Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-09
STORY OF THE CONNECTION OF GEN,
ERAL HARRISON WITH THE STRIKE
OF 1887.

dUAN'7ANE9 fAiAA uLoOlbNl 0ltA INV
wages and oppression. While this
might be allowed to pass upon the simple
statement that the charge amounts to an
insult to worlzingmen, the Democracy pre-
sent the matter in such fake light that
it is best to state the whole case.
''Blue Jeans Williams was Governor OF
Indiana in 1887. He was of all Democ-
racy the very essence Of Democrat. No
one could doubt that, or ever will A
strike was in progress upoz railroads cen
tering in indianapolis, tie seat of govern
ment. twas wave.ef great tumult
that swept over the Central and Western
States, and in which 4 mob one Sunday
destroyed S4OOO,O 900 worth of property at
Pittsburg.
The very next day strikers took posses
sion of the union depot in indianapolis
The Mayor, Mr. Gavin, Demo
crat declared the police INSULT
Gent TO protect property, restore and
preserve order. He called a meet
ing on a public square of all Claw
abiding citizens" to consult upon measures
for the public safety, knowing, as every
one knows, that the mob spirit is uncon-
trollable, runs to excuses, and is made the
pretext Icy the criminal classes to ''joiR in"
as they invariably do. Nearly all the lead
ing citizens of the capital city were present,
and formed a Committee of Public Safety.
Conspicuous at the meeting and on the
committee was United States Senator Jo-
seph E. Mcdonald, foremost Democratic
leader. He declared then and after
wards in the committee that Or
der must be restored and preserved.
Republicans and Democrats alike took
part in both bodies, and no partisanship
was for an instant thought Of. Among
those who united in the law and order
movement was General Harrison. The
next mornings papers show that one of the
chief speakers at the meeting was Franklin
Landers, prominent Democrat, and after
wards a Democratic candidate for Gov
ernor. A mediation committee was named
with Landers as Chairman and General
Harrison, Albert G. Porter, DIR. P. H.
jameson, Hiram B. McCune, DR.. w. G.
Thompson, Governor Williams, ex-Goy-
ernor Parker, Mayor Gavin, Colonel B. C.
Shaw, t. d. Kingan, John R. Elder, Gen
erai t. A. Morris, General +. S. Foster,
and A. I. Sinker as members. 1t was in
structed to do all it could to bring about
peaceful settlement by kindly advice
and urgency. 1t met and invited
the strikers to counsel with it, and
they did so. At that meeting General
Harrison was present, and the next DAYS
papers said of him.
General Harrison made an eloquent and
logical speech of some length replete with LEGAL
lore and sound good sense he cOunseled oba-
dienceto the law, but at the same time strongly
expressed the opinion that the wages as stated
were VOC low and desired very much that they
should be raised. He was willing to use his in
1uence with those in authority In favor Of this
desired increase.
But the matter hung fire; the people
began to complain bitterly of deprivation
of railroad privileges, and the public de-
mand was that the blockade must be
raised, that innocent people must not be
punished and ruined in business because
employers and employees could not agree.
Violence was manifest about the depots,
and fears grew that Pittsburg's experience
would be duplicated in Indianapolis.
a second public meeting was called by
the Mayor, and General Cobarn presided.
Judge Gresham, Judge Newcomb and
many others spoke, and a committee was
named to confer with the first, or safety
committee, in maintenance of law and the
repression of violence Senator Mcdonald
was made Chairman of that committee
General John Love, also Democrat. and
General Harrison, Judge Gresham, Gen.
eral Morris, General McCauIev
a prominent Democrat, and Conrad
Baker composed it. The COMMITTEES
was instructed to advise and aid measures
to secure public safety and make mob yio-
lence impossible by timely precaution.
Governor Williams (Democratic) issued
his proclamation, denounesng the rioters
severely and declaring:
Many disaffectei employees Of railrosd comma
mes doing business in this State have re-
nouneed their employment because of alleged
grievances, and have conspired toenforce their
al Vrarr frasy 49, . l..
ployers selling and controlling their property
lptimidarng their managers, prohibiting by
violence their attempts to condoet their bust
ness anu arriving sS1ay passengers and freight
offered for transportation The xleare Of me
community is seriously disturbed DIV these law
less acts Every class OF society is made to-suf
ier. Inc comfort and happiness OF many fami-
lies not parties to the grievance e-e sscr;t,ca.i
controversy which BELONGS to our Courts. ar
70 the proviGee OF peaceful arbitration or nege
tiaton Is made the Use for an os,st ofiop of
trade and travel over Ike chartered canine rcisi
highways OF our State. The commerce OF the
entire country is interefer red with and che renu
tatlon OF our community is threatened with dis.
nonor among cur ne ghto OTIS. This disreg ard of
law ana the rlats and privileges of our citizens
and those OF sister STATES cannot be tolerated
Inc machinery provided Sy law for the adjust-
ment OF private grievances must be used as the
only resort against debtoH. individual or cor
porate. The process of civE remedies as well as
the penalties OF the criminal code must be exc
cuted equally in each case To the end 6h<z tte
rtsng combination he dissol,sd and destra,raf in
Ks t0tess form, isoke the "a Of oil he tossriid-
ia9 citlseIas OF our S0<e ask tsdt Acy deso.snt.
d'ad Condemn thus infection Of T,ibic order and
tneedror TO dissscds these ofcafers dQuin1 Tx
pedce and dignity Of Or STATE Jr0 further anls OF
tdiescSsRcsS.
And very much aaore of the same order.
AT once it was resoiNed to cali for voIun-
teers to form eompas&es to preserve the
peace, and the people promptly answered,
and several militia companies wese recog-
nized ard Governor Williams (De.aocrat)
commissioned General BENZ. Harrison
Republican, to command them all. But
General Harrison declined because he was
Captain already of a company. He rec
mended General Daniel McCauley Demo
irat) and Governor Williams appointed !
him. General McCauley detailed General
iiarrison's company to guard the United |
states armory where 100000 Springfield
lilies were stored and thousands of pounds
\ ar,a II