Debs: His Life, Writings and Speeches, with a Department of AppreciationsDebs, Eugene V. (Eugene Victor)
History
Debs: His Life, Writings and Speeches, with a Department of Appreciations
Debs, Eugene V. (Eugene Victor)
Socialism -- United States; Socialist Party (U.S.)
This is how and why the mails were obstructed and this was the pretext
for Federal interference. In a word, President Cleveland, obedient to
the railroads, took sides with them and supported them in their conflict
with their employes with all the powers of the Federal government.
STRIKE COMMISSION REPORT VS. CLEVELAND.
To bear out these facts it is not necessary to go outside of the
official report of the Strike Commission, which anyone may verify at his
pleasure. The only reason I do not incorporate the voluminous evidence
is that the space at my command must be economized for other purposes.
It is thus made clear that President Cleveland and his Cabinet placed
the government at the service of the railroads.
Edwin Walker, their own attorney, made the agent of the government and
put in supreme command of the railroad and government forces! What an
unholy alliance! And what a spectacle and object lesson!
Upon Walker’s representations Cleveland acted; upon Walker’s demand, the
Federal soldiers marched into Chicago; upon Walker’s command, the great
government of the United States obeyed with all the subserviency of a
trained lackey.
SUPPOSE CLEVELAND HAD APPOINTED DARROW?
Suppose that President Cleveland had appointed Clarence S. Darrow,
attorney for the American Railway Union, instead of Edwin Walker,
attorney of the General Managers’ Association, as special counsel for
the government!
And suppose that Darrow had ordered the offices of the General Managers’
Association sacked, the books, papers and correspondence, including the
unopened private letters of the absent officers, packed up and carted
away and the offices put under the guard of Federal ruffians, in
flagrant violation of the Constitution of the United States, as was done
by order of Walker with the offices of the American Railway Union!
And suppose, moreover, that the American Railway Union, backed up by
Darrow, agent of the United States government, had sworn in an army of
“thugs, thieves and ex-convicts” (see official report of Michael
Brennan, superintendent of Chicago police to the Council of Chicago) to
serve the American Railway Union as deputy United States marshals and
“conservators of peace and order!”
And suppose, finally, that the expected trouble had followed, would
anyone in possession of his senses believe that these things had been
done to protect life and property and preserve law and order?
That is substantially the case that President Cleveland is trying to
make for himself and his administration out of their participation in
the Chicago strike.
THE REAL LAWBREAKER THE RAILROADS.
The implication that runs through Mr. Cleveland’s entire article is that
the railway corporations were paragons of peace and patriotism, law and
order, while the railway employes were a criminal, desperate and
bloodthirsty mob which had to be suppressed by the strong arm of the
government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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