The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-09-01
SANDERS REFUTBD.
c.,a,aI Harison's Attitude
1oaard the Wage-Earners.
ruF GREAT STRIKE OF 1877
,.,,,r,,,. lie Took in Preserving;
po,,.r-ll.o the Part Taken by
leading Democrats in This
s,ntc-l Little History.

.D1 ~ anil has echoed the falsehoodi
). .io,eJ BIZ other Democratic papers,
rIa,dpc that General Harrison was par
,i,n5dy severe on the strikers that he
I.'s,i that he would compel them to
..,n,n to work at the point of the bayo'
as~,hat he said "a dollar a day was
nS ngoa, ior d Iaboring man, &c.
''VT- iii these statements have long since
." nroyrn ln be campaign lies, and in
Gy% G,,Ii,ro. Nbrrr they are known to be
In,'" "G ,h,y are having little or no effect.
rta,' sT,"' ora ppblishrd, however, in the
InV, ,Iat ihey will be effective by
noG;,di,inr the wage-wOrkers OF other
Pp,S" Pp,S!"s WHO may not be posted upon
,.p @ history Of the riots Of 1877, and Sen
rrg lllrrsons connection with thelr
Go. been shown, and is n matter
h,,iIinr 10 all who read the accounts oi
.S""rrat h'',, railroad strike OF 1877, that the
s,,is,.pqrt "T taken by Harrison in preserv-
%," ~" n.lr., in indianapolis was that OF II
iaS.oLI.Iinr citizen; that he cO-Opcrated
',i'h distinguished Democratic leaders
W Inji,na. such as Hon. Joe Mcdonald,
JIon Daniel Voorhees,, the Democratic
Goy.rnur, and others, in organizing the
,i,i,c,ls not Tor the purpose OF coercing
,I".,rikcrs into submitting to u rcduc-
lion oi wages, hut to protect the city,
which was
UrRSir THREATENED
with destruction by a mob OF ten thous'
and men, some OF the leaders OF whom
were ayowcd Anarchists and were ad-
visipr the burning Of the property OF all
ront9lisls and the plUndering OF busi-
ness houses. They had little in common
with the real strikers, who were gencr-
alIv prarcablp men aud desired peace
able settlement OF the wage question.
The citizens OF indianapolis were largely
in sympathy with the cause oil the StrlK-
inc employees, and so expressed them
selves. Bit while acknowledging this,
they entered heartily into the work oil
organizing themselves for the protection
of their property from destruction, in
case the cooler heads among the strik-
prs should be unable to restrain the
bloodthirsty element that had joined
them for the purpose OF plunder. Thous-
ands OF this latter element were
not BONA PIDI STRIKERS
nor were they laborers. They were
only making the strike OF the honest
and pcaccabIc rilroaders Il pretext.
ANY one who was in indianapolis, US
was The writer, during those thrilling
times, will testify to the truth OF this
statement.
At THE request Oi the authorities, who
found the police force inadequate to meet
the emergency, the citizens organized
the movement mentioned above. many
Of the strikers, who desired a quiet end
Ing OF the strike, cooperating with them
in the work. At solicitation Of the
citizens, Gen. Harrison consented to as
smnc command Of one OF these bodies,
and performed his duty well. Being
well known by the strikers, and very
popular among them, he cOunselled
them to refrain from violence and blood
shed, showing them how resort to such
measures would only postpone n settle
mcnt ol the wage question, and embitter
the citizens, whose sympathy was now
with them. They took the advice III
good part, only a few OF the hot-hcads,
who were intent upon riot and ruin, re-
scntug it. 1t is this latter, and they
comprise mere handful, who are now,
under the auspices OF the Democratic
managers and politicians, attempting to
MlsRErRESENT MARRISoN's POSITION.
The fact that Harrison was in com
mand ola company OF the law andorder
preseryators, irritated these hOt-heads,
and the matter is even now being pub.
lishrd with many cXaggeratiOns, in the
hope that it will prejudice the laborers
Of other sections. The truth is that
Gen. Harrison, who was acting under
the authority and direction of the Dem
ocratIc StateNdministration, did no more
than the officers OF similar organizations
in other places affected by the strike.
The citizens, and particularly the rail
road employees, Of this State have vivid
recollection Of how the Democratic Adj
mInistration prSCipitated Il riot, result
ins in bloodshcd, at MNrtinsburg, by or
dering out the State troops and goading
tile strikers 10 madness. II will be re-
mcmbcrcd how the press OF the entire
country ccnsurcd our Governor for what
they conceived to be too hasty action.
4 mighty wave of indignation
rolled up from every strike center and
Increased until it eliminated in the
bloody scenes at Pittsburgh few days
later \ similar occurrence at Indiana
polls was only avoided by the cool and
determined action OF the citizens, and
the presence Of Federal troops.
An INTERESTING RESUME.
The Martinsburg riot was, rs above
stated, prccipitatcd by the ordering out
OF the troops by Governor Mathews.
Captain Charles ]. Faulkner, the present
Democratic United States Senator from
this State, was the officer who gave the
command to fire upon the strikers, which
action was different from that OF General
Harrison, whob personal appeals to the
strikers prevented bloOdshed, and who
declared that his only object WAS TO aid
lhe civil authorities to protect the
threatened city,andnot 10 interfere lin the
fnaTrc! between the railroad companies
and their employees. 1t is not designed,
however, to place Senator Faulkner in a
i9lse light here. He was an officer OF
the State militia, and MS such was acting
under orders from the Governor, which,
under the laws Of the State and his oath
OF office he was bound to do. Be this as
II may, the strikers were ,at the time they
Were exasperated by the appearance OF
troops, destroying no property. They
We're simply OBTAINING trains, in the
hope OF compelling the company to ac'
erde to their demands.
Just here, Us
a NATTER OF HISTORY,
the following kilograms may be interest.
ing, They are from the INTELI0ENcEH
OF July is, 1877:
MARrNsBURG, July II, 1877.
lion, H. " Mathdss
Must | protect men who are willing
10 run their trains, and see that the
same are permitted TO go east and west
c. j. FAULKNER, in.
MARrlXsBuRG, July II, 1877.
Cor. H. w. uaitar..