Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-08-01

Below will be found the text Of the
speech made by Eugene V. Debs, the
great labor leader. at Sixteenth and
Chapline streets, this city. last Mon
day evening. We commend it to every
wage Garner and every intelligent and
patriotic citizen
Ladies and Gentlemen and Fellow
Citizens Of West Virginia-Such a
meeting as this is unusually signif-
cant IL bears testimony 70 the fact
that the people in every walk OF life
are aroused. and that there is on
every hand an increasing interest in
the labor question, and that it has eX-
banded to such proportions that it is
taking precedence over all other mat
tiers. 1 shall not appeal to your pre-
judices. l would not il ! could arouse
YOUR passions or incite the populace.
7 appeal to your sense Of business and
to your patriotism, and l ask you TO
examine the conditions under which
millions Of your fellow beings are
dragging out a wretched existence.
and to ask you to get closer together
% close that you can hear one an
others heart throbs. In the words of
Paul. let us reason together. A great
strike is in existence More than $780,.
600 miners are engaged in a struggle
for enough wages to keep soul and
body together With their families
they represent nearly one million peO-
pie
There are a great many excellent
people who are opposed to strikes I'M
der all circumstances Let me admit
in all candOr THAI /, too. am opposed
10 strikes Most CT the time strikes
are of little avail, but now and then
there comes a time when men must
choose between a strike and starva-
ton and slavery, and such time is
upOn us now (Applause) l under
stand perfectly the misfortune Of being
out Of employment But there is
condition infinitely worse-that of the
American wOrkingman degraded and
reduced to a point where he can no
longer resist oppression Then it is
duty to strike / would remind you
that we live under a strike govern
ment (Applause) Every stripe and
star that dignifies and glOritles the
flag is the result of a strike. Our fore
fathers struck at Lexington, and again
at Concord, and so on in a succession
of strikes. And against what? Tyr
amy and oppression and for liberty
and independence, and had II not been
for those striking fOrefathers you and
/ would to-day be subjects Of Great
Britain instead Of sovereign American
citizens. (Applause)
cit is sometimes charged that my
colleagues and myself are agitatOrs.
I plead guilty to the indictment.
Iaughter.) 1 accept the compliment.
daughter The progress Of the world
has been made possible only by agi-
tators. (Applause.) Moses was an ag-
itator. Oaughter.) So was Socrates.
So was Jesus Christ. (Applause) And
the scribeS and Pharisees nailed Him
to the cross. The world has the happy
habit Of crucifying its saviors and
GROWING its OppressOrs. applause
The trouble is, We have too little con-
sideratiOn in this world. So far we are
creatures Of circumstances. "a voice:
That's the stuff l believe in speak
ing the truth az all times. though the
stars fall You tell me to respect pub
lie opinion. Let me admit 10 you that
I have no faith in public opinion, as
either counsellor or guide. Public
opinion. as a general rule, has been and
Is wrong. The few have always led the
world. and finally the minority
becomes the majority. and their
view becomes the right view.
Il is not always popular to speak the
truth. and no one understands that
more perfectly than the ordinary pOliti-
clan. daughter, and a voice: Hit
'em again. Debs.O I'll get around TO
them before / get through. (Laughter)
There are some people who are perfect
" honest. but who are not
inclined to tell the truth
about the labor question, yet
they say they are with us. If YOU are
with us, why not speak out? The man
who is right ought to speak openly. 1
believe in keeping on good terms with
myself, and if / am afraid TO do so.
am dishonest. Self-Tespect is a great
thing. ! don't want 70 be in the pre-
ciCament Of the man who jumped out
Of bed in the night and exclaimed:
There is nobody in this room.
(Laughter0 l propose to walk with
my self-respect, and go to bed with my
manhood (ApplauSe)
''NOw / come TO a discussion Of the
question of this great mining strike.
IL is not a strike i'm the usual accept
ance Of the term. II is not a strike for
recognition or position. but a strike
against starvation and rags Il was
only yesterday | saw miner in the
FairmOnt region. He had worked for
three months. and he was in debt to the
Company S2.77. (Applause.) Nor is
that an extreme instance. / have in
my possession the time sheets of the
men out there, and l know whereof I
speak, and l am prepared to substan-
tiate every statement I make by the
documentary evidence.
I'm the first place. the FairmOnt
miner is robbed by fraudulent meas
urement. It is a notorious fact. II has
been ascertained by the correspondent
of the New York Journal. who made a
full and impartial investigation, and
reported the facts TO that great paper,
that cars which were supposed to hold
two tons Of coal actually. held two and
a half tons and two and three-quarters
tons. a voice. Right YOU are.')
And not only that but after deduct
ing his supplies-that is. the powder,
and oil. and tools. and fifty cents a
month for the company doctor. whe-
ther any one Is sick or not, the miner
nets but Is or 10 cents a ton. But this
is not all, nor the worst Of it all. The
miner is not paid in money. He is
given check, or a book OF checks,
and is compelled to deal at the COM