The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-09-22
Aultiral,
A DOLLAR A DAY FOR LABOR.
Gen. Harrison Thinks This is Suffi-
cient Pay for a Workingman.

cient Pay for Workingman.
INDIANAPOLIS, August 29.-Deputy
United States Attorney and State Senator
Leon C. Bailey has been investigating for
several weeks the record of Gen. Harrison
in connection with the railway strikes of
1877. He carefully examined all of the
United States Court records and other
papers in connection with the matter, and
tonight delivered the result of his re-
searches in a long and carefully prepared
speech to the laboring men and citizens
generally who gathered in large numbers
at Mozart Hall. Mr. Bailey spoke as fol-
lows.
"Gentlemen of the Democratic Railroad
Club of indianapolis and Fellow Citizens:
A great economic problem confronts us
that of Just taxation. The issue is broad
and definite: High taxes, yielding large
profits to the few, against low taxes, yield
ing corresponding benefits to the many.
NOMINATED BY AN AGGREGATION OF
CAPITAL.
''But my inquiry tonight is in differ
ent field. l would only direct your thoughts
to subject closely allied to home and per-
sonal interests. What 1 shall have to say
tonight will be with reference to the Re-
publican nominee for the Presidency, Ben
jamin Harrison; the influences which
brought about his nomination; his attitude
towards laboring men, embracing in some
detail his record in the great railroad strike
of 1877 as it has been gathered from the
most authentic sources, such as court files,
accounts published at the time, and inter-
views with men who participated in the
trouble of that period, and have personal
knowledge of what Mr.. Harrison said and
did.
aFrom 1873 to 1877 the railroad mag
mates had been engaged in cutting down
the wages of their employees. To show the
extent of this cruel, crushing reduction, the
facts, supported by the figures, were sub
mitted by the railroad employees to a sub
committee of citizens of indianapolis, whose
mission and duty it was to secure justice
to the impoverished employees, and of this
subcommittee Gen. Harrison was mem
ber
WORKING FOR THE RAILROADS.
''The strike reached indianapolis on the
23rd day of July, 1877. The Ohio and
Mississippi Railroad Company, with others,
was involved in the strike, and, being in
the hands of receiver, was under the con-
troll of the United States Court at Indian
apolis. Mr.. Harrison entered the employ
ment of John W. King, Jr., the receiver
of said road, in February, 1877, and con-
tinued in that capacity until the road went
out of court He was its attorney during
the whole period of the strike, and for a
long time thereafter. In the final rake
off of the attorneys, in addition to sums
from time to time Heretofore allowed, Gen.
Harrison received for his services the hand
some fee of s21, 900. (See page 2S9
Chancery order book IL, United States
Circuit Court This may account in some
degree for the unbiased mental condition
in which the strike found this great rail-
road attorney when it reached indianapolis.
There were two propositions confronting
the citizens of indianapolis; one of arbitra-
tion, Cancellation, peaceable adjustment of
conflicting differences; the other that of in
tolerance, Pinkertonism, troops, coercion
the shotgun policy. Both had their ad-
vocates; the latter plan had done its terrible
work of death and desolation at Pittsburg,
Baltimore, Chicago and Reading. On the
9th Of July the figures were as follows: