Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-10-07

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day, reduction of 1925 in a year of 80
working days.
On the 1. and St. L. the reduction q
1873 and 1877, ranged from $135 to $62
for year of 300 working days.
| On the l., G. and ST. L. the reduction
ranged from $45 to 1910 for year of 80
dcys. On the L., B. and w. the reduc
ton ranged from $S4 to $3.50 for year @
300 days.
On the L., P. and G. the reduction
ranged from 800 to S279 for year OF 30
days.
Who were the men whose wages hat
been reduced? The estimate is tina
there are now in operation in the United
States 150,000 miles of railroads. Thes'
iron tracks are sufficient to girdle the
globe six times, with enough left to lay
a double track across this continent
Upon this vast extent of railroad
mileage 80 per cent. of the pro
ducts of forest, field and farm, o1
the mines and OF the shop are trans
ported to seaport, to inland marts, to be
distributed to the people. Over these
iron tracks annually pass men, women
and children in number equal to five
times the entire population of the coun-
try. l ask again who are the men
charged with the responsibility of trans
porting these 100000 of lives and
this grand sum total of merchandise
safely to their destination? They are
railroad employees. Men designated as
workingmen-engineers, firemen. brake
men, conductors, switchmen and tele-
graph operators. Men who are burdened
with responsibilities such as attach to no
other calling, and who are required to
face perils more appalling than confront
the professional soldier. The cap
italist who owns factory or mine
may, if he choose to do so. over
see and supervise his property
and his employees, but the owner
of railroad must intrust his property
absolutely to his employees, and all
trains that 60 laundering over the lines,
with all their wealth of life and property,
are in custody of employees upon whose
courage and fidelity success and safety
mainly depend. The Goulds and the
Vanderbilts standing upon the platform
rnay admire the trains as the creations of
their wealth, but the moment wheel
turns and the train takes its departure
why dtiO Az hOIC COuITOl
than are the planets that go whirling on
their circuits around the sun. Then the
train men take charge and the railroad
is as dependent npon their
skill and fidelity for the success of his
investment as he is upon the vital air
for breath.
The strike furnished Gen. Harrison an
opportunity to demonstrate whether or
not he believed, with Mr.. Cleveland,
that ''labor lies at the foundation of the
country's development and progress, and
that labor, without affectation or hypo-
crisy, is entitled to the utmost regard"
He had an opportunity to expand to the
full proportions of friend and champion
of labor. Did he do it? Let the answer
come from as despicable record as was
ever made.
Let it come from insulting harangues.
Let it come from the pleadings of paid
of railroads. Let il come from
a tramp, tramp, tramp of soldiers led by
Gen. Harrison, raised, organized and
equipped to shoot down railroad men at
the word of command.
The strike reached indianapolis on the
23rd day OF July, 1887.
l have shown you by official figures,
published at the time in all the daily
papers in Indianapolis, the wages of en-
ployes had been cut down in amounts
ranging from $45 to $651 for year Of 800
working days.
HARRISON A RAILROAD SOLICITOR.
The Ohio and Mississippi Railroad
Company, with others, were involved in
the strike, and, being in the hands of a
receiver, was under the control of the
United States Court at Indianapolis.
Mr.. Harrison entered the employment
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 the 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 handsome fee OF $21 900.
[See page 289, 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 Indian
apolis.
1t must be remem bered, too, that
July, 1877 was about twelve months
after Harrison had suffered crushing
defeat in a race for Governor of Indiana
at the hands of "Blue-J leans" Williams,
and that he was completely out OF poll
tics. Indeed, in an interview published
in the Indianapolis NeaDs of that year, he
so stated.
Soured with his political downfall, he
had resumed the practice of the law
Exclusively" He was not courting
public favor but fat fees. To say and do
what would please railroad magnates
was of more important to him than to
pursue a just and popular course with
the people.
THE TWO POLITICS.
There were two propositions confront
ing the citizens of Indianapolis, one that
of al bitration, Cancellation, peaceable ad-
iustment of conflicting differences; the
other that of intolerant Pinkertonism,
troops, coercion, the shotgun policy.
Both had their advocates, the latter plan
had done it's terrible work of death and
desolation at Pittsburg, Baltimore,
Chicago and Reading. On the 9th OF
July the figures were as follows:
Killed Wounded.
keaolng ...'.''...'......''.''-. -
Baltimore. e.................-......S Il
chicago. ................. -......l4 20
P1ttSDurS Observation-Disclosures ~ oI
Total .......................179 .179 las
1t is not necessary to dwell upon the