New-York tribune., 1888-08-31
HARRISON AND THE STRIKERS.
RAILROAD MEN ISSUE A STATEMENT.
THEY APPROVE THE GENERALS COURSE IN TIE
STRIKE OF 1877 AND MAKE SHORT WORK


or DEMOCRATIC NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
indianapolis, Aug 80 (Spccall.-There has been so
much MISREPRESENTATION by Democratic newspapers
and speakers of General Harison's connection with
the railroad strike Of 1877 that true hsory OF the
affair." I'm accordance with Information furnished by
some Of the leaders In the strike, has Just been made
public here In printed address TO laboring men.
signed by eight railroad men. After detailing The
causes leading to the strike, and setting forth the
order OF James d. Wiilipms tho Democratic Governor
of Indiana appointing Daniel Macauley Bricadicr
General Of tho Indiana militia with instructions 10
suppress the threatened lawessncss. General llair-
son having refused To assume command of the troops
because he mad already accepted commission "a
captain Of company, the history OF the strike !.
continued follows:
While these military preparations we're In p,osr.ss
all peaccablc being tried To Scculr ou'i
without a conflict. One Of these means was the ap-
pointmcn on motion Of Frsnn ands's $40 OF r,Trn c%
citizens to confer with meeting Of the strikers In tho
p sa strikers and their cmployers General Harrison
was also made member OF this committee. ~"
chief incidents was speech by General Harrison.
which, as shown by the newspaper reports OF lha'
day and distinctly remembered GE maTy many was & .and aS
In favor of the Justice OF the cause OF the strikers,
pledging his best efforts as one OF the arbitration com
mittcc to obtain redress at the hands Of the railroad
managers. That portion OF his speech which dwclt
UPON the rights of n the c%pge' a up esnc ns
much bitter comment and even ei"Ss
ssres ss%s ~ccc OF ,e racG he @ rcrs a while
their cause was jus' ard commanded wide sympathy
sm9ns ho pHp@ tho violent mcSgns mrdSns he%shp ,%TI
and INJURY 10 thr public. II was not denied that
they had talen forcble possession Of trains prevent,
ing not only freight traffic. but passenger travel
Persons virtually mprlsoncl IN This city others
prevented from going to absent sick ones drug soir.
were lacking remedies In a scky season: that market
SUPPLIES sSd wGrs s sr"ov snS "a result if cbr pos
fpaiu he rprc N.
ouSy urged 'ta, nothing could be hopc, for 70, from from
arbitration until The strikers hem;"yfS sG"n1 a coG amg
that law,cssncSs the sure road 10 The dcica oi
their just and equitable demands in wages General
cral approval, but two or three Of the strikers VINO
had evidently not given heed to I SG no, s1'cc Tn
coming there 10 he insulted-not Willing 10 binoK
what they ,S""sS to Better Ss an q" r ard
maincd, while the great mass Of railroad men recoe-
nsTS the on, S of a9S the srers 81
that tho railroad men themselves dd not at heart
c vino Wre toe eS peaan AND 70 psraps o gain
votes; tst railroad men. ILL.," other men were Liable
t" m's % %nd T. M long o run IN n"a RSdF RSdr iSI4 Tpr
showed Them their fault. and tried TO lead them out
The facr that General Harfson's speech did not at
the moment please the extremists on S'hrr sn midc lh
ground whcn he occupied ;riccd he is overwheln
incy vindlcatcd since that time. In th, coqnen iacl
that all the labor organizations. and The striker,
themselves. have advanced and to-day, occupy nc
Identical ground upon which General Harrison Se"i
for themselves the strongest measures against seznn
ard for 'tlc possession Of railroad rriIeiiY; IN "'
any Kind.
