The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-07-13
DEBS' STATEMENT

The tlttm~ nf the >tftk"fr ioish ~"
a Iorslhle Vet Very Conservative Man.
ncr~A Revolt Against Practical slavery.
CHICAGO. July q. Eugene y. Debs,
president ~ the American Railway
union. yesterday issued long state
mcnt In justification Of the great strike
of which he il The central figure. The
article il addressed TO the public"
and reads as follows:
The Pullman employees who struck on May
last did 80 entirely ~ their own accord The
officers 81 the American Railway union used
all their influence 10 paclfv the employees ana
advised them repeatedly not 70 strike. but 70
bear patiently their grievances until peace-
able settlement could he Effected. To the
truth ~ his statement the tmploycs them
selves viii bear willing testimony.
Bui the grievances OF the employees. men and
women had become 80 aggravated. 80 CALLING.
that patience deserted them and they nhan-
d0ned their employment rather than submit
longer 10 conditions against which their very
souls rehelled The Pullman company. be Il
understood. owns the town az Pullman owns
the houses. the homes 81 the employees. con-
trolls the light and water ANA other nee as>aries
OF life, and vases are 80 adjusted 70 living cN-
pcnscs that IN d large majority OF cases the
employees are barely able To support their fam
lilies Al the time they struck the employees
were IN arrears 10 the Pullman company 500
90 for rent alone Wages had been repeatedly
reduced. but rent and otherexpcnscs remained
the
The employees from the beginning have been
willing To arbitrate their differences with the
! company. but the company arroeantly de-
clares that there is nothing 20 arbtratc II
this be true, why not allow a board ~ fair and
impartial arbtrators todeterfnne the fact
Committee after committee waited upon the
officers Of the Pullman company. but all their
advances were repealed. Finally. on June IL.
the delegates 10 the American Railway union.
representing rs local unions ~ railway en-
ployes. located on the principal lines OF Ameri-
can railway. discussed the Pullman trouble at
Chicago and as a last resort the delegates de-
termncd that unless the Pullman company
would agree To do Justice 10 their employees
within five days the members of the order
would decline to haul Pullman cars. This ac-
tion. be IL remembered. was not taken until
the strike had been on six weeks
Up this point the trouble was confined 10
, the Pullman company and It's employees How
! then did The STRIFE extend To the railways,
4 lie, the answer he given in accordance with
the facts. The day before the order ~ the
delegates declining 10 haul Pullman cars went
into eject the General Managers association.
\ representing the principal western railways.
met and passed series " resolutions, dcclar-
I ing in substance that they would uphold the
\ Pullman company ia It's fight upon the en-
ploycs. that they would haul pullman ears,
and that they would stand together ia crush
ing out the American RAILWAY union.
II Will thus be seen that the railroad COM
panics virtually joined forces with the Pull
man company went into partnership with
them, 10 defeat their half-Staryci employees.
In this way the trouble extended from
railway system 70 railway system. The bnsi
ness ~ the country j. demoralizcd 20 an ex-
tent that dcte~ description. To say that the
situation il alarming j. entirely within the
ttn.4A of I.sftf .flf4 nj trAn
citizen must view the outlook with grave con-
| Germ. Something should something must be
done. The American people are lraace-lovine
] people they want neither anarchy nor regou-
tion. They have faith in their institutions
| they believe ia law and order-ihey believe In
good government. but they also believe in fair
play. once aroused they will not tolerate ar
ptrary and dictatorial defiance. even on the
part " an alliance OF rich and powerful cor
porationS.
What can he done 10 dispel the apprehension
that now prevails. and restore peace and con-
fidcnces The American Railway union. by
whose authority. and in whose behalf this
statement is made. stands ready has from the
beginning stood readyto do anything In il
power provided II is honorable, to end thi'
trouble.
This. briefly stated. Is the position the or
ganization occupies. II simply insists that th'
Pullman company shall meet It's employees am
do them justice. We guarantee that the latte
will accept any reasonable proposition. lie
them agree rs far a. they can. and where the'
fail to agree let the points In dispute be sub
mitted 10 arbitration.
The question OF the recognition OF the Amer
lean Railway union any other organization
j. waived. We do not ask. nor have we eve
asked. for recognition as an organization. We
care nothing about thai. and far a. are
concerned. it has no part In the controversy
Let the officers deal with the employees with
out reference to organization. Let the spin
Of Cancellation. mutual concession and compro
mise animate and govern both sides. and their
will be trouble In reaching settlement
that will be satisfactory 70 all concerned Thi
done. let the railway companies agree to re
store all their employees to their situation
without prejudice. and the trouble will b.
ended.
have now clearly and briefly as possibl
stated the position Of the American Railwa
union as it was at the beginning ~ the trouble
as il T. now. We have been deliberately an
malicOusy misreprcScnted. but We hav
borne IL all with unwayering faith that tn
truth Will finally and powerfully prevail. w
firmly believe our cause j. just. aud while W
hold that belief we will not reccdc. Were W
to sacrifice the multiplied thousands Of wage
wor.icrS who have committed their interest
10 our hands, and WELD 70 the pressure 81 cor
porate power. would be totally unworthy 0
American citizenship.
II has been asked. what sense Is there :
sympathetic strikes Let the corporation
answer. when one Is asSailed an 10 to tn
rescue: they stand the ground. they suppl
each other with men. money and equipments
Labor. ia unifying its forces. simply follow
: their example II the proceeding is viclou
aud indefensible let them first abolish Il. /
this contest labor viii stand by labor Othc
organizations will not be called out. hut the
will 70 out. and the spectacle ~ Mr. Pullman
famed by the bieezes ~ the Atlantic. Will
his employees are starving. Is not calculated I
prevent their fellow wage workers from goin
to their rescue by the only means al their com
mand.
Let me repeat that we stand ready to do ou
. part toward avertinr the impending cri>i
We do not want Official recognition. All v
, ask Is fair play for the men who have chose
w. to represent them.
The statement closes with thes
words:
II the corporations refuse to yield and stub
borny maintain that there Is nothing TO arbi
trate," the responsibility for what may ensu
will be upon their own heads and they canno
: escape It's penalties.
, President Debs announces that Gov
Altgcld has been prevailed upon to in
. vcstigate the ordering of armed fedora
: troops into the state without the con
- a. 4.