The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-22

EOuEINE
point He said he had no sympathy with
war He was chcered heartily at this
/. point as he referred snrcastically to the
| conquest OF foreign territory as a market
/ for the products OF American industry.
/ Among other things he said that in short
| time Cuba would become plutocratlc
plantation and that It's neople would be
| reduced to Industrial serviuIde and have
/ NO liberty He then went further into the
subject of socialism which he represented
/ as tho natural sequence OF the present
course of events. Socialism he said was
spreading In exact proportion to the edu-
cation Of the peone Proceeding. he pre-.
/ dicted penccghlc revolution by which
the people would vote In the co operative
commonwealth
Replying to the objection that socialism
was not adapted to American soil in thIa
/ country where everybody has the chance
| To become president. he said there we're
100 many men who would swap their
chance for good square meal After
/ other remarks. he described the condition
! OF the coal miners as an illustration Of the
/ results or the present industrial system.
/ Here he apostrpphi2ed labor and appealed
TO worNngmen to enlist in the new Cruz
! sade. organization and education were
/ pointed out as the sure means OF enamel
patton from Industrial serfdom
Among other things he said change
every labor assembly into a school--a coll
lege lie dwelt upon tho necessity for the
| unlhcatlon OF the forces OF labor Continu-
/ ing, he said he would unity the WORKING
/ men and appeal to all men to unite In the
movement for cooperative organization.
| In conclusion, he referred among other
( things, to government ownership OF tho
telegraph Streets. parks and public
schools were referred TO as illustrations
of the operation OF the principle he was
/ advocating,
Again he declared while the audience
cheered, that the cooperative system was
coming Either this. he said. or the
further resolution OF all the trusts in one
/ great trust. He was oheered again when,
4 in saying that he might become wage
slave, he declared it was doubtful whether
any corporation Ia the United States would
employ him.
Jio then described the processes by
which the people We're kept In subsection
/ 10 tho present system.
/ He rotoned 10 the disastrous effects u
| the competitive system upon the lives OF
/ the men who grew rich under It's opera
| tion.
| Referring to Pullman ne said no man
no matter how great could transgress
moral law aud avoid the consequences
| lie described the death scene OF the
/ great multi millionaire and the visions 1t
. q
upon the audience,
! He closed with another appeal for the
co operative commonwealth and Industrial
freedom, and was cheered heartily as he
left the stage
For twenty-five years Eugene " Debs
has been a worker and leader in the labor
movement but it is since he led the
worlds greatest strike and went to prison
rather than obey the order OF court that
he has been well known to the general
public Mr. Debs was born in Terre
Haute Ind. in the autumn OF 1855 and at
the age OF 10 years began his work as a
railway employe in the Nandalia car shops.
Soon after he obtained a position as Hre-
man on freight engine, in which capacity
he served some years, and soon attracted
attention in the councils OF the Brother
hood OF Locomotive Firemen. OF which he
had become member. He was % years
old when that organization made him
editor of It's magazine, and from that day
forward he has been leader II was
afterwards made secretary aud treasurer
cf the organization and saw 10 grow to
National proportions,
In 1892 Mi. nehs founded the American
Railway union, which was the first or
ganl8atiou In the railway world to admit .
TO membership every employe, from the
section man and engine wiper to the con- |
ductor and engineer. It's central idea
was complete and universal organization.
Under his guiding hand It speedily reached
colossal proportions. Its first great strike
was called on the Great Northern railway
Tho read was successfully tied up from
81. Paul 10 the Pacific ocean and the
company forced TO restore the wages of all
employees, amounting in the aggregate 70
many thousands OF dollars month
! Scarcely was the Great Northern Rail- |
way case out OF the way than the Pullman
strike claimed attention, the details and
results OF which are still fresh in the
memory OF the people In the Pullman
matter Debs offered 10 submit the cues
ton TO arbitration and meeting with an
emphatic refusal, ordered the members
Of the union to handle no Pullman cars |
The battle was on and within two DAYS
scarcely q car OF any description was NOV |
Ing between the Mississippi valley and
the Pacific coast. Within q short time the |
commerce. Of the Nation was practically |
paralyzed An appeal was finally taken (
TO the courts. Debs refused TO obey the
courts decree. preferring to go to jail |
for contempt,
Mr.. Dehs was the first leader in the
labor movement In Amerion to offer his
liberty as a protest against the rule OF
corporations. His remarkable ability as
an orator has made him the natural cham !
plon OF the masses against the classes. and |
bis unfaltering movement marks him as
the man destined 70 lead the struggling