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

bayonets. Were they to cut bread with?
Are they implements of the bake shop or
the battery Were they carried by Mr..
Harrison as a sort of solace or threat
to the strikers? Do these facts-con-
coded, ncontradicted-proye anythingf |
Is not further evidence cumulative and |
unnecessary Many burglar has been
convicted upon mere proof of possessing |
his unlawful implements. 1t would not be
necessary or even expected to prove he |
said he was going to commit burglary. |
But In support of the claim that Mr.. |
Harrison delivered himself of cruel |
and inhuman utterances on that |
occasion; that his speech was that of
. hired, heartless attorney; that he disre- |
garded the crying appeals of labor,
crushed and scourged by the lashes of |
corporate power, will submit next the
evidence of few of the participants Of
that strike These witnesses speak from
personal contact. Their statements have
been furnished me from reliable sources
All were members of committees or In
some way connected with the strike.
They were the words of honest men. All,
I believe, members of organized labor.
They possess the confidence of their COM
THUGS duu are eAlitieu 10 lie crtuiJ u
truthful citizens.
TESTIMONY OF THOSE WHO HEARD.
"Isom Hughes, who lives in Indianapo-
lis and has been running an engine since
1859. says:
IN that year QS70 was foreman of
the night yard for the Peru folks. On
the morning of the day when the confer
ence meeting was held we met Mayor
Gavin. John PRESLEY. county sheriff, and
Governor Williams near the Spencer
house, and told them that We were ready
to furnish all the persons needed to guard
property wherever necessary. Mr.. Har-
rison and his friends opposed this idea,
and urged Governor Williams to call out
the state militia and force the men to dis
perse Mr.. Presley remember, said he
had been railroad man and that the
boys were quiet. and that to call out
troops would do more harm than good.
Governor Williams and Mayor Gavin
agreed with him. Harrison and his
friends claimed we were interfering with
travel; were liable to start riot and
burn the city and should be checked at
once Our committee went to the Maen-
nerchor hall to the conference meet
luks IL ICNOl1CSb tlbSl llIdeC
the first speech, and after him came
Gen. Harrison. Now, Of course | can't
| give you his speech just as he spoke it,
the form, though, or points so far as !
can say were these: He claimed the crowd
ought to be dispersed; that we were in
terfering with the commerce of the coun-
try; that we were about to begin a riot
that we were law breakers in doing as we
had and were in no position to ask for re-
lief; instead of being body of law abid
| ing citizens we were mob. He took the
ground that we could live on dollar
day, and that we had no right to strike,
and that after we went back TO work if
we could get more he would be satisfied.
l am sure the boys have not forgotten
that speech and never will, and never will
expect any friendship from a man who
would try and take advantage of US when
we were way down. and even undertake
10 get the authorities to turn the militia
in on us when we were trying hard to do
right and get our pay put back so we
could i've"
Martin ]. Murphy. who was fireman in
| the l., B. and w. yards when the strike
began, says of the conference meeting:
AS l now recall it, Governor Porter ad-
dressed the entire meeting. He was fol-
lowed by Harrison. For some days before
this Harrison had been getting up militia
companies and then had lot of them
quartered at the arsenal In his speech
he spoke about this. and used very plain
language about what they would do with
US If we didn't come to time. He used
the terms law breakers and 'violators of
the law several times. He was all
one sided, so much so that every
one saw he did not intend to give
the boys any show. He said the roads
couldn't pay any higher wages, as the
books of the company would show,
and asked our committee to 60 down
and inspect them. So long as we
were law breakers nothing could be done.
In this connection he used the assertion
that 81 day was better than doing
nothing at all, and that workingmsn
ought to get along on that much. Al
though may not use his exact words that
is the impression he gave. He also said
that if this lawlessness did not cease they
would invoke the powers of the state and
Federal government in order to move the
trains and carry on the commerce of the
country. That the trains must move at
| AL lhAbdLoot t14t at LlLio poA1iS hc bcSdL4e
much excited He offered no arbitration
would listen to none. Nothing would be
accepted but an absolute surrender on
our part. Before he had finished he be-
came so offensive that the committee arose
and left the hall. Chairman Sayer tried
to get us back. and after Harrison got
through some of US did return"
HE FAVORED VIOLENCE
The speaker quoted similar affidavits
from a number of railroad men, all agree
ing practically upon his remarks at tbs
conference. From an interview with Bel
Zalm the following extract was read:
I'VE all knew that Harrison was rail
road attorney and that all his sympathie'
were against the men who dared to strike
remember his speech as well as though
| heard it but yesterday. He began by
statement of the enormous loss oceasionet
by the blockade of railroad traffic, anC
Immediately proceeded to charge tn
whole loss to the strikers, and denounced
them In terms as strong as he could use
A thought of the laboring mans wrong
never entered his mind, but he could Sc
out In glowing col0rs the Inconvenience
Of those millionaires who could bette
afford to lose thousands than could the fire
men single day s wages. Harrison stoo'
there as the champion Of gold, as the attor
ney Of corporate wealth. As he though
the whole state of the case over he be
came angry and indignant, and finally at
tackled the authorities for not using vic
lence. l now quote his exact language
If l was governor Of this state, or sherit
of this county, | would have every trail
running If | had to wade In blood up t
my finger tips. As he finished this sen
tence, he stretched his arms to the ful
length above his head The strikers
already grown FESTIVE under his abuse
got up and left the hall In body. !
great part of the audience left with them
80 the close of Harrison's speech was lef
entirely to those who paid him. tn
strikers adjourned to the Firemen's hall
being followed by Governor Williams, tn
sheriff and the mayor. A meeting wa
held in the hall. Everything passed O
quietly, and number of the striker
| uyoro ayua1-o IN cp,ofoI v,o1:ao,ea, an5