The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-14
Strike Would Be Declared Off. 1t Said,
if All Except Those Convicted of
Crime We're Taken Back.
RETURNED WITHOUTANSWER
Managers Refused to Treat with
the a. r. L. Officials.
Announcements by Debs and Sovereign
that the Fight Will BE Re-
newed with Yig0r.

CHICAGO. July 13-The conference of
the American Federation of Labor. which
began at 10 o'clock this morning, adjourned
at 1880 this evening, after having decided
against a general strike. The position of
President Debs of the American Railway
Union was indorsed. however, and $1,000
voted toXard q defense fund for the COM
ing trial of Debs. The executive council of
seven will hold final session tomorrow
The following address to the public was
issued after a long discussion:
THE great industrial upheaval now agi-
tatng the country has been carefully, calm
ly and fully considered in conference of
the executive council of the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor and of the executive Of
ficers and representatives of the national
and international unions and brotherhoodS
of railway unions, called to meet i'm the
ISL. IiSii u -'''ae0 :" t"s 1t" O"S . 'u'S'
I'm the light of all evidence obtainable
now envelCping the sltla ton, we are forced
10 the conclusion that the best interests
OF the unions affiliated with the American
Federation of Labor demand that they re-
frain from participating in any general
or loca! strike which may be proposed in
connection with the present railroad trou-
bles.
I'm making this declaration we 10 not
wish it understood that we are in any way
antagonistic TO the labor organizations now
struggling for right or justice, but rather
10 the fact that the present contest has
become surrounded and beset with COM
plications so grave in their nature that we
cannot consistently advise a course which
The public press, ever alive to the inter-
estS OF corporate wealth, has, with few
exceptions, so maliciously misrepreSented
matters that, in the public mind, the work.
ing classes are now arrayed in open hos
tility TO federal authority. This is a posi-
ton we do not wish to be placed IN, nor
Will I'VE occupy 1t without a protest. We
claim to be as patriotic and lawabiding
as any other class OF citizens, a claim
substantiated by our actions in time of
public need and public peril. By msrepre-
tions assume that they stand for law and
order and that those opposing them repre-
sent lawlessness and anarchy. We protest
against the inference that because a GER
tain individual or a certain class enjoy
monopoly in particular lines of trade or
commerce that IL necessarily follows that
they are entitled TO monopoly in LOYALTY
and good citizenship
reason, one OF deliberation, and depending
entirely upon the voluntary and sovereign
action of its members. 1t is democratic in
principle and action; conservative I'm it's de-
mands and consistent in it's efforts TO Sc
cure them. Industrial contests cannot be
entered into at the behest of any individual
officer of this conference regardless of the
position he may occupy in our organiza-
ton Strikes in our affiliated organizations
are entered into only as last resort, and
after all efforts for a peaceful adjustment
of grievances have failed, and then only
after the members have decided by their
own votes, usually requiring a two-thirds
and often a three-fourths vote TO so de-
eide The trades union movement has its
origin in economic and social Injustice. 1t
has its history, it's struggles and its tenden-
cy well defined. II stands the protector of
those VINO see the wrongs and injustice re-
Sultant or our present industrial system,
and who by organization, manifest their
purpose of becoming larger sharers in the
product of their labor, and who, by their
efforts, contribute towards securing the un-
ity and solidarity Of labors forces, so that
in the ever present contest of the wealthy
producers 10 conquer their rights from the
wealth absorbers, we may, by our intelli-
gence and persistency, by the earnestness
of our purpose. the nobility of our cause,
work out through revolutionary methods
the final emancipation Of labor.
OPPOSED TO y STRIKE.
"While we may not have the peower to
order a strike of the working people of our
country, we are fully aware that a recon-
mendaton from this conference TO them 10
lay down their tools of labor will largely
influence the members of our affiliated or
ganizations and, appreciating the response
bility 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 recommend that all connected
with the American Federation OF Labor
now out on sympathetic strike should re-
turn 10 work, and those who contemplate
vised to remain at their usual avocations
I'm the strike OF the A. r. L., we recog-
nize an impulsive, vigorous protest against
the gathering, growing forces of plutocrat-
ic power and corporation rule. In the SYM
pathetic movement of that order TO help
the Pullman employees they have demon
strated the hollow shames of Pulman's
pharasaical paradise. Mr.. Pullman, in his
persistent rapulses of arbitration, and in
his heartess, autocratic treatment OF his
employees has proven himself a public enc
my. The heart of labor everywhere throbs
responsive to the manly purposes and stur-
DIV struggle of the a. r. L. and their ha-
roic endeavor to redress the wrongs OF the
Pullman employees. In this position they
effectually reterate the fundamental trade
union principle that working people re-
gardless of sex, creed, color, nationality
politics or occupation, should have one ard
the same interest in one common cause for
their own Industrial and political advance
ment
by this railway strike the people are
once more reminded of the immense forces
held at the call OF corporate capital for the
subjugation of labor. For years the railroad
interests have shown the lawless examples
of defiance to injunctions. and have set
aside laws 10 control them They have dis
played the utmost contempt for the inter-
state-commerce law; have avoided its pen
alties and sneered at its impotency TO pre-