The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-23

wrested from the weak by the strong, or
has been placed in peril by those who were
commissioned to guard 1t, as Gheber priests
watch the sacred fires they worship, what
is to be done? Leaving all other nations,
kindred and tongues out of the question.
what is the duty of Americans? Above
all, what is the duty of American working
men, whose liberties have been placed
bondsmen. Their fathers were free
born - their sovereignty none denied,
and their children yet have the
ballot. 1t has been called "A weapon that
executes free mans will as lightning
does the will of God 1t is metaphor
pregnant with life and truth. There is
nothing in our Government it cannot re-
move or amend. 1t can make and I'M
make Presidents and Congresses and
courts. It can abolish unjust laws and
consign to eternal odium and oblivion I'M
Just Judges, strip from them their robes
and gowns and send them forth unclean
as lepers to bear the burden of merited
obloquy, as Cain with the mark of a MUIR
derer. 1t can sweep away trusts, syndi-
Gates, corporations, monopolies and every
other abnormal development of the money
power designed to abridge the liberties of
workingmen and enslave them by the
degradation incident to poverty and en-
forced idleness, as cyclones scatter the
leaves of the forest. The ballot can do all
this and more. 1t can give our civillza-
ton its browning glory-the cooperative
commonwealth"
The speaker then reverted to the incar-
ceration Of the A. K. U. men at Wood
stock as a subtle invasion OF the liberties
OF the American people by the courts, sus-
tanned by an administration equally dead
to the guarantees of the constitution. He
continued:
II am not here TO assert the infallibility
of the American Railway Union or its
officials or to claim exemption from error.
But | am here to declare to every friend of
American toilers, regardless of banner,
name or craft, that if the American Rail
way Union has erred it has been on the
side of sympathy, mercy and humanity,
zeal in great cause and devotion to the
spirit of brotherhood which knows no ar
tificial boundaries. 1t is in no spirit of
laudation that [ aver here tonight that it
has fallen to the lot of the American Rail-
way Union to arouse the workingmen to a
sense of the perils that environ their
liberties.
81 have said that in the great battle of
labor fought in 1894 between the American
Railway Union and the corporations
banded together under the name of "Gen-
eral Managers Association" victory would
have perched upon the standards of labor
if the battle had been left to these con-
tending forces; and this statement, which
has been verified and established beyond
truthful contradiction, suggests the in
quiry, What other resources had the cor
porations aside from their money and the
strength which their federation conferred?
SIN replying to this question 1 am far
within the limits of accepted facts when [
say the country stood amazed as the cor
porations put forth their latent powers to
debauch such departments of the Govern
ment as were required to defeat labor in
the greatest struggle for the right that
was ever chronicled in the United States.
Defeated at every point, their plans all
frustrated, outgeneraled IN tactics and
strategy, while the hopes of labor were
Frightening and victory was in sight, the
corporations, goaded to desperation,
played their last card in the game of
oppression by an appeal to the Federal
judiciary and to the Federal administra-
ton. To this appeal the response came
quick as lightning from storm cloud. 1t
was an exhibition of the debauching power
of money which the country had never
before beheld."
In closing Mr.. Debs said: 81 have borne
with such composure as l could command
the imprisonment which deprived me of
my liberty. Were I a criminal, were I
guilty of crimes meriting prison cell, had
l ever lifted hand against the life or the
liberty of my fellow man, had l ever sought
to fitch their good name, [ would not be
here. | would have fed from the haunts
of civilization and taken up my residence
in some cave where the voice of my kim
bred is never heard But | am standing
here without self accusation of crime or
criminal intent fostering in my conscience,
in the sunlight once more, among my
fellow men, contributing as best l can to
make this Liberation day from Woodstock
Prison a memorial day, realizing that, as
Lowell sang:
Hes true to God who's true TO man; wherever
wrong is done,
To the humblest and the weakest meath the all
beholding sun,
That wrong is also done to us, and they slaves
most base,
Whose love OF right is for themselves and not for
all their race"
After the meeting Mr.. Deps said: 81 will
now go home and remain there engaged
in office work connected with the A. r. U.
| will then start on a tour of the country
making public speeches, the first to be
made in Milwaukee, the 18th of next
February. l am not going 10 lecture, but
will make public speeches-partly in the
interest of the A. r. O., but generally in
the interest of labor"
III [W lip A IhRcE Nail |