New-York tribune., 1878-07-23
CHEMUXG COUNTY ITS STRONGHOLD.
IT'S MARVELLOUS GROWTH AND PRESENT STRENGTH
ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT-ITs ORIGIN
~ AsT eIrNr1FR's Strikes.

ORGANIZATION AND NlANAGEMENT-ITs ORIGIN
IN LAST SUMMERS STRIKES.
iFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT or THE TRrBUEEl
ELanRA, July 2O.-The National Greenback
Labor Reform party" of ChemuDg County IS
pretty lively organization. 1t born Of the
strikes of last year, and though nursed by the Re
pubHcans, can hardly be said to have had any IN
fancy. for it grew in a night into such formidable
proportions that neither of the old political parties
was able to cope with it. The breast that warmed
the serpent was the first TO feel its sting. Eneour
aged by unexpected success last Fall, when the Ma
tionals elected their entire county ticket except
their candidate for District-Attorrey they rallied
again in the Spring, gobbled the city government
of Elmira, and are now preparing for greater
trumphs still in November. To say that the re-
markable political revolution which has taken place
here within the last year. bringing into prominence
and public position a set Of men who were wholly
unknown before has puffed up the leaders of the
new movement. Is hardly TO give an adequate de
scription of their present state of mind The bottom
rail in politics. here, has been suddenly placed on
top and 1t behaves about it might be expected to
in such strange position.
Tie Cooper and Cary party was very weak IN
this county in 1876 Its organization was merely
nominal one. comprising only handful Of shallow
theorists in finance, whom the Republicans and
Democrats alike ignored as one of those infinitely
small quantities which it perfectly safe TO omit
from the political equation. After the last Presi-
Dental election, when the imitation wave which
originated In the West began to roll Eastward the
boundary line of New-York State seemed to act rs
a sort Of bIeakwater which for while turned the
food of into tie adjoining counties of Pennsyl-
vania, leaving both parties here substantially un-
tainted and it is doubtful II the National party
would have gaihed foothold in this and adjoining
counties To tins Jey but for the labor troubles Of
last Summer.
when the Ere Railroad men joined in tho general
strike Of 1877, Elmra Corning and HOrnellsyile
were three of The most critical points along the
whole line AZ tbs place the Erie Northern Central
and Lemgh Valley Railroads form junction. and
the Northern Central has extensive shops in the
Fifth Ward of this city. For days bloody conflict
between .he strikers and the authorities was hourly
expected, and Il was only ayerted by the
moderation OF i'le wOrkingmen. l have been
told by a prominent citizen of Elmira
that when the strikc began, a pledge signed by
all or nearly all fhe employed in the Northern
Central shops u abstain entirely from the use Of
Intoxicating dr. Ks as Tong the conflict with
their employers AtiDued. IL this is true, it was
probably one OF tli6 direct results Of the Murphy
moyemeut. \. hieh taa Gone much, during the
ureyion, Spring 10 pr, ,nute sobriety among all
classes Of people here. AZ suy rate, no blood was
shed and no pl ,party was destroyed in Elmira.
When order was resi3red' ana the WOfklhgmeh
found that they had sai..d nothing by the strike,
hey began to look abclt Cor some other means OF
.orreet.ag tho evils faom which they suffered or
supposed tEcy suffered snd i1st at this juncture
the fea Greonbaek qen eieppul in and offered " abb
soluto meneYD and qlebtg 81 1t, war on the Ma
ponal banks labor rei9rm.' end the rest OF the
brt,dle OF sbsurdities ghlsh mskc up the platform
II the Nati,pal psrly cure-alls for low wages,
uogsrty bushes iaprsssian aud almost every other
IN taat makes fby lot Of we workinRman a hard
enc. They frst CONVERTED hail dozen bright am
at aas MECHANICS. Ioode4 sa@a up with Green