| Show strike leader pays big money eugeno eugene V debs three times a candidate for president of the united states is the happiest man in the country sa says s the grand junction sentinel during his stay in colorado he has wiped out tho the last penny of indebtedness incurred by the great strike of the american railway union on in 1894 since that date no has personally paid over to clear up all obligations it is a remarkable performance the money casall was all earned by debs on the chautauqua lecture platform and by other speech making tours by writing for magazines newspapers and otherwise the big debtor and small were alike paid off the man who kicked and would not wait was paid first some wanted to cut the debts in half but debs would not let them few people who ubo were old enough to read the newspapers have forgotten the A R U strike debs was the man who brought it about he was an official of the firemans organization ho felt eliat they were progressing along industrial lines too slowly ho lie sought to establish in this country one great organization of railroad men tho the railroads could not seo see it that way and the A R U strike followed it did not last long but it tied up tho the nations traffic for several days debs and his followers were jailed in chicago he ile fought his case through the courts it was as 18 months from the time he lie started the strike until ho lie found himself face to face with the debts incurred by the A R U there was some money in the treasury but not enough to pay all the lawyer lawyers the printers in fact every class of tradesmen trade bad bills against the union debs relt responsible for them he told them all that ho lie would pay them he has kept his word the attempt has been a it strain on his physical condition and it was this great financial battle which caused him to come to colorado and spend six weeks recuperating Heis lie is better bet ter now and is in denver to aid the striking coal miners in a settlement i if possible 1 I was noc legally liable for those debts said debs but I 1 felt that if I 1 could pay them I 1 would not let lot one little creditor suffer it has bas been a long hard fight but it has been won my bly conscience would never have permitted those creditors to go unpaid its thac most satisfactory thing I 1 have ever done in my life and I 1 have worked hard to aid my fellows B wa is ma preparing to open a swell restaurant in the room recently vacated by the variety store if the place is to be judged by the fix tures it will be a credit to the city |
