The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1897-02-12
LAB0R'S LEADER
Eugene V. Debs Delivers An Address
in Butte.
SAID TO BE A MASTERLY EFFORT
He Deals Considerably With Strikes and
Gives Some Good Sound Advice to
His Auditors

Eugene V. Debs, the great labor
last Monday evening, and from "a per-
usal of it in the daily papers we would
judge it to he a mastery effort. The
speech was that of one who thoroughly
understands his subject and has his
whole soul wrapped up III his work.
He advocated temperate and conserva-
tive action Oh the part of organized
labor and while he did not dscoun-
tenance strikes he urged the eXertion of
all peaceful means II gain an end be-
fore striking. Gf r.kes he said
II am no. here to appeal to the
prejudiCeS OF mCn on to arraign man
against 'rau would not if | could.
But let u ;,et close together and con-
slider these things and sec if we cannot
devise some plan for overcoming the
evils and distress we see about us. |
have made up my mind that there is
something wrong. Some mon say
ought to have respect for public Opiu-
| ion. | don't hesitate to tell you that |
have not the slightest respect for what
|
| ion mas aided, abetted and sanctioned
every public wrong and outrage the
world has ever known. Public opinion
in this day il very often manufactured
and expounded by q vicious and un-
principled press. Washington, .letter-
sou, Hancock and Franklin stood al
most alone when they said taxation
without representation was not right.
They held Il little meeting and the tor
les called them a2itators. The world
has always held agitatuTs in disrespect.
Il take all the harsh terms that have
been applied to that name and say that
I am glad to be called an agitator
Washington was hated and vilihed
more than any president since his
time, but he stood erect for what was
right With Franklin. Jefferson and
others he was called a rebel. a striker
and revOlutionist. The tories cried,
Let us have peace, but the agitators
stood together They said we may
have to go to war. but they said if we
must, we will do so that our children
and our children's s children may have
peace. If there are any in this audience
who are opposed to strikes, let them re-
member that we are under a striking
government. The revolution. from
Lexington to Yorktown, was "a constant
series of strikes-strikes against op
preston, and but for those strikes We
would still be under the British yoke.
If it We're not for the oppression OF
laborers by the employers there would
be no labor organizations today. Why
do laborers organize? They combine
through instincts of preservation.
Before the individual employer wa:
supplanted by the corporation, the en-
ployer was in touch with the laborer
but the corporation. creation of the
law, cannot be reached by the laborer
1t has no eyes, no ears, no soul, nc
conscience-only an appetite, and the
more you feed it the hungrier it grows
The workingman feels that he is op
pressed and there is ranking in his
breast He cannot feed his wife and
educate his children on the pittance he
receives for his labor, and he does not
know what to do. He goes to his fel-
low workmen and asks: What shall
we dog Let us strike, says his fell
low laborers. but they decide to first
see their employer, SO they call on the
superintendent with their grievance
but the superintendent is only an EN-