Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-31
The Republican Candidate for
President Declares that
Strikers Should be Forced
Back to Work.
EVEN AT THE BAYONET POINT
He Asserted that One Dollar a
Day was Enough for a
WOrkingman.
TESTIMONY OF MANY MEN.

LEO iWUW Vt MANI MEN.
Editor John C.. New Called Down by
Knights of L~abor-Proof Positive that
the G.. o. p. Candidate Did Say All
These T~hings-A1so that He Got Up a
Militia Company to Pursue Strikers.
Indianapolis special: The Indianapolis
Journal kept a standing reward of So
0O0 Tor many weeks for proof that General
Harrison ever said that 81 per day was
enough for working men, and were he ssthe
Governor Of Indiana he would shoot down
the strikers or force them pack to work.
The statement has created intense excite |
ment all through Indiana.
Edwin F. Gould, a Knight of Labor of
this city, having collected
STATEMENTS FROM FIFTEEN MEN
who say they heard General Harrison
make the remarks in question, and de-
manded the $4,000 from the Journal
proprietors.
The demand was made in the following
letter to John G. New & Son, editors and
proprietors OF the Journal"
GENTLEMEN-Your paper having upon
numerous occasions contained editorial
notice of a reward, in which you state that
you will pay to any person $1,000 for
proof that Benjamin Harrison ever said |
that "One dollar per day was enough for
| any workingnan;" and $1,000 for proof
that Benjamin Harrison ever said that: |
"Were l the Governor l would force these
men back to work at the point of the
bayonet" (meaning the strikers who pal
| ticipated in the strike of 1870 the Execu-
tive Board of District Assembly No. LOG, |
K. OF L., the secretary Of which is the ac-
credited author of the above CHARGES, has
directed me to write you, claiming the
81, 900 upon the
HEREWITH SUBMITTED.
The board has never regarded your offer
to have been made in good faith, as we
have been reliably informed that you did
not deposit a dollar in the bank where you
claim to have deposited $4,000 as a re.
ward for the proof referred to.
We do not claim that the evidence re-
quired as proof should in every instance
be verbatim or be exactly in the same lam
guage used in your editorial notice, but we
do claim to offer in every instance words
to the same effect.
L have IN my possession, as the CuStO-I
dian of the executive board, the following
statements, from which | only quote a
small portion of the contents:
"Isom Hughes testified that Benjamin
Harrison dill say that 81 per day was
enough for the workingmen participating in
the strike OF 1877, and that he character
ICED the strikers as law breakers and un-
| worthy OF the title CT citizens.
Martin j. Murphy testified that Benia-
min Harrison did say that the strikers
had forfeited all claims to recognition by |
going on a strike, that Benjamin Harrison
did get up a militia company for the pur-
pose of pursuing the strikers; that some OF
the strikers received only 80 cents a day; |
that Benjamin Harrison claimed that thel
railroads could not pay any more, and
that the
'sSTRIKREs WE'RE NOT JUSTIFIED
in asking for more, and that 81 was sufn-
| Gent for a working nan, and he ought to be
satisfied.
"Patrick. H. King ~testifes that Benjamin
Harrison did say that the wages of the
| strikers was sufficient; hat the men must
return to work, or the militia would force
them to submit.
"William Miller t~estifies that Harrison,
or the conference, said on two occasions
that 81 a day is enough for a workingman,
| and that if the strikers did not return to
work they would be put down by the mil
tia at the point OF the bayonet.
civilian shock testified that Mr.. Harri-
son said the men had better work for a
dollar a day than do what they were doing,
| and, further, that a dollar a day was good
pay for a working man.
John Hackinson testified that Benjamin
| Harrison did say that 81 Yves enough for
any ~workingman, and they should accept
that and be satisfied.
Thomas McHugh testified that Ben
Harrison threatened the s~triFers with the
militia to force the men back at the point
| OF the bayonet; that the wages were suffi-
| Gent and all the roailroad company could
| afford.
michael Crowley testified that Ben
iamin Harrison did say that if the roads
were unable to pay more than 81 per day,
| the men ought to be satisfied, as that
amount was
'ENOUGH FOR ANY w~oRKINGMAN.
"Ben Seahm says: 4 O quote Benia-
min Harrison's exact language:
"'If I were governor of this State. or
sheriff of this county, l would have every
train running if I had to wade in blood to
my finger tips
civilian Hugo testifes that Benjamin
Harrison did command a militia during
the strike; that he claimed the wages were
sufficient, and that the men had no right
to even claim arbitration.
"T. Z. Calihau t~estifies that Harrison
insulted the strikers il 1877; that he said
they were getting plenty OF wages; that 81
a day was enough, and that many were
obliged to live on less han that amount.
'Charles A. Fogarty testified that as
chairman of the relief committee in the
1877 strike he was unable to attend the
meeting where Benjamin Harrison's re-
marks were made. but that he sent Others
there who reported to him corroborating
the. above statements"
In connection with the above statements
we wish it distinctly understood that these
statements are extracts only, that we nave
the original statements OF the men and
from others whose names we are bound to
shield on account OF their occupation.
The statements which we rave procured
are from men whom we
KNOW TO BE RUE MEMBER
of the Knights OF Labor, the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen and
the Brakemen's Brotherhood.
They werem men o we know to be pos.
sessed of v~eracity and integrity, who are in
every respect worthy of the confidence OF
the people, and they will testify under oath
to the statements made.
This board desires the $4,000 reward
offered by your paper forthe purpose OF de-
~fraying the expenses OF the street car
drivers strike, conducted under the aus
pieces OF this board in IS77, which has been
instrumental in bringing about wonderful
reforms in the street car service, and tle
amount over and above that required for
the specified purpose to be paid to the K.
OF l.. relief fund, to be used n similar con-
/. tests and equally as laudable purposes; the
money to be paid to the undersigned, being
/. duly authorized To receive the same.
This board charges Benjamin Harrison
? with having taken up arms against the
l strikers and threatening them with Instant
DEATH AT THE POINT OF THE BAYoNET
il they did not return to work; that he
{ claimed 81 to be sufficient for any working