Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-09-11

The chairman then named as the
committee "on resolutions and plan of
action" w. c. Pearce, of the miners;
w. ID. Mahon of the street railway
men; Victor Berger of Milwaukee,
who represents the social democracy.
in whose favor Mr.. Debs declined; &.
{. Clemens of Topeka, representing
the populists, and James r. Sover-
eign.
For an Extra Session Of Congress.
Mr.. N~atchford then took the floor.
He went over the miners strike from
its inception TO the present day and
dwelt particularly upon government
by injunction" He pleaded for prompt
action, and, coming TO the point of his
argument, advocated a special session
OF congress as the best, and, in fact,
the only relief. 81 believe" said Mr..
Ratchford, "a special session of on
gress is necessary to define the rights
Of the people of this country-if they
have any. j believe that if sufficient
time be given the president Of the
United States will call q special session
of congress to act on the matter of in
functions and find means of relief from
the existing troubles in the labor
world.
I'm case of refusal" said Mr.. Ratch-
ford, impressively, after an outburst
of cheering had subsidized. lit will then
be tim to consider more extreme
measures. | am in favor, IL the presi-
dent refuses 10 call congress together,
of n complete paralysis of business. |
believe then in a sympathetic strike"
Pat O'Neill of Rich Hill, Mo-, who
said he represented 1900 "unorgan-
lied picks" favored n labor revolution.
He was II socialist, he said, and be-
lieved in the miners taking things in
their own hands if necessary. His
fiery harangue pleased the audience
greatly.
Mr.. Sovereign put himself on record
as opposed TO Mr.. Ratchford's plan.
He believed this would be the last ron
l~ ssaalsS IL rs srs es,a sSs iaSs srssse' sens
Mr.. Mahon Of Detroit, said n resolu-
tons committee was useless. The con
vention should vote on Ratchford's
proposition and then go home. He
was opposed to Mr.. Ratchford's propo-
sition. Mr.. Mahon, as did his prede-
cessor, took "A fling at Senator Hanna.
Mr.. Mahon said the president would
have to get Hanna's consent to the
converting of congress.
Thinks the Battle Lost in Illinois.
James N. Carson, president of the
Illinois minters, then recited at great
length the conditions confronting the
miners Of his state, and said he be-
lieved his men would be beaten in two
weeks.
kilograms of greeting and protests
against governments by injunction
were received from the populist execu-
tive committee of the Sixteenth con-
gressional district of Ohio, the Ger
man Trades assemly Of Philadelphia
and the Atlanta Federation of Trades.
Mr.. Ratchford took exception to Mr..
Carson's statement that the Illinois
miners had lost their strike. lie said
the miners were winning their strike,
and furthermore, his men were not
asking this convention for aid. They
wanted this gathering to eradicate, if
! possible, the power of injunction.
Taking n fling at Miner Pat O'Neill, he
said q a who advocated the use of
Winchesters had no place in the con-
vention. "Down III way" said Mr..
Ratchford, miners don't know how to
handle guns"
James Hogan, formerly of the A. r.
IT,, and now representing the social de-
mocracy of Chicago, General" Brad
ley of commonweal fame, and "Gen-
eral" Heincman, n Texas popuIist.
kent mp the flow of words until 8
o'clock, when the convention adj
journed until this morning at 0 o'clock
when the resolutions committee is ex-
pected to report.
Mass Meeting Mt Night.
Less than 1000 people, among whom
were a large number of ladies, assem-
bled in Masonic hall last night to listen
to addresses cy prominent labor lead
ers brought to the city by the confer
ts snS&n Iesrs Y " ue naSe f ensmqsl snas
Eugene V. Debs, president of the social
democracy, would not speak there were
signs OF indignant disappointment and
loud cries for hat noted leader. On
the stage were a number OF the most
notable Of the delegates to the confer
ence.
Grand Master Workman Sovereign,
who presided. made an impassioned ad-
dress, in which he said that the labor
ing men of this country are now face
to face with the last great problem OF
civilization-their rights and liberty OF
free speech. He predicted that the con-
ference would result In the issuance OF
an cdict that would lead to a new era
of liberty to the laboring classes Of
America.
The presiding officer then called for
Eugene v. Debs, and John f. Kelley an
nounced that he was busy with the
committee on resolutions and could not
attend the meeting. He sent word,
however. that after the presentation OF
the report of the committee this morn
ing he would make an expression of his
views on the question before the con-
ference. John ". Lloyd OF Chicago spoke
In his stead. He said the injunction was
the last nail In the coffin OF freedom and
Justice and predicted hat there would
never be an effective strike until every
wheel of industry In the country was
stopped.
Among the other speakers were
Frank Stevens, who said that the only
solution Of the question was the single
tax; NJ. ID. Mahon, q. G. Clemens. Owen
Miller and M. d. Ratchford. who was
the last OF the program.
The statement of Mr.. Sovereign that
the committee on resolutions had formu-
lated q plan Of action was controverted
late last night by the assertion Of IN
other member Of the committees that no
decision had been reached. The COM
mittee was In truth just getting ready