Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-17

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at Is not necessary to dwell upon the
merits of the opposing claims 1t ap-
pears that before the very eyes Of these
despairing husbands and fathers the
barons of transportation were declaring
large profits. During the very hours Of
this conflict the Baltimore and Ohio road
declared 10 per cent. dividend and the
Pennsylvania line an s per cent. But
these pictures of bloodshed, of the starv-
ing wife, the half clad children bending
over the lifeless form of husband and
father, the hired militia, the Pinkertons,
were held up in vivid and frightful reality
before the people of the Hoosier capital,
and yet there were some who favored the
promptest preparations for repetition
of the scenes in other cities, and Gen.
Benjamin Harrison was among the earli-
est advocates of the militia movement.
With his commanding influence he drew
many with him and was supported, then
as now, by The Indianapolis Journal and
The Evening News. The feeling aroused
by such leader and two powerful dailies
is shown by incidents and utterances re-
corded at the time
GEN. HARRISON ORGANIZES VOLUNTEERS.
There was no need of militia The
prayerful protests of the employees was
against being further driven to the wall
Not luxury. not even comfort-merely
subsisting wages was their request. They
were first TO defend and protect life and
property. Three hundred Of their own
trusted companions were sworn in for this
very purpose. On July "a the men held
meeting and agreed by unanimous reso-
luton to absolutely abstain from the use
of intoxicating drink during the trouble.
On the same day Mayor Gavin swore in
300 railroad men as special policemen.
The governor refused to the end to call
out the state militia for the purpose of
interfering between railroads and their
employees, but, upon the recommendation
and urgent request of the citizens COM
mittee, did issue commissions to certain
individuals, among whom was Gen. Har-
rison
The two newspapers which are sup
porting Mr.. Harrison now supported him
then. They denounced the advocates of
peaceable methods; they belittled those
who would demand justice for oppressed
workingmen; they stigmatized those be-
grimed but honest laborers in righteous
struggle for living wages, as lawbreak.
ers, mobiles and rioters So did Gen.
Harrison. The truth was to the contrary.
The evidence proves it malicious lie.
Yet in the face Of the truth volun-
teers were organized by Gen. Harrison and
his friends. Daniel Macauley, being rec
commended by the citizens committee,
was commissioned as 'Brigadier General
of the Indiana Legion On July "a, 1877,
commissions were issued to ten captains,
every one Of whom was a Republican
Benjamin Harrison was made captain of
company C. He organized III men, the
largest company in this great army to be
pitted against few half paid, Respondent,
but peaceable railroaders Shame Shamel
The very work of enlisting and drilling
was carried on by him in the United States
court room at Indianapolis.
among Gen Harrison's soldiers were
Horace NJ. Mckay, W H. Il. Miller, How
ard Gale, W B. Fletcher and J. A. Wild
man-two from his own law office, the
others aspiring politicians and friends.
And if not out of place in this connection,
| would suggest reunion Of Company c,
First Regiment of Indiana Legion, of the
great war against workingmen of 1877.
The company contains about one hundred
active Republicans, and they should call
with other delegations to do honor to
their distinguished captain. But is it not
little strange that in the war of the re-
ha1lihr Mn Har TOD civ Inc
regiments to pass his door before
he joined the SEVENTEEN Indiana; but
when it came to a war against working
men he joined Company G, of the First
regiment, and was the leading spirit In al
that conflict. This energy and activity
may be explained away when we remem
Der all this time he had big fee from one
| of the roads involved in the strike Hi.
company once organized and armed, Gen
| Harrison proudly marched them on tbs
| streets. finally quartered them at tn,
arsenal, The News of the 9th says:
-Four companies of volunteers undel
| the respective commands of Gen. Benia
min Harrison. Col N f. Ruckle, Mai.
J. Palmer, and Capt. Harry Adams
marched into camp at the United State.
arsenal this morning. They are armed
with the new breechloading rifle mos
formidable and efficient weapon.
HE TAKES PAY FOR HIS SERVICES.
| 1.-THE city under this policy was sool
filed with soldiery. Over Thousand
volunteers were raised here, but notwith
standing this menace of armed forces ant
repeated threats of coercion the difficult,
ended as the men said it should, by srbi
tration, and Gen. Harrison at the clos,
receipted to the state of Indiana for $40
or four days pay, while his men receiptet
| for $235. 80, or at the rate of SO cents pc
day each. But it is coolly claimed b,
Gen. Harrison's friends that this none
was turned over to some permanent mill
tia company So much the worse, RICH
here let me ask, If Mr. Harrison had on
spark of sympathy for the families Of tn
strikers, as Is claimed, why di,
he not quietly hunt out the mos
needy of their number and donate thi
militia money to them? Why not hav
invested that money in biscuits and pota
toes rather than in bullets and powder
It would have done the strikers more good
Yet to this his clients might have objected
for we must not forget that Mr. Harrison
was drawing big pay from the 0. and NJ
Railroad company at one and the sam
time he was getting his S. per day iron
the state of Indiana. Double pay demand
double energy
1--WE will now direct our attention +
Mr.. Harrison in the role of arbitrator. Fl
was member of the citizens committe
selected to arbitrate the differences be
tween the roads and their employees. TIL
jury or committee met in the old counci
chamber of indianapolis on July 26. OF
serve that on July "a Gen. Harrison ha
enlisted on the side of the 'Pinkerto
policy and had been drawing pay fror
the state at the rate Of s. per day for tw
days. He had already drilled and arme
Company c, and had them quartered q
the arsenal. Note, too, that in Februar
preceding he had entered the employ G
the Ohio and Mississippi company, whic
was involved in the strike. and then ha
their gold in his pocket. Do you gras
the situation He had somehow slippe
on the jury which was to try his ow
clients cause. Now it has gone into hi.
tory that Mr. Harrison's speech at ths
conference meeting was very arrogant
very dictatOrial toward the strikers con
mittee, which was invited to be prescn
The newspaper reports of just what /
said are very meager. The speech wi
never be fully known
SOME HISTORICAL EXPRESSIONS.
"For more light we are compelled t
look to other sourees-to men and men
bers of the committee who were Their
Early after the nomination of Gen. Harr
son II was rrlmOred and stated on IL