Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-07-18
KID.GLoyE BEN.
IndIans,s Laboripg Men Recall His Hos
tility of Ten Years Ago.

IndIana's Laboring Men Recall his dos-
tility of Ten Years Ago.
RooDHoUsE, Ill, July 16.-There are
in this town great many engineers work.
ing for the Chicago and Alton railroad.
Among these can be found several who
have seen service all over the country.
Learning that there were several engineers
here who were in Indianapolis during the
labor troubles Of 1877, your correspondent
took the opportunity to interview some OF
them concerning Ben HsrTison's part IN
that famous strike. Tie first man seen
was Ben Zahm, who ia at present an engi-
neer running an engine in and ont OF this
place. He is good, sober, industrious work
man and q man upon whom his brother
engineers put q very high estimate. he 10
a man who reads and thinks, and one who
has helped materially to make the Brother
hood OF Locomotive Engineers the strong,
conservative organization that won the re-
spect OF all
Mr.. Zihm, being asked to state what he
knew about the part Harrison played IN
the Indianapolis trouble in 1871, said:
I'm 1877 | was running al engine In and
out of indianapolis, and when the ire
men stauek, /, with the other engineers,
was forced TO lie idle. As the strike em-
braced q great many wOrkmen in differ
emit callings, il was feared that there
might be some violence, alt Tough the
strikers were rs quiet q set of men az
ever saw. In order to insure preservation
of the peace, the mayor called a citizens
meeting about the fourth day OF the trou-
BILE. The object of this meeting was to
bring the strikers and citizens more closely
together, that they might under
stsnd each other the better and thereby in
sure the safety of property. To this end
the strikers were specially invited to at
tend, which they did in body. Among
the prominent men present were Gov.
Williams--'old Blue Jeans as he was
called-the Sheriff of the county and the
Mayor of the city. Speeches OF concilia-
tory tone were made by many present, ana
everything moved along as intended until
Ben Harrison got mp to make speech.
We all knew that Harrison was q railroad
attorney and that all his sympathies were
against the men who dared to strike, but
we did not think that he would show them
at that time. / remember his speech as
well as though / heard it but yesterday.
He began by q statement of the enor-
nous loss occasioned by the blockade OF
railroad traffic, and Immediately proceed
ed to charge the whole lose to the strikers,
and denounced them in terms az strong rs
he could use. A thought OF the lsboriop
mans wrongs never entered his mind, but
he could set out in glowing colOrs the IN
convenience to those millionaires who
could better afford to lose thousands than
could the firemen single days wages.
Harrison stood there as the champion OF
gold, as the attorney of corporate wealth.
He stood there amazed at the audacity OF
men who dared to oppose the encroach-
ments of the wealth that hired them. AS
he thought the whole state of the case
over he became angry and indignant, and
finally attacked the authorities for not
using violence. / DOW quote his exact
laugugage: IT / was Governor of this
State or sheriff of this county, l would
have every train running if l bad to wade
in blood up to my finger tips
AS ne unlS0eu tue dUOFc ecbocuOo JIG
stretched his srms to their full length
above his head.
"The strikers, already grown FESTIVE
under his abuse, got mp and left the hall
in body. A great part of the audience
left with them, so the close of Harrison
speech was left entirely to those who paid
him.
1.-The strikers adjourned to the Firemen's
Hall. being followed by Gov. Williams,
the Sheriff and the Mayor. A meeting
was held in this hall. Everything passed
Of quietly, aud number of strikers were
sworn in IS special policemen, aud as the
result the best Of order was maintained IN
Indianapolis.
Ben Harrison will be defeated il
Indiana by 10000 votes. The laboripe
men there know him. They know hi
record, they know y sympathies, they
know his makeup ..4u his heart, and they
reciprocate the love he had for them il
1871"