The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-18
A GREAT FRIEND OF LABOR.
How B. F. Rodgers Earned the Gratitude
OF Workingmen During the Big Strike.
The Stand Then Taken by the Man Who Now
Claims the Support of the Friends
of Organized Labor.

Direcsiy after the nomination Of B. F. Rodgers
for township trustee the Democratic ward states
man was in high glee. So enthusiastically did
the Rodgers candidacy work upon him that he
filed a mortgage on all the votes in sight. The
Knights Of Labor, the railroad men, laborers,
churchmen, heather, capitalists, liquor men,
gentiles, Jews, and so on through the
whole run of mankind, were listed in
the Democratic party, according to his
claim. Within two days, however the eminent
party workers particularly distinguished for leg
talent were hunting mp railroad men with whom
they had acquaintance. Even that bright and
beautiful exemplar of Democracy Jack Higgins,
under instructions from Sim Coy, went here and
there to use his seductive persuasion any en-
gineer, brakeman, yardman or switchman who
might possibly regard Jack as great man. A
days work wore him down to the thinness of a
walking skeleton, but he seemed satisfied that
he had wholly stamped out all disaffection and
corralled the railroad men for Rodgers. But,
notwithstanding the first flow Of enthusiastic
confidence in Rodgers's election, there is, no
doubt trouble ahead for that gentleman.
IA few evenings SINCE said one well informed
in all that successful campaign requires, II
overheard a party of workingmen talking about
Rodgers. They were evidently knights of Labor,
and about evenly divided as to voting for him.
His friends wanted the order to officially indorse
the nomination, but one of the other side said:
i don't propose to have any dictation as to how
l shall vote. If the order should indorse
Rodgers, l would vote as pleased"
This little incident was told to q prominent
Knight yesterday, and he replied: perhaps it
is natural for the Knights to take an interest in
Rodgers's candidacy, but the order Is by no
means political one. nor is it the purpose to
commit it to any one political interest. Demo
cratic Knights will doubtless vote for Rodgers
and Republican members of the order for Many.
The Knights, as an order, have not Endorsed the
Democratic candidate"
MANY is making close canvass said gen.
tleman who knows something about it. HE
has evidently gained day after day. while forces
supposed to be solid for Rodgers are showing
among workingmen. who look upon Rodgerss
membership in the Knights of Labor as simply
leverage used by him to get the support Of the
order"
Rodgers is member OF the Yardmasters' AS
sociation," said Democrat ''and by the con-
stitution of that organization he cannot belong
to the knights of Labor In becoming mem
Der of the latter he violated his oath as men,
Der of the Yardmasters' Association"
s'How is it that disaffection is becoming decid-
Rodgers?'
Rodgers was foreman Of the upper Panhandle
yards" replied gentleman who was one of the
strikers. when the engineers went out in 1873.
He worked against the strikers, and opened the
switch to allow the first engine during the
trouble to be taken out of the yard The en-
gineers remember it, and do the yardmen
under him, for Immediately after the strike he
cut down the wages Of the latter"
"But the Democrats say it was Nose Rogers
who opposed the strikers, not B. F. Rodgers
Both did it. Nose ran an engine and B. F..
opened the switch. Nose got a written agree
ment from the company for this service to the
effect that he could remain with it as long as he
wished. He was brought from the Northern
Pacific to help the company out, and after the
strike was settled became master mechanic of
the Vincennes road. B. F. Rodgers's son was
given an engine by Nose. That was the fathers
reward for assisting the company in opening the
switch and cutting down the yardmens wages. "
"Then the railroad men are not united in
Rodgers's INTEREST,""
mot by any means. and the warmest opposi-
ton comes from Democrats. If he expects to
carry the railroads without trouble he will be
defeated by 1900 majority"