The Labor enquirer., 1886-05-01
OGLEsBY AND THE STRIKERS.
Pertinent Remarks Upon the Speech of
Governor Oglesby to the Lake Shore
Striking Switchmen.
For The Enquirer.


average workfngman of the futility of
asking authorities for assistance in the
labor difficulties? If arguments, illus
trations. or facts are still needed to show
the utter helplessness of labor, and the
uselessness of depending upon anv but
its own resources, we would like to know
it. Have not workingmen yet learned
that the government is the friend, the
alder and abettor of organized capital
that, without the assistance of the for
m er, the latter could not hold out week
against the just demands of labor?
The visit of Governor Oglesby to
Chicago on the twentieth instant to at
tend conference of capitalists and Off
GERS of the law with reference to the
strike of the switchmen is the latest
illustration of the copartnership existing
between corporate capital and the au-
| thoritIes-the 80 called servants of the
the people. According to the Chicago
daily papers the governor was joined,
immediately upon his rival in Chicago,
by Sheriff Hanchet' with several of his
deputies, and bv the principal officers Of
the Lake Shore railway, with whom he
had a secret conference regarding the
strike
These worthy plotters were soon
joined bv two of Chicago's millionaire
merchants, who came to confer with the
governor as to the action of the military
in case of general strike in the city.
Not much is known as to what these
law and order thugs proposed to do. 1t is
well known, however, that the govern or
came to the city to look the ground over,
and one of the Chicago dailies is author
itv for the statement that he wanted to
see where the soldiers could be most ad
vantageously placed in case it was found
necessary to call them out.
Here we have a fine exhibition of the
unanlmitY existing between the govern
ment and the capitalistlc class. Here
was deliberate plan between the rail-
way officials and Governor Oglesby to
force the strikers into submission. No
committee of the strikers was invited,
not single individual present to repre-
sent labor. 1t was clearly conspiracy
against labor, and the lives of "Ameri-
can Sovereigns."
1t was arranged that special train
should convey the governor and his
aids, together with the railway officials,
to the scene of the disturbances in the
afternoon. 1t was also planned that,
while the governor should be addressing
the strikers, an attempt should be made
to sneak out a load of freight, all seeming
to agree that no one would dare to stop
a train under the very nose of "His Ex-
cellency."
At three o'clock in the afternoon the
high-toned arty took special train for
the scene of the strike. where Uncle
Dick" made a speech to the boys,
which, if he meant it, deserves to be pre-
served as a model of gubernatorial
ignorance and stupidity; but if merely
spoken for effect, shows the deep Gull
ming of those who rule US.
The speech was fair sample of the
"stuff" generally offered to workingmen
by successful politicians whenever thev,
the workingmen, need to be soothed,
hoodwinked and rendered es Jecially
placable.
Governor Oglesby commenced his
harangue with the usual sop: "You are
all American citizens-citizeIs of this
state and the United States"
That term-"American citizen"-has,
as vet, an allurng sound. In some
vague way it seems to invest the inhabl-
tant of this western continent with
glory which, however unsubstantial, sat
actual povsr,y and injustice they may
endure.
"Whv, in that older day, to be a Ro-
man was greater than king"
ITO be an American citizen is greater
than a king" has been dinned into the
ears of the American workingman 80
persistently that he has never thought
to inquire into the political difference
between himself and more kingly "sov-
erelgn." Still IN his deluded eyes,
drudgerY, poorly-paid laborers, men who
dare not say their souls are their own
for fear of losing their jobs, men tramp
ing and begging in vain for chance to
earn living, men who are chased out
of towns, run in" by policemen aud
kicked and hustled about everywhere,
because they are holneless-are still
greater than kings" because they are
American citizens!" Oh, soHereigns
without thrones, crowns Or subiecus, how
long will you glory in the empty sound
while yo1r common rights are being
stolen from you?
"The people max" the laws, and they
elect men whose duty it is to enforce
those laws"
Another romantic fallacy which is
lavishly made use of as "blind." Men
are easily fattered with the iuea that
they have something to do with forming
this incomprehensibl but awe-inspring
thing called Claw" They are willing to
bear the hardest kind of toll and poverty
while glowing with the consciousness of