AN APPEAL FROM DEBS.
As the light of dawn proclaimed the birth of a new day so the events
that this day would bring forth was the all absorbing thought and theme
of a great number of the American people.
All were anxious to learn the situation, whether interested in the
boycott or otherwise, as by this time the whole western part of the
United States had begun to feel the heavy hand of the American Railway
Union boycott, and every railroad from the Missouri to the Pacific
coast, from Manitoba to Mexico, and all centers of importance in the
West, Southwest and Northwest were tied up, because the American Railway
Union men, in the cause of humanity and right, would not operate them
with Pullman sleepers attached, and the railroad managers, in the cause
of oppression, would not allow them to run otherwise.
Thirteen roads centering in Chicago were now completely tied up, the
Santa Fe, Chicago & Northern Pacific, Southern Pacific, Chicago &
Western Indiana, Pan Handle, Monon Route, Chicago & Grand Trunk, Chicago
& Erie, Illinois Central, Baltimore & Ohio, Chicago & Great Western,
Wisconsin Central and Cincinnati Southern, and the General Managers had
begun to realize the futility of carrying on the fight, and if they had
not received encouragement and aid from outside sources, would have in
all probability ended the strike at once by dropping the Pullman cars.
As a prominent railroad man said when asked about the strike situation:
"It is my opinion that the railroads will drop the fight just as soon as
the American Railway Union can demonstrate the fact that Pullman cars
can not be hauled without a long and expensive fight with their own
employes. I know that this view of the case was taken by some of the
managers at a meeting to-day, and Mr. Pullman will be notified that he
must make a settlement with his men at once, otherwise the effected
roads will drop his cars and resume business."
The Union now felt confident of success. President Debs said: "We are
sure to win as our cause is just, there will be no disturbances as the
men have orders that there must be no rioting and no interference
whatever with the roads, other than to refuse to assist to operate them.
"Whatever the officials can do for themselves with the few men at their
command let them do; we propose to be fair and square in this fight, and
if within my power to prevent, not one spike belonging to any road will
be damaged."
And thus the second day of the great strike came to an end.
June 28th added nine more roads to those already tied up.
The Chicago & Northwestern; Chicago & Alton; Union Pacific; Denver & Rio
Grande; Chicago & Eastern Illinois; Pittsburg, Ft. Wayne & Chicago;
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, and the
Stock Yard Terminals, making in all twenty-two roads out and twenty
thousand men on strike in the city of Chicago, and not one act of
violence committed that could be charged to a striker.
The Mobile & Ohio at this time succumbed to the boycott and sidetracked
its Pullman cars promising not to haul them again until the strike was
settled. This rail road is a large corporation, and its surrender to
the American Railway Union was considered a great victory, and the
directors at once ordered the boycott raised as far as this line was
concerned.
Minneapolis and St. Paul was now beginning to feel the effect of the
boycott.
The Northern Pacific was the first in the fight, and the same plan of
action outlined at Chicago was followed at these points when the time
came to make up passenger trains. The switchmen refused to couple on the
Pullman's and were discharged.
The mediation committee at once took up the matter with the manager,
asking him to re-instate the discharged men, which he refused to do, and
as a result the entire system from the Pacific coast to Minneapolis and
St. Paul was called out.
This plan was adopted and carried out on all the rail roads entering the
Twin cities.
The boycott was no longer a fight in the interest of the Pullman
employes alone but had resolved itself into a gigantic contest between
organized labor on the one side, and organized capital on the other, and
although up to this time there had been no violence, no loud
demonstrations, no threats of any kind, the Illinois Central demanded
troops to protect their property, and the militia was ordered out. On
the Pan Handle the Cincinnati Express had the cars of Mr. Pullman
detached, and the officials cried "riot" and asked from Sheriff Gilbert
of Chicago a posse to protect the U. S. mail. This was furnished, and
although the mail cars were not molested in any way, the officials
refused to allow the mail to go forward without the Pullman sleepers
attached.
Seven more railroads had now come under the ban of the boycott making in
all twenty-nine at the close of the fourth day.
On June 29th President Debs issued the following appeal to railway
employes of the country.
"The struggle with the Pullman company has developed into a contest
between the producing classes and the money power of the country.
"This is what Lincoln predicted at the close of the civil war, and it
was this reflection that gave the great emancipator his gloomiest
forebodings. We stand upon the ground that the workingmen are entitled
to a just proportion of the proceeds of their labor. This the Pullman
company denied them. Reductions have been made from time to time until
the employes earned barely sufficient wages to live, not enough to
prevent them from sinking deeper and deeper into Pullman's debt, thereby
mortgaging their bodies and souls, as well as their children's, to that
heartless corporation.
"Up to this point the fight was between the American Railway Union and
the Pullman company. The American Railway Union resolved that its
members would refuse to handle Pullman cars and equipment. Then the
railway corporations through the General Manager's association, came to
the rescue, and in a series of whereases declared to the world that they
would go into partnership with Pullman, so to speak, and stand by him in
his devilish work of starving his employes to death. The American
Railway Union accepted his gauge of war, and thus the contest is now on
between the railway corporations arrayed solidly on the one hand, and
the labor forces upon the other. Every railroad employe of the country
should take his stand against the corporations in this fight, for if it
should be lost corporations will have despotic sway and all employes
will be reduced to a condition scarcely removed above chattel slavery;
but the fight will not be lost. The great principle of American manhood
and independence is involved. Corporate power, drunk with its own
excesses, has presumed too far upon the forbearance of the American
people, and, notwithstanding a subsidized press (to which there are many
notable and noble exceptions), public sympathy is with the striking
employes, who are merely contending for the right of their fellow
toilers to receive living wages for their work.
"I appeal to strikers everywhere to refrain from any act of violence.
Let there be no interference with the affairs of the companies involved
and above all let there be no act of depredation. A man who will destroy
property or violate law is an enemy, not a friend to the cause of labor.
The great public is with us and we need only to maintain a dignified,
honest, straight forward policy to achieve victory. Let it be understood
that this strike is not ordered by myself nor by any other individual;
nor is the strike inaugurated anywhere except by consent and authority
from a majority of the employes themselves.
"Neither is this a fight simply of the American Railway Union. The
question of organization ought not be raised, but every man who
believes in organized railroad labor should take his stand on the side
of labor, and its battles for his rights and those of his fellowmen. I
have faith in the great body of railroad employes of the country and am
confident they will maintain an unbroken front in spite of any
opposition that may be brought to bear against them.
"I am perfectly confident of success. We cannot fail.
E. V. DEBS."