The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1908-10-15
NO. 10.
WHAT IT ALL MEANS
Debs, the Man, and Why He Asks Your Support.
Tenth Of a series of non-partisan articles written
for Voters, recent Naturalized Citizens, Busy Folk
who have not followed political events closely,
and our Boy and Girl readers.
BY Gibson GARDNER.

n in q coincidence that the three
leading presidential candidates
have played important roles IN the
Industrial comedy called Govern
mcnt BY inIuncfiun."
II was Secretary TAN. aian. as
United states Judge for the south.
ern district Of Ohio. who rendered a
d~cialoa that waa upheld by the
united States supreme court and
which was the precedent upon
which Eugene V. Debs vas con
demned 10 serve aix months In the
Woodstock uill Jail for alleged
contempt II court during the "a.
nous A. r. Y. strike in 1894.
u Nae w J. nryan. who two
years later. when the labor ele-
mont " the country we're indlk'
nantly protesting against govern
ment BY Injunction. iniected the
question into politics and ~as sup
ported by Dcbs until the isaue was
ahelved after tho memorable 20.
Iltical battle ~ 1895.
The name Of Deha IL closely a..
ISOLATED with revolutionary. indus.
trial and political movements Of
the paat two decades. lie vas born
10 Tefre iauts. Ind. aud viii eel.
citrate his fifty third birthday b
reading the election returns next
month Debs sent 10 work on the
vandalla railway a. a locomotive
fireman when rs and attended
school ia the evenings 90 complete
his education At Is he Was
elected city clerk ~ Terre Hauie
and three years later waa chosen
member OF the Indiana legislas
ture
Previously. lin ls77 Dehs was
elected general secretary treasurer
81 the locomotive fireman and edi.
tor 0f their magazine. The brother
hood was composed of go lodges
and a bankrupt treasury by uroless
work Dcbs built up the order 20
2g6 lodges with a hlg balance In thu
treasury and then resigned.
Hts ambition wss 10 amalgamate
all the warning factions IN railroad.
ting into one gigantic organization.
and so In iGs3 the celebrated Ameri.
can Railway union vas launched
with Dchs a. president. salary SIS
per month. In less than a year the
union won the greatest railway
strike IN American labor history
TYING mp the Great Northern com
pletelY.
MAY n. 1894 the famous Pullman
strike against the conditions exist
ing In the model town" began
Deba vas opposed 90 calling out the
railway men in sympathy. but was
l outvoted ia convention and by thg
Fourth OF July many of the leadlns
railroads Of tho country were
paralyzcd Then came iniunctions
aud Grover Cleveland's troops ovei
the protest of GOV. Altgeld, aud b.
the use OF all the powers OF govern
ment and the railways. the strike
was broken and Dobs and his aaso
ciatea were imprisoned for conspira
cy and contempt OF court. The con
spiraey case. although partially
tried. has never been concluded de
Z spite all the efforts Of the defen
danta 10 secure hearing.
/ While In the Woodstock fail Deb,
read all the leading works ct
political economy He left prison
/ tNov, %. 1880 a convert 70 social
ism. and when he arrived In Chlca
10 In the evening he was rendered
a great reception.
The candidate was asked q
write. for publication In connec
ton with this article. his presen
claims for the public support OF IN,
socialist ticket lie gave his rea
\ sons as follows;
"fhe socialist party holds tina
!. the people are the government