The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-07-08
Verge of Starvation.

Verge of Starvation.
"The Pullman strike was not de-
clared until employees of the Pullman
company were driven to the verge of
starvation, their entreaties spurned
with contempt and their grievances de-
MED a hearing.
mo refusal to handle Pullman cars
was declared by any railway employee
until all propositions looking towards
arbitration were rejected by the Pull
man company. Notwithstanding the
facts SCI above were known to the pub
lie and the national authorities, you
have seen fit, under the guise of pro-
tecting the mails and federal property,
to invoke the services Of the United
States Srmy, whose very presence is
used tes coerce and intimidate peace
obedience to the will of their oppres-
Sors.
by 5our acts in SO far as you have
supplanted civil and state authorities
with tie federal military power, the
spirit OF unrest and destruction has so
far been augmented that a deep-seated
conviction is fast becoming prevalent
that this government is soon to be de-
clared . military despotism.
The transmission of the United
States gail is not interrupted by the
striking employees of any railway COM
pany, sit by the railway companies
thenlse IS, VINO refused to haul the
malls on the trains to which Pullman
cars were not attached. If it is a GRIM
inal interference with the United States
mails for the employees of a railway
company to detach from a mail train a
Pullman palace car contrary to the
will OF the company, then it holds true
that it is the same criminal interfer-
ehce whenever a Pullman palace car is
detached from mail train in accord
ance with the will of a railway train
While said mail train is in transit.
Line of CriminaIfty.
''The line Of criminality in such cases
should not be drawn at the willingness
or unwillingness Of railway employees,
but at the act itself, and inasmuch as
1t has been the common practice of
railway corporations to attach and de-
tach from mail trains Pullman palace
cars at will, while said trains are in
transit and carrying the mails OF the
United States, it would seem an act of
discrimination against the employees of
the railway corporations 10 declare such
acts unlawful interference with the
transmission of the mails when done by
employees with or without the consent
of their employers.
In view of these facts we look upon
the far-fetched decision of Attorney
General Olney, the sweeping injunc-
tons against railway employees. and
the movements of the regular army as
employing the powers of The general
government for the support and pro-
lection of the railway corporations in
their determination to degrade and op-
press their employees.
The present railway strike was pre-
cipitated by the uneasy desire of the
railway corporations to destroy the
organizations of their employees; and
make the working people more sub
servient to the will of their employers.
and as all students of government agree
that free institutions depend for their
perpetuity upon the freedom and pros
perity Of the common people, it would
seem more in conSonance with the
spirit of Democratic government if
federal authority was exercised in de-
Tense of the rights of the toiling masses
to life, liberty and the pursuit of happi-
ness. But, on the contrary, there is
not an instance on record wherein any
conflict between the corporations and
the people the strong arm of the mill
tary power has been employed to pro-
tect the working people and the in
dustrial masses from the ravages or
persecution of corporate greed But
the measure of character has been in
the line Of declaring the corporations
always III the right ana the working.
people always in the wrong.
Can't Deliver the Goods.
''Now, sir, we pledge to you the power
of our respective organizations, indi-
and collectively, for the main
tenance of peace and good order and
the preservation of life and property,
and aid in the punishment of all crimi-
nais.
I'm the present contest between labor
and railway corporations, we shall use
every peaceable and honorable means
at our command, consistent with the
law and ou-' constitutional rights, to Sc
cure for the working people just COM
pensation for the labor done and re-
spectacle consideration in accordance
with the inherent rights of all men
and the spirit of republican govern
ment In doing so we appeal to all the
liberty loving people of the nation to
aid and support us in this most just
and righteous cause.
EUGENE V. DEBS,
President of the A. R. U.
-. R. SOVEREIGN,
master Workman of the K of L."