Griggs courier., 1895-03-08
DEBS LECTURES.
The Famous Labor Leader Addresses q
= Large Audience In Chicago.

Large Audience In Chicago.
CHICAGO, March e.-E. v. Debs, pres
ident of the American Railway union,
delivered his lecture: "Who are the
Conspirators," to an audience Of
5000 people at the Auditorium
Thursday night. The address was
replete with caustic utterances
aimed at the general managers, the
United States deputy marshals and the
courts, and the crowd applauded the
speaker generously. 1.-THE railroads
will find out before they get through
that they undertook bigger contract
than they imagined when they tried
to down the American Railway union, :"
said Mr.. Debs. 1.-The general manage, 8
could have averted the Pullman strike
it they would have only said one word,
but that one word was wanting" After
very extensive review of the causes
that led up to the great strike of %,
Debs said:
If the railroads would pay dividends on
honest investments they would be able to pay
honest wages. The General Managers as
sociation went into partnership with the
:, pullman ina company to crush the life out
preconceived idea of all the railroads to
lower the wages Of employees OF all the rail-
roads all over the country. This has been
done as history will show. In their articles
OF faith. as published in Chicago morning
paper. the General Managers, association de-
clared that they would stand mutually
dependent and that they would furnish
money. men and equipment to each other
and that they wished to foster sympathetic
strikes so that the proposed cut in wages
would be effective and far-reaching Tho
General Managers association was formed for
forcing sympathetic strikes, and who, then. are
the conspirators:"
The speaker praised Judge Caldwell
as the fairest-minded man on the bench.
Turning his attention to the deputy
marshals, Mr.. Debs said:
When 1 was here few days ago met Capt.
Palmer. Of the Chicago fire department. He
told me that When his company was fighting the
fire in the line Of box near Fifty Nth street
during the strike he found a man cutting the
hose there. He promptly 'slugged him and
saw that he wore deputy marshals' star. Two
officers In citizens clothes caught two men
with oiled waste in box Car and they were
also found to be wearing deputy marshals
stars. These marshals were from the scum of
the CITY,"
In conclusion Mr.. Debs said that the
corporations had driven freedom out
| OF the land, but he still had confidence
in the integrity of the people, and ex-
pected to see that freedom restored
through the medium of the ballot box,
which it was still possible for the work.
ing people to control. He added:
The working people arc beginning to think
and they will soon begin to act. They will not
continue to supplicate for their rights. bu,
they will take them. Not in violence, not In
riotinR. not in anarchy, but in lawful man
ner will they take them
Il have come to believe that industrial
strikes cannot help the working people. They
increase the sense Of oppression. But do be-
lieve that the working people will inaugu,atl
| strike. not by leaving their employment bu,
| by striking ut the ballot box. I believe bet.
! ter day is dawning. II the night is dark. 1 be
lieve that the dawn of the day Of emancipa
| tion is close at hand"