The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-13
OFFERS OF PEACE
Debs Willing to Call Off the
Strike
II the Railroad Managers Will
Take Back
ALL OLD EMPLOYEES
~ -, ~
Except Those Who Have Com
mitted Criminal Acts.
General Managers Will Not
Confer With Debs.
But Will Listen to Mayor Hop
kins of Chicago.

CHICAGO, July 13-Mr. Eugene v.
Debs. arose early this morning and call
ed his executive officers together at
Uhlich's hall They held a close confer
ence for something like half hour and
about 9:3J Mr.. Debs appeared and said:
"In view Of the enormous proportions
which this strike has assumed and the
tremendous damage to public and pri-
vate interests. we will today submit
proposition to the General Managers as
sociation declaring the strike off on con-
dition that they reinstate our men"
The proposition referred to was formu-
lated last night in conference between
Debs, Sovereign and Gompers and it was
agreed that IN case the general managers
refuse to meet the wishes of President
Debs Gompers should call out the ma
tional federation of labor throughout the
country.
The proposition has two conditions:
First, TnaI arbitration proposed by
President Cleveland be entered upon;
second, that all the striking employees
except those who had been guilty Of
criminal misconduct shall be restored to
their positions without prejudice by the
railroad companies.
tae Managers Refuse
After Debs had made this startling
statement he was asked what would be
the effect in case the general managers
refuse to reinstate the men. He said he
thought the strike was practically ended
and regarded it as great triumph for
labor. After pause he added: The
strike Will settle back then to the Orlgi
nal grievance between Pullman and his
employees"
President Debs then left Uhlich's hall
to call upan the mayor. On his way he
met Severe gn and howard and they ac-
companled him. At the mayors otfice
they held d conference for about fifteen
minutes. At its conclusion Mayor Hop
kins said: "These gentlemen came 10 me
with proposition to call the strike off,
the General Managers ASSOCIATION to
agree to take back all employees who had
not been arrested for any Offense against
the law. they asked me to go with them
to present the proposition. l told them l
would gladly GO"
Meanwhile, Alderman MCCLELLAN. chair
man of the Council of arbitration com
mittee, had been sent for. He arrived
at 1O:45 and after few minutes talk
with Debs and Sovereign, the mayor and
Alderman MCCLELLAN went to the office of
the general managers association, while
Debs, Howard and Sovereign returned to
their hotels
When the mayor arrived at the office
of the general managers association, he
found that the regular meeting had ad-
journed. and Mr.. St John, of the Rock
Island road, was the only manager pres
emit
Vice President Thomas H. Wickes, of
the Pullman company, received his first
information Of President Cleveland's in
tention to appoint committee of inves-
tigation at his residence today. He had
antici pated no such move the part of
the president. and did not know of the
law under which the appointment of the
committee was made. Mr. Wickes
max n0
would wait until the committee had ar
rived, and be knew what powers it pos
sessed.
Athong the stock yards strikers who
returned to work this morning were nine
engineers, pine telegraphers and twenty
clerks and yardmasters. Other employees
will be given their positions if they report
promptly A few steam filters and car
penters left their work this morning, but
they did not add TO the seriousness Of the
situation.
Armour brought twelve butchers from
Milwaukee this morning and WAS only
three short of his usual force. The
sheep butchers talked Of joining the beef
butchers but they did not leave their
work this morning. Applicants for pO-
sitions as unskilIed laborera were turned
away from the packing houses. Armour
discharged fifteen teamsters for whom
he had work
Nould Not Call Another Meeting.
Mr. 81. John SAID he would receive the
proposition and lay it before the next
meeting. He was requested to call a
special meeting, but declined to do SO.
He consented to listen to the gentlemen
before the mayor and prominent mem
, Der of the city council He declared
that he would have nothing to do with
Debs or any Of the strike leaders
After leaving the proposition with Mr..
St John. the mayor returned to his OF
fee. Mr. st. John had previously said
| that the general managers would not
recognize the labor leaders in any way.
and it was because of this statement that
Debs. Howard and Sovereign did not pre-
sent their proposition in person but del
egated the presentation to the mayor.
Asked to state what had happened in
the office Of the general managers,
Mayor Hopkins said: "We were courte-
ously received by Chairman St John and
Manager Egan of the General Managers
association. We made known the object
of our visit Mr.. Egan who did all the
talking said that while the association
would have accepted no proposition pre-
sented by Mr.. Debs in person, he having
made them trouble enough for the last
few weeks, they would consider proPo-