Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-07-20
HARRISON AND THE STRIKERS.
Ills Record in the Troubles of 1877 Ono
to Be Proud OF.

to Be Proud OF.
The record of Gen. Harrison In the
labor troubles SO called, of 1877, is the
record of an honorable, conservative,
patriotic man. There is .nothing to apol-
ogize for In it. 1t is not necessary to re-
call the details of that time. Life and
| property had been destroyed in Pittsburg
and Chicago by rioters, thieves and An
| archists, who, in large cities, are always
| ready to take advantage of the disturb
| ance of social conditions to work their
ruin and disaster. To prevent like scenes
of destruction in this city, Governor
| Williams, Democrat, called upon
law abiding citizens to form militia
companies for the protection of life and
| property. In this course he was indorsed
| by Mayor Caven, by Sheriff Pressly and by
| such Democrats as Senator Mcdonald,
| Franklin Landers, Gen, John Love, Will
| liam FL. English and others. In response
to this call several hundred citizens, of
all shades of politics. organized them
| selves, and to the command of one COM
pany Governor Williams commissioned
Benjamin Harrison. The militia was not
| called into existence to settle the strike;
had nothing to do with the strike; it never
came near the strikers. 1t was to protect
4 the lives and property of peaceable citi-
1 zens and preserve public order, and in
4 that work q company of the strikers them
selves aided, to their credit be it said.
/ The strikers did precisely what Gen. Har-
rison and other citizens, Republicans and
Democrats, did
There was another capacity In which
Gen. Harrison served. He was member
of committee that had for Its purpose
conference with representatives of the
strikers and an adjustment of their griev-
ances with the railroad companies. From
beginningto end of these conferences Gen.
Harrison's voice was for peaceable, lawful.
conservative measures. He was on the
side of the strikers, SO far as the justice
of their demand for increased wages was
concerned. He repeatedly said their
wages were too low, and that he would
use all his personal influence to secure a
/ just increase. Gen. Harrison has ever
stood for and pleaded for high wages for
labor, insisting that anything was too
cheap out of which labor was not
properly and amply remunerated. While
doing this Gen. Harrison urged the strik-
ers to cease what was clearly against
the law, warning them that they would
get into trouble otherwise. When
some of them were arrested and punished
by the United States court they acl1nowl-
edged the justice and the wisdom of Gen.
Harrison's advice, and were thankful for
his influence with Judge Drummond,
which was exerted to terminate the period
and limit the extent of their sentences,
the general insisting that it was only the
law that should be upheld, and not the
punishment of individuals When some
hot headed people wanted to march the
militia against the strikers Gen. Harrison
said no; lie did not propose to go out and
. shoot down his neighbors Mr. McDon
aid, who was associated with Gen Har
rison on the committee, testihes to The
generals wise and conservative action
He says:
Il was associated with Gen Harrison
in conferences with the strikers. ant
throughout he advised a peaceful settle
ment Of the trouble. ! have no recollec
, ton of his using any bloodthirsty Ian
guage or insulting any representatives o
the strikers during our conferences"
Mr.. Mcdonald also says of this matter
II don't think that will cut much Of
figure as an Issue in this campaign Th
situation was threatening in mdianapoli
then, and a committee on public safet
was organized. There was q sub-com
mittee appointed to endeavor to arrang
q peaceful settlement of the difficulty, i
possible, and to take what measures nigh
be necessary to protect the public inter
ests. Ben Harrison, Ex-Governor Porter
:. Ex-Governor Baker, Franklin Lander
afterward Democratic candidate for goy
crnorl and myself were that committee
ID We met committee of the strikers i
the council chamber in q public confer
ence, / talked to them and told, ther
that we sympathized with them and ree
le ognized their right to quit work if the
were not satisfied with their wages G
their employers; but that they had n
I'd right to prevent other men from working
:. and that when they attempted to do S
they became law breakers. Gen. Harr
son and the others also talked to them i
!. the same strain
This is all there is CT this business, an
1t is record in the highest degree credi
able to Gen. Harrison; not line would
wish to blot out; not word would
change, or try to change, even for ii
presidency of the United States II
men who object to 1t now do so eth
from partisan reasons, and thereby sho
their bastard lack of patriotism and tn
- citizenship, or they are cut throats al
q assassins, house burners and Anarchist
lacking only the courage and the opport
nifty to put into practice what is in the
COWafQly ueaTtS. Ine Inliilla was ClIl
4 out to protect life and property. and
was not used for any other purpose. T
man who objects TO Gen. Harrison for ODE
7 ing the call of Democratic governor Ii
the patriotic, brave citizen he is, and w
are trying to manufacture political ca
tai against him for his honorable, &C
= servatixe,3 law abiding action, there
confess themselves against the supreme
of law and in favor of destruction of /
and property by mobs. No honoral
man would so place himself, Others
simply lawless anarchists. who bra
n themselves as house burners, pillag
y and murderers. Gen. Harrison does ]
expect the votes of such, and il Il
think to enlist any intelligent workil
man IN their infamous crusade, they.
simply mistaken. American lworkingn
are not built that way Indianap'
Journal td
flor Democratic Chinese Nonsense.
,sp NJ. A great many Chinese Republican eli
!. | are being organized, and great m.
- Mongoliaiss are shouting for Harrison
thecolumrs of the Democratic press. ]
. nowhere else. AS the independent
= cago News remarks, ..even If Gilman
were really In favor of Harrison's elect
they would have too much senseto let
white people find it out Therefl
Democrats, stop talking nonsense
tell the truth Those writers eyidel
- Il 2 . ~