The Forrest City times., 1888-09-15

Total. 119 14S
 It is necessary to dwell upon the merits of the opposing claims. It appears that before the very eyes of these despairing husbands and fathers, these barons of transportation were declaring large profits During the very hours of this conflict, the E. & O. road declared a 10 per cent dividend and the Pennsylvania line an per cent But these pictures of bloodshcd, of the starving wife, the half-c ad children bending over the lifeless form of husband and father, were held up in vivid and friyhtful reality before the people of the Hoosier capital, and yet there were some who favored the promptest preparations for repetition of the scenes in other oities and Gen. Benjamin Harrison was among the earliest advocates of the movement
 With his commanding influence he drew many with him and was supported, then as now. by the Indianapolis Journal and the Evening News. The feeling aroused by such leader and two powerful dailies is shoxn by incidents and utterances recorded at the time. There was no need of fight.
 The prayerful protests Of the employees was against being further driven to the wall" They believed in the pure justice a' their demands; that the last cut she ae restored; that they sh d not be pre- ed below the surface of the great sea. Aaf luxury-not even eomfort-m suls ing wages was their request a this ar- ptdl sO SlTOuR Was Int eltultt Ul luStlCt with them, that they believed that all could be accomplished through the medium of arbitration. They were first to defend and protect life and property. Three hundred of their own trusted companions were sworn in for this very purpose, and as the outcome of the trouble demonstrated, they were sincere On July "A the men held a meeting and agreed by unanimous resolu- tion to absolutely abstain from the use of intoxicating drink during the trouble. On the same day Mayor Gavin swore in over 300 railroad men as special policemen, and at citizens meeting he'd at the Court House used this language: '"Thc railroad men themselves have no desire to rob or destroy property, aud some hundreds have been sworn in to protect the property of the railroad companies" With a just cause, they pursued it soberly, insensibly. On July p the City Council indorsed the course of Mayor Gavin and declared that there had been no riot The statements of numerous men engaged in the difficulty al so bear out the law abiding disposition of the strikers.
 ORGANIZED BY HARRISON.
 Yet in the face of the truth voIunteers are organized by Gen. Harrison and his friends. Daniel Haeaulay, being reeom- mended by the Citizens Committee was commissioned as "Brigadier General of the Indiana Legion.' On July l2, 1877, com missions were issued to ten captains, every one of whom was Republican. Benjamin Harrison was made Captain of Co. C. He organized III men-the largest company in this great army to be pitted against a few haf-paid, Respondent but peaoeable railroaders.
 The very work of enlistment and drill ing was carried on by him in the United States Courtroom at Indianapolis I hose sacred precincts where justice alone should reign were given up to this great railroad lawyer for his warlike preparations. Let us understand again, be had no State mil itia, but accepted for service raw recruits" They had not been mustered into the ser vice as the laws of Indiana prescribe. There is no record of it. They simply shouldered arms, And 1 say to you, thus brought together, they had no more au- thority to shoot" than the WhiteC Cap pers of Southern Indiana. And did this great railroad lawyer who. as we shall see later, denounced the strikers ns law-break. CTS, ruthlessly disregard the highest man. dates of the law that he might 'eoeree' some poor laborer at the point of the bayonet? Will he plead ignorance of the law, as he does on his Chinese record? l leave it with you, but as the record ap. pears he, far above all others, violated the statutes of our state. Is it not a little strange that in the war of the rebellion Mir. Harrison permitted sixty y-nine regiments to
 
 tieth Indiana, but when it came to a war against workingmen he joined Co. C. of the First Regiment and was the leading spirit in all that conflict? This energy and ac- tiyity may be explained somewhat when remember all this time he had big fee from oue of the roads involved in tho strike. His company oncs organized, armed, Gen. Harrison, proudly marching them on the streets, finally quarters them at the arsenal. The News ofthe 2Tth says.
 Four companies of volunteers, under the respective commands of Gen. Benjamin Harrison, Col. x. R. Buckle, Maj. J. J. and Capt. Harry Adame, marched into camp at the United States Arsenal this morning They are armed with the new breech-loading Springfield rife, most for midable and efficient weapon.
 The city under this policy was soon filled with soldiery. Over l. 900 volunteers were raised here. The author of "Ben Hur was also spelling for fight" and have felt all along he should have been Eomin- ated for Governor on the Republican ticket as fit running mate to Gen. liar rison. The News thus announces his arrival:
 Gen. Lew Wallace and n company of Charlottesville warriors came in at O clock this morning, have driven over country roads all night
 Notwithstanding thss menace of armed forces and repeated threats of eoerc on. the difficulty ended as the men said it should, by arbitration, and Gen. Iiarri son at the close receipted to the State of Indiana for $20 for fourday pay, while his men reeeipted for $2s 6 S1, or at the rate of s cents per day each. But 1t is claimed by Gen. Harrison's friends that this money was turned over to some permanent miiitss company.
 
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