New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-24
DEBS AND WAITE.

Two back numbers came together on Friday at
Woodstock. H. They met on the steps Of the
jail One was Eugene V. Dcbs. who for a brief,
but extremely eventful. period year or two
ago. having been put in charge Of the United
States Government by the American Railway
Union. had called halt to pretty much
everything in The country until he should be
reckoned with as to how all business should be
DONE He was the most conspicuous figure on
the whole horizon n year or two ago. He To-
cussed public attention. His name was In every
body's mouth 1t stood out in scare heads In
newspapers all over the country. He seemed to
be the Joshua Of a new dispensation. At his
command not only the sun stood still upon
Gideon and the moon in the Valley OF Ajalon,
but everything else stood still everywhere, in
Guiding railroad trains on the praires and the
United States Government ut Washington. He
seemed, indeed, Just huckleberry ahead OF
Joshua For whereas Joshua held five kings in
Makkedah, Debs held, or appeared to hold, five
aces in Chicago, with profusion OF winning
cards up his sleeve and a full hand at every
important point in the country. Oh, Debs was
c0rker. His like had never been seen. But he
was altogether too gorgeous to last any length or
time He was too expensive. SO presently the
United States Government pulled itself together,
pushed Debs aside and ordered business to be
resumed After hearing at an almost interim
nabe length what Debs and his lawyers had
to say the United States Government put DeDs
in Jail He got out on Friday.
There was quite time at Woodstock jail,
where he had been confined, when he got out.
A great many people from Chicago were there
They fell on his neck and embraced him, and
some of them kissed him: and they did whole
LOT Of things which make funny reading in print.
But the chief figure next to Debs himself on the
Jail steps was Davis II. Waite, formerly Gov
ernor Of Colorado, also n back number waite
had come all the way from Denver to be pres
ent The meeting was pathetic The report
SAYS that "Debs threw his arms around the
"aged ex-Governors neck and said, In tremu-
.lous voice: God bless you, my boy" Plainly
a historic occasion. For Waite hlmsel1 MAJ
been. Il we may be allowed the expression, no
SLOUGH" at filing the public eye somewhere about
the time that Debs was doing with five aces at
Chicago what Joshua did with the five kings at
Gilgal Waite was Governor OF Colorado, ana
as much possessed with the idea that he had
sort Of Divine commission to regulate the
finances Of the country as Dcbs was Win the
notion that he had the same sort OF commission
to regulate wages and establish the relations be-
tween employers and employed. waite startled
the country one day by proposing to deluge II
in blood TO the horses brides II 1t did not fall
in with his ideas Of finance. But as he dld not
call halt to business, nor stop anything, nor
shed any blood or anything else but INK, the
country recovering presently from Its surprise,
began to enjoy him as source OF amusement.
Then in due course he ceased TO be Governor
and became back number.
Both Debs and Waite are "reminiscences.
They recall unique period in the political and
economic history Of the country; period or
ballucination as represented by Waite. and OF
madness as represented by Debs. Waite was
merely wordy: he talked bloodshed. and people
laughed at him Debs was simply devilish in
his plans and purposes. Without actually adj
yising blo0dshed, he set on foot movements that
necessitated IT, In the brief period in which
he held the business Of the country at stand
still he was the cause Of more devilish mischief
and more widespread misery, hardship and pr-
walton than any other demagogue OF his time
lie went to JAIL and suffered such martyrdom
as consists In having comfortable though mar
row. quarters furnished with board at public ex
pense, and the privilege Of editing therefrom
blatherskite newspaper. Waite met him on the
steps of the jail at the expiration OF his term. and
they fell on each others necks unanimously as
described. 1t was the meeting OF feather
headed fool and q mischievous mailman. OF no
consequence to anybody except as each had mo-
mentarly occupied the attention Of sixty mill
ion people and to serve as reminder of an
epidemic Of folly and madness