The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-02
"TIE THEM UP, DEBS y
HOPKINS ALLEGED TO HAVE AD-
VIsED THE BLOODY STRIKE
OF '94.

Meeting of Railway Union Officers
and Others at ex-MnyOr Hopkins
once Before the strike Was Or
dered-WhRt He Is Charged to Have
said on That OccasiOn-Interviev
with Members of the A. =. u. in
Confirmation of the Statement.
Debs' Opinion of Railroad strikes.
Chicago Sept. IA morning paper
says: Ex-Mayor Hopkins advised the
great railroad strike Of 1894. which ended
in such a disastrous loss of property ana
life, and confirms the statement by inter-
views with President Eugene V. Debs
of the American Railway Union in Wood
stock Jail, and ex-Vice President George
W. Howard in this city.
Mr.. Howard declares that some time
previous to the ordering of the strike
against the railroad the American Rail-
way Union officials received word that
Mayor Hopkins would like TO see them. A
meeting was arranged, at which Debs,
Howard. the mayor and his business part
ner Mr.. Secord, one or two city officials
and a newspaper representative. were
present.
Mr.. Howard said his plan was to have
work stopped at the Pullman repair shops
at St. Louis and Ludlow, KY, and then
have the car inspectors of the different
roads refuse to pass sleeping cars in
need Of repairs. AS the railroads would
need to have the usual number of sleep
] nd fhaf
up to the terms of his contract. Pullman
would be unable to do 50, and the roads
would be only too glad to get out from
under his monopoly and he would have
TO do something.
Mr. Secord spoke very emphatically
against Howards proposition, saying that
| Howard's idea was TO have trainmcn re-
fuse to haul Pullman sleepers. If that
was done on one or two of the roaCs II
would shut off the revenue and bring
about a settlement.
According to Mr.. Howard, Mayor Hop
Sins then said: That's right; tie them
up, Debs tie them up If you only get
one or two roads II Will shut on the rev.
enue and bring the old man to arbitration.
l knew him for good many years and
know he will continue to fight The shops
don't cut much of a figure. Money goes
| out there as well as It comes in. As Sc
| cord says, the railroads will make the re-
! pairs on his cars and he can shut down the
shops and keep them closed until the men
| starve. The only thing to do is to tie up
/ some Of the lines that haul his cars"
Mr.. Debs, when seen at the Woodstock
| Jail, said: THE statement is substantially
correct. / do not feel that ii would be
quite right for me to repeat what Mr.
| Hopkins said on that occasion. It has been
/ a good while since then and no public
\ mention has ever yet been made OF the
| conversation. would not Of my own ac-
| cord repeat Il, but since you ask me
whether 1t is true, l can't deny II without
/ lying and If / refuse to discuss the matter
/ its truthfulness will be taken for granted.
/ / do not understand that the conversation
was altogether private. Secrecy was not
| enjoined, but at the same time / have
some delicacy about speaking Of IL. If the
mayor thought he was right, do not see
why he should hesitate to stand by what
| he said"
Mr.. Debs said there would be no more
| great strikes. The strike of last summer
was the climax of railroad disturbances
and this country would not see another
/ one like #. The time had gone by for that
method for settling difficulties between
railway companies and employees.
Asked if he considered himself a mar
| tyr, Mr. Debs said: mo, sir: II requires
/ no courage to bear the penalties OF ones
honest convictions. 1 am not vain enough
or presumptuous enough to lay any claims
| to martyrdom. II was only by the merest
| chance that 1 am in jail on account of
the strike. 1t might have been any other
one out of the millions of people in this
| country"
| Mr.. Debs has served over three months
| of his jail sentence and says he will be
| glad when the remaining three are over.
Meanwhile, he spends sixteen hours a day
| over his books and correspondence. He
| looks well and is enjoying good health.