follow.n- the Governors proclamation jnly 70. tlr
militia organization was about c"mplctcd chNcis "i
all parties and religions rallyne - talc arm. ~,
lotinc. Citizens had assembled at various d"SiG
mated places one under chnrgS Of Gr%"al SEN W. i
known citizen soldiers al other places, bhi all u.:dfr
general command Of The GSvernors 1pp"ntr" M o: 6rn:
marched not 10 thc lnion D"ot where the rli >irh,
oS nS ' wcrS "f hay San emnnSa s nS to tie G a %
w"r" d>haIded. On the morning Of va day thr
:oh Of % roabIc wa, rNpe'~m y" %ach 1 70 % ,c "V
When tho ii'-lr ran tO fall IN" was sounded. t"r-
said: "Mcn. cAarna" yonr guns TO see II any onr IS
loaded and T. So draw the Gi ' NJ, W. re G ,n
lcnce. II would bc an infinite pity If on 'hc march
after We reach the city Que of th,Sc arms .h"ui
noccnt person injured. I an, sill Of thc. firm con
vicion that nothing more than tho m"r" f." of or
rcarc.| The suggestion Of General Harrison about
loaded guns adopted and made general order by
When tho city reached the troops lid not march
to The dep. lrt Sl.ehed AIMS on MaTri - ho%,ns
part of his staff. nnarmed. rode down 70 III" depot
among the strikers for confcrenc" and 10 scc for him
self II there were any signs of ro'ins: 80,
,,orc n wae % notaS,. ronfcr~rcc IN M TnHd states
Court room Of the Post Once Building. which
witnessed by prominent citizens of both political
rariicS. who will never forget the scene There wrrc
marching Of th" troops to The depot for tho wrpo-"
Of summarily dispensing the crowds Gcne'a Iiar't'H
having lccn summoned with great emphasis "i
1%S Ihosc faVorpr ii rcrsor Of fhc ,noh m'nc,,
insinnations that not 10 march down and compel
now that they had the power. was a pnllc! "f r"N
ar" nG" M , !" "py to M G"nrra ,aa 2@ & % ccc f
Of lion hurled back the unworthy insinnaton "f lack
Of ones intimatine that tho lack Of that
ali
going down. with now overwhelming n"mh"gS. on 10
The The mo sSooS o1e "f e %or s w, m d1C 53C' Of a 'TS
VIII all hc gone, Instantly General Harrison ~
c'rimcd: In Cor. oamr g"n',eTt1 int nat j%,i
threatened riot and hloud>h"d aver'rA" THIS nol"
cXpres sion fey lk" tun"riol' ~ truth among them
commanded The judgment and assent of all. u was
dramatic moment As rro'h"Sied another day saw
peace and order restored. and the wheels Of traffic be-
Rut tho resioraiion Of quiet did no, end he fronbc
and forchly bold bv them was In the hands Of re,
cever, and thcrefore in the cuetody Of ihr cniic1
rurted constituting grave oncnce. for which nnmcr
arrests AID mrrisonmcn of leading striker fol
Harrison who unsolicited. took up their can4e. first
writing TO Judge IT'mmond at chlcaso wh9 was f.
eXonerains them from intent" In contompt o. court.
striving in the question of wages. and in short.
succeeded in so placing their cause heor hr court
them from custody without prejudice. on gaining
their liberty the men gratefully sought General Iarr-
sons hand with thanks for his friendly nicNcnton,
ono OF them remarhinc: " II We had taken your ad-
vice we would not have got into trouble
The foregoing facts arc either matters of record
or otherwise so witnessed a. 10 defy ucccssfu con
iradicion II Is true that General Harrison gathered
with Other citizens at the sound Of alarm. I,u WHY
should those who seek 10 make political capital against
lin on iS account assume that laborng mcn III
canahlr of thnk'ngi WHY should thrv be supposed
to be lost to sense Of truth and iueiicc' Wlu
occur 10 them, az we'll as other claSs II p'ci.
that there must have been just alarm when
all the auth thoes up 10 Governor iu tho cali 10
armsl Then what sort ~ c'ilcu would ahurur
men have thought General Harrison tc II hr hal
stood back. refusing TO respond Simpy b"causr Dem
Ccratic Governor Issued the rail- what shalt ~,
laborng man think Of the campaign methods thai viii
thus attempt to disiort the hi-csi acts Of 1ut. ann
citizenship in a mans lIic and use them agains,
Limf
ncng n'cht yard master FOR Tho /. 2. kIDR r. IN
Indiana polls. before during and after the eri,a of