Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-09-11
THELADOR CONFERENCE
1t Is Aroused by Speech From
Eugene V. Debs.
ANOTHER MEETING THIS MONTH

10 Assemble I'm Chicago aud Take
Further Action 'sin the Interest ot
kehs TofIers''-Meantfme the strilxs
May BE Settled by Arbitration.
ST. Louis. Sept. The conference Of
labor leaders OF the country which h.,
been In session here two DAYS anishe6
It's work last evening. The meeting wa,
productive OF several sensational
speeches and many resolutions. vet nc
decisive action was taken In the prin.
clpsl matter for which the catherine
was commemorative adjustment of
government by injunction. The con.
Vention, which had been announced
as the last one OF its kind to be held.
Whiie ao1ournins sine die. has merely
postponed matters on the action before
II for three weeks. as 9. cau for a sintIa,
conference, to be held in Chicago ON
Monday, Sept. q. was issued.
Among the resolutions adopted. which
vigorously denounce the injunctions is
sued by the courts against strikers.
was one declaring. That we hereby
set apart Friday. the third day OF Sep
temoer. 1897, as Good Friday" for
the cause OF suffering labor In America.
and contribute the earnings of that day
to the support OF our struggling broth
ers, the miners. and appeal to every
union man and every friend of labor
throughout the country 70 do likewise
Mr.. Debs and Social Democracy"
dominated the convention, and the IA
nous labor leader carried the gathering
or its feet in the afternoon in one OF
MS characteristic speeches. In the
course OF which he said:
Certain II is there are thousands of
our fellow citizens suffering, and GER
tain 1t is this cannot last The time
win come to incite the populace. When
this time comes you can depend on me.
Will not stand in the rear and ask you
to go ahead. 1 will be in front, and say
to you, Come on I shrink from blood
shed, but II this is necessary to pre-
serve liberty and our rights In that
event viii shed the last drop of blood
that courses through my veins.
''Plutocracy cannot buy me. They
may send me to jail. may ostracise
me or may hang me, but. in the lam
guage Of the revolutionary heroes. /
do not propose to part company with
my self respect. independence and
manhood. We no longer have q re-
public. There is not vestaRe Of II
left. The judiciary OF this country has
placed a paddock on my lips. forbid
den me 20 walk on public highways
and destroyed all OF my rights. I sub
NIT because you compelled me TO. I am
helpless appeal to you and to the
country to come to the front, take this
cause to heart, and these questions will
then be solved. 1 will be free and so
will you.
THE Significance OF this movement
portends new and important Develop
ments along the line Of battle. look
forward to the time when people will
dethrone the power that has enslaved
them. The movement is marching
grandly forward, and plutocracy will
soon understand that slavery and
despotism have no rights to place on
American soil"
AS Mr.. Debs finished the delegates
rose to their feet, threw their hats in
the air and crowded forward to greet
the speaker. Chairman Prescott pound
ed vigorously for order. but II was
fully FIVE minutes before the convention
recovered from the spell which Mr..
Deb's oratory had cast about them.
A resolution, introduced by Mr.. Ma
hon, of Detroit, calling upon all miners
now at work to desert their posts and
terming them enemies OF human ub-
erty 80 long as they remained on duty.
was adopted.
Notwithstanding the convention
early In the morning had declined to
act on President Ratchford's resolu-
ton requesting President Mckinley 70
convene congress for the purpose Of de-
fining the authority OF judges in the
matter OF injunctions a resolution 10
that effect, but requesting the conven-
ton 10 ask President Mckinley 70 act
I'm that direction, introduced by w. ID.
Ryan. the Illinois organizer, went
through with a whoop. and shortly be-
fore o'clock the convention adjourned
sine die.
Mr. Ratchford. who was especially
pleased with the conventions instruc-
lions regarding the request for the con-
vening OF congress. hurried away last
| night to Columbus, where he will at
tend conference OF mine workers and
operators tonight. Just before his de-
parture he was shown the dispatch
from Columbus. o. that the