The Pullman boycott : $b A complete history of the great R. R. strikeBurns, W. F.
History
The Pullman boycott : $b A complete history of the great R. R. strike
Burns, W. F.
Pullman Strike, 1894
I ask every man, as an individual to think for himself and to do what he
thinks to be right.
President Debs appealed to the men to commit no acts of violence but act
in strict accordance with the law.
The strike had now reached St. Paul, Omaha, Denver, Trinidad, Cal.;
Raton, N. M.; Cincinnati, St. Louis and Duluth, and no intimidation, no
threats, no violence of any kind whatever was resorted to. When the men
were asked to handle the Pullman cars, they simply stepped down and
out.
CHAPTER IV.
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."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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