurated and we will then see how
long the railway companies will be
bound by their contracts.
'We propose to continue this strike
against the Pullman company through
good and evil report and without re-
gard to consequences until justice shall
be done. There will be no surrender.
We will use every available means to
press the contest. Dungeons shall not
dissuade us. The struggle is for hui
manity and against the most cruel tyr
amy, and unless we are dead to every
impulse of mercy and fellow-feeling,
must be crowned with success.
"Think of the Pullman employees as
your sisters, brothers, children. If you
have any doubt as TO the outrages Of
which they have been the victims, we
refer you TO Rev. w. II. Carwardine,
Pullman, ILL.,, gentleman Of the high
est character, who has long been
close student of the conditions at Pull
man and is said TO speak from personal
experience and observation.
Persons desiring to contribute
ulOutg anu ouDlllto W ulludu CHI
ployes will please forward the same to
David V. Gladman, treasurer, Pullman,
III. II is requested that all papers
throughout the land favorable to JUS
tice, to humanity, copy this statement
and keep II standing in their columns
as long as possible. Earnestly appeal
ing to the great public TO aid us in this
unequal contest between rich, power
ful, arrogant and defiant corporation
and its famishing, half-clad employees,
and relying with implicit faith upon
the powerful triumph Of the right, we
subscribe ourselves very respectfully
yours, Eugene v. Debs, president;
George W. Howard, vice president; Syl-
vester Keliher, secretary; l.. w. Rog-
ers, editor Railway Times"
This document practically contains
the admission that there is no longer
any strike by authority of the A. r. U.
and that the effort which has been
made by the union and other organiza-
tions Of labor TO force the Pullman
company TO arbitrate by means Of
strikes has failed, necessitating a
change of tactics In the plan of the
anti-Pullman campaign.
Mr.. Sovereign Talks.