Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-07-19

ing-Favoring the Suppression. OF
Strikes With Cleaning Bayonets.
\ INpIANAPoLIs, July 4.-The work
ingrnen of this State, ever since the
= Chicago Convention ended its labors,
have been actively discussing the homi.
nations. Their leaders claim that it is
impossible for, the labor vote in Indi-
ana ever to go to Harrison for obvious
reasons. The cause of their antagon-
ism to the Republican nominee is deep
seated gaud dates as far back as 1877;
. when the great strike of railroad men
for living wages spread over the north
west. Al lam .fO-
An intelligent and succinct history
of the trouble was related to q Sentinel
reporter by d railroad employee who
), took q prominent part in the efforts to
bring the strike to a peaceable end by
arbitration. He said:
"Thousands ofrailroad employees in
this eityand elsewhere, men Joined to.
gethef by the bonds of brotherhoods fol
self-protecuoh will no houbt stand
shoulder tdslioulderin this Campaign
in opposition to the Republican nomi-
nee. They conceived dislike for him
eleven years ago, and time. has served
10 strengthen tliat feeling rather than
to wipe itgout. Among the rank and
file of railroadefs to be found ih the
yards, at switches, on engines and in
the shops in this city and vicinity
hardly cheer has been heard since the
news was received from Chicago, but
on the contrary there have. been FREE
quent expressions of dissatisfaction and
disgust from this class. State pride
does not seem to extend to them. g-g
During the railroad strike in July,
1877, just eleven years ago this month,
Harrison incurred the enmity of the
railroaders. 1t was the position he
took as a citizen with reference to the
strike and the strikers that engendered
the hard feeling against him.. ''t.
"While Mayor Caven and Governor
Williams were counseling, peace and
arbitration, and doing all in their pow
er to bring about settlement of the
difficulty without loss of life and prop
erty on either side, Harrison was one of
the first to advocate putting down the
strike by force. He seemed to regard
the musket and cannon as better means
of settlement than conference and con-
ciliatory measures. A citizens safety
committee was appointed at public
meeting and Gen. Harrison, on account
of the part he had taken in the proceed
ings, as we'll as his prominence, was
named as member of the body. The
object of this committee was to protect
life and property. A subcommittee,
of which Harrison was member, was
also chosen, and to this branch of the
committee proper was assigned the i'm
portant work of the organization
Governor Williams was Induced to
order out the military, and he wanted
to select Harrison as Brigadier General,
but the committee of safety decided to
recommend Daniel Macauley for that
position, and Harrison declined the ap-
pointment in letter to the Governor,
which is matter of record. Macauley
was placed in charge of the forces and
Harrison was made captain of Company
A. He took command at once, and
his company began drilling at, the
arsenal grounds, with those of the other
companies, which were captained by
Col. N. r. Ruckle and others. I have
heard it said, over and over again, of
Harrison, that no one expressed greater
willingness than he to charge upon and
shoot down the strikers, if the provo
cation offered. There were at that
time four companies of volunteers
under the respective commands of Gen.
Benjamin Harrison, Col. N. r, Ruekle.
Major J. j: Palmer and Captain Harry
Adams. The mem were armed with
the new breechAloading Springfield
rifle, q most formidable and efficient
weapon. s ~4 VI r. ~
General Harrison continued toserve
as member of the subordinate branch
of the Safety Committee, which held
frequent meetings. On the 9th day
of July, 1877, delegation of the ,strik-
isrs, headed by w. Sayre, d fireman,
and damost intelligent man, waited up,
on hesub-committee, which, besides
Gen. Harrison, included Senator Nc
Donald, Judge Gresham, Gen. John
Love and others. The committee re-
ceived the strikers courteously, butt
Gen. Harrison soon began making a
speech which greatly enraged them.
The speech was not published iiIfull at
the time. but according to the Jousnal
OF July 2S, 1877, General Harrison was
disposed to look upon and treat the |
strikers as "laWbreakers." He in
timated very strongly that the COM
mittee ought to have no dealings with
men representing what he considered q
laWbreaking element. He was inter-
rupted in hisspeech by the strikers, and
took his seat, while they started to !
leave the room. Fireman Sayre, how
ever, persuaded them to stay, and after
the meeting had become more peace
full, General Harrison resumed his talk. |
he modified his remarks and manner
materially but gave thefnga WARNING
that any attempt to interfere with or
destroy property would be summarily
dealt twith-meaning that the strikers
would encounter the militia. l
"The strikers heard him to the end,
but manifested displeasure at several
stages of his speech, and as they left the
room Sayre turned around and said:
1--WE will remember you for this.n-|
Harrison has ever since been marked
man, as far AZ. the railroaders are con-
eerned. He had previously, at q pub
bic meeting, denounced. the strikers
using very violent language, and his
conduct on the occasion of the delega-.
tion's visit to the committee incensed
che men more than ever.
"On the evening Of July 25 1877, |
General Harrison advised the en-
ployees to return to work at the wages
they.were receiving, and characterized |
them as lawbreakers and without right |
to appeal for redress against the wrongs |
thav were eIaiminD tn ailffar . Ha woo