St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-05
DEBS WAS ELOQUENT.
The A. r. U. Leader Addresses
a Monster Mass Meet
ing
OF CHEERING UNION MEN.
He Declares He Will Stand
Pat Till the Last
Hour,
THOUGH DRAGGED TO DOOM.
Hon. W. w. Erwin Introduces
the Leader to the
Audience.
OF CHEERING UNION MEN.
THOUGH DRAGGED TO DOOM.

Those who think that the sentiment
Of The working people has deserted
Eugene Y. Debs, the great leader in the
recent big railroad strike, would change
their minds if they witnessed the ova-
ton he received on his appearance at
the mammoth mass meeting in Market
hall last night.
The hall was packed, every seat being
occupied long before s o'clock, and by
the time Mir. Debs arrived and the
meeting was called 10 order there was
not spare inch of room on the main
floor, in the gallery or en- the stage.
Those occupying seats drew the rows
OF chairs closer together, men crowded
together in the aiSieS anu in the rear
just as tight rs Sardines in a box, so
that it would have been impossible for
he famous leader to reach tie stage had
he not entered through the side door
and come up in the rear of the stage.
The audience had grown little i'm
patient waiting, and began making
more or less noise before Debs arrived.
but as soon as the movements of those
on the stage indicated The presence of
the great leader everything became
still, and those on the floor began cram
ing their necks to get a first glance at
him when he stepped from behind the
screen. Then, when he walked out on
the center of the stage, after shaking
hands with John Fischer. of the cigar
makers union, w. W. Erwin and
few more friends who greeted him, the
silence broke and cheer after cheer
went up for over a minute. When
silence was restored John Fischer called
the meeting to order and introduced Mr..
ErwIn, who made short. feeling speech,
and then introduced Mr.. Debs.
Debs spoke in an earnest, deliberate
manner for upwards of two hours, and
the interest he excited may be estimated
by the fact that Notwithstanding the
uncomfortable situation Of the audi.
enct. packed as it was. scarcely man
left the hail until he had concluded,
In his speech
ur. Erwin Said:
"Ihe grayest crisis that has ever con-
fronted This ropuolic enters at this time
before you. The peace, the hope. the
safety, the every future Of this republic
stand menaced at this hour by a power
that deserves to 90 down as an infamv.
For the first time i'll the history of the
republic one Of its citizens is about to
De incarcerated for the exercise of his
own conscientious privileges, the right
of free speech. The genius of this gov.
eminent has been directed toward the
protection OF this privilege for eyery
individual. 1t has so happened by the
perverslty Of laws that men, for the ex.
ercise Of this individual privilege, are
about TO he incarcerated, AS to how
this has been accomplish can be best
told by him who comes here to BID Won
farewell. stand as he stood in Chicago
crying Peace! peacev
II say crisis has approached, and
my words will be heralded to the re-
hottest corners Of the republic. DID
the nation rise and instruct its officers
to purge the country of its tyrant, Pull
man? Strong as the republic was, not
single force afforded any relief from
the grasp OF this tyrant. The workmen
said, in peace and self,sacrifce, and In
the face OF dominant tyrany: we will
not remain silent under such oppres-
Slon.' Was ii in the interest of private
gain that the workingmen banded