The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-08

CHICAGO. July 7-The following letter
was telegraphed to President Cleveland
tonight by Messrs. Debs and Sovereign, of
The American Railway union and knights
u Labor:
CHICAGO, H.. July Z, 1894.
10 the Hon. Grover Cleveland. President OF the
United States Washington, u. {
DEAR SIR;-Through a long period Of
depression, enforced idlenes- and low
sages, resulting in widespread poverty
-nd in many eases actual starvation, the
0orking people have been patient, patrl-
&c and lawabiding, and not until the iron
.-rl of corporate tyranny WAS applied,
WITH the intention to snbjugate the work
la. people TO the will Of arrogant monopo-
lies, did hey make any effort TO stay their
Oppress0rs.
The Pullman strike was not declared
until the employees of the Pullman com
Pany We're driven 10 the verge of starva-
lson, their eutreaties spurned with con-
tempt and their grievances denied a hear
.ag. No refusal 10 handle cars was de-
clared by any railroad employe until all
propositions locking towards arbitration
and Cancellation were rejected by the
Pullman company. Notwithstanding the
EScts seJforth above were known to the
pGbiic and national authorities, you have
seen fit, under the guiSe of protecting the
services of the United States army, whose
very presence Is used to cOerce and intImi-
date peaceable working people into "A hu-
initiating obedience to the Will of their OPP
pre:ssors.
by your acts, in so far as you have sup
planted civil and state authorities with
rhe federal military power, the spirit of
u-Test and destruction has so far been
augmented that a deep-seated conviction
Is fast becoming prevalent that this gov
ernment Is soon to be declared a military
despotism. The transmission Of the United
States mail is not interrupted by the
striking employees of any railway com
Dany, out by the railway companies them
selves who refused TO haul the mails on
trains TO which Pullman cars we're not at
tached. If it is "A criminal interference
with the United States mails for the en-
DiOyes of railway company to detach from
a mail train Il Pullman palace car
contrary to the will of the company, then
it. holds true that it is the same criminal
interference whenever a Pullman palace
Tar is detached from a mail train in ac-
c0rdance with the will of railway COM
paDy while said mail train Is in transit.
. ne line OF CrIminaliIy In such cases
should not be drawn at the willingness or
InwilllDgneSs OF railway employees, but at
she act itself ard inasmuch as IL has been
the common practice of railway corpora
ts.sjus Pullman palace cars at will while
'y,ld trains are in transit and carrying the
t>laiis OF the United states, il would seem
a ;.ct of discrimination against the en-
O. % es of the railway corporations to de-
L...e such acts unlawful interference with
o. q transmission of the mails when done
Us employees with or without the consent
Ct jh, employers.
h view of rhese facts, we look upon the
Pa fetching decision of Attorney General
% ICY, the sweeping un-American iujuuc-
,us against railway employees. and the
ii ,rments of the regular army as en-
pl0 lug the powers of the general govern
n1eut for the support and protection OF the
railway corporations In their delermna-
ton TO degrade and Cypress their employees.
The present. railway strike was precipi-
rated by the uneasy desire of the railway
corporations TO destroy the organiza' ions
Of their employees and make the working
people more sub>erYient to the VIII of their
employers, and AS all students of govern
ment agree that free institutions depend
For their perpetuity upon the
freedom and prosperity Of the com
mon people, ii would seem more
h. consonance with The spirit OF demo
cratic government if federal authority was
exercised IN defence of the rights Of the
toiiing masses 10 life, liberty and the nur-
ruit of happiness. But, on the contrary.
There is not an instance on record where
la any conflict between the corporations
aud the people, the strong arm of the mill
:ary power has been employed to protect
Re working people ana the industrial
iaasses from the ravageS of persecution of
corporate greed. But the measure OF char
at,er has reen in the line OF declaring the
corporations always good and In the right
anG he working people always bad and in
vac wioag.
Now, sir, we pledge 10 you the power OF
Dur respective organizations, individually
aud collectively, for the maintenance II
pence and good order and the preservation
# life ana prop rty. and aid IN the punish
1nent Of all criminals. In the present con
test between labor and railway copnra-
lions we shall use every peaCeable and
honorable means at our command cunsis-
INT with the law and our constitutional
lI2hts to secure for the working peonle
Just compensation for labor done and re-
spectacle consideration. in accordance
with the Inherent rights of all men and
The spirit Of republican government. Ia
doing 50 we appeal 10 all the liberty low
IN people OF the nation 10 aid and support
us IA this most just and righteous cause.
EUGENE Y. DEBS.
President OF the \. X. I.
J. X. SOVEREIGN,
Master NORMAN OF the X OF L.