Evening journal., 1897-09-01
.DEBS ON THE STRIKE
The Labor Leader Declares Him
self at st. Louis
TRADES UNIONIST AND SOCIALIST.
Thus He Styles Himself In His Address
to the Conference-says All Ju-
dicial Power Is Arrayed
Against His Cause.


dicial Power Is Arrayed
Against His Cause.
St. Louis. Sept 1.-The labor conven-
ton now being held here was addressed
last night by Mr. Sovereign and Mr.. Eu-
gene v Debs, the labor leader MT.
Debs spoke in part as follows:
Il believe the gravity of the indus
trial situation IN this country Is well
understood 1t is quite evident the deli
egates to this convention are cognizant
of the fact that civil liberty is dead In
America. / have said and say again
for the last time j have appealed TO the
courts for justice and shall appeal to
them no more. The A. r.. u. expended
$4,000 to have the question of civil
rights tested in the supreme courts or
the United States only TO be told that
we have no rights that capital was
bound to respect Shall we appeal to
the supreme courts again? No. We
appeal to this convention and to the
/ country for an uprising of all the COM
mon people in every walk of life to
| beat back the courts and re-enthrone
the rights of the American people. La
Dor day is near. What shall we do? l
predict my friends, that we will see the
extraordinary spectacle Of enslaved la
! Dor rattling It's chains and dancing to
! the music Labor is the cheapest COM
modify on Gods earth. and yet there
are those who would have it at lower
price. only the other day the united
voice Of labor was raised against the
appointment Of Mr. Powderly TO fed
eral position, and / notice that he was
promptly put into the place.
From the justice of the peace to the
Justice OF the supreme court Of the Unit
ed States all the judicial powers Of the
United States are directed against labor.
All the organized forces Of society are
against labor. and If labor expects to
emancipate itself labor itself must
do it,.
Destitution Among Miners.
Mr. Debs then told the convention
that much desttution existed among
the miners Of the once proud state OF
Indiana and stated that 1000 under
ground workers aud their families were
straving He read the report of the
committee appointed byGovernor Mount
to examine into the condition Of the
miners ofIndiana and then took up the
thread of his argument
"The time has not quite come to in
cite the populace' said Mr.. Debs, shak-
ing his fist vehemently. IT serve no.
tice on the plutocratic element Of this
country that we are on the eve of an
other meeting in Chicago which VIII
be attended by all branches Of labor.
That convention will take up these same
questions and viii institute agitation
and will keep it going until the public
conscience and public heart are aroused.
] rrrffT mn a 4
world has never seen.
Il did not come TO this convention tc
exploit Social Democracy or any other
movement. There is something greater
In this movement than any one element
can manage-the emancipation Of la
Dor. There is no division here. Each
man Is entitled to his own opinion and
his right to express il, each man to his
duty as becomes that man. ] am side
by side with you. 1 am a trades union
list and a socialist. Whenever the trades
unions of this country decide to do bat
tie with our common enemy they car
, count upon us to come to the front ano
take our places side by side with then
and fight with them.
! Ratchford Noncommittal.
When shown the dispatch from Co.
lumbus, o., stating that the coal strike
/ was considered there as settled Presi
dent Ratchford of the United Min,
Workers Of America acknowledged tha
r he had received a proposition to have
the miners resume work at Ga cents
S pending arbitration. He added "Oul
n executive council meets at Columbus
K tonight. and the proposition of Mr.
. Young. who represents a large number
y of operators. viii be considered will
e other matters. / must decline to dis
% cuss the proposition until after It is sub
{ mitted to the council. 1t would not b
f right for me to do so.
h This convention has given US verl
4 material aid already. The money tina
n win he collected under the resolution
& passed will amount to between 100000
and $5,O0O,0OO, and It viii keep us aliv
a long time. IL allows us to go on will
the strike without fear of starvation"