Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-07-13
Is This The Man to Trust With the
Military Power of the N alton?
New York Star.l

Several of the newspapers in this city
have taken much comfort to themselves
in the prediction that the present cam
paign was to be one of principles, instead
of bitter personalities, The Star, adopt
ing this view of the matter. has been ex-
ceedingly conservative IN it's discussion of
the Chicago candidates and platform.
nomination the cry went out that he had
favored unrestricted Chinese immigration
and Chinese citizenship, and that during
the northwestern labor troubles in 1877 he
had advocated suppressing the strikes at
the point of the hayonet. But the Star,
unwilling to accept these charges without
verlfcation, caused its Washing ton cor
respondent to examine the files of the
Congressional Record as to the Chinese
debate, with the result of bringing to the
surface the forgotten votes of Senator
Harrison during the time when the Chi
nese question was one of burning interest
in Congress-. We published his record the
day after his nomination, and the publ
cation has since gone broadcast over the
whole country. His friends. unable to
meet or refute it, have adopted what Gen.
eral Sherman aptly terms 'sthe privilege
of silence.''
To-day the Star publishes Harrison g
record IN connection with the great rail-
road strikes of 1877. 1t shows that all
that has been charged against him is we'll
founded. In July of that year, when the
great strike in defence of living wages
was at It's height, Gen. Harrison, who
then as now belonged to the profession of
corporation lawyers. who are rarely held
in esteem by the wofkingmen, assumed an
attitude toward the strikers that made him
at once obnoxious. 1t was while Mayor
Caven, of Indianapolis, under the advice
of Gov. Williams, was counseling peace
and arbitration and exerting every effort
in his power to settle the strike and avert
bloodshed, that Gen. Harrison came to the
front as a rampant advocate Of suppress
sion by force. After much persuasion
Gov. Williams was induced to order out
the troops, and he at first proposed to Sc
lect Gen. Harrison as brlgadier general as
a man peculiarly fitted to face such an
emergency, although the Citizens Com
mittee of Safety, knowing Harrison's i'm
petuous nature and his ungoyern able
temper when aroused, had previously de-
cided to recommend Daniel McCauley for
that position. The citizens prevailed, and
McCauley was placed in charge, while
Gen. Harrison assumed command OF
COMPANY A"
Now begins the record of which the
MoiA Mou " nood roaSon 70 comnla;n
country nave good reason 10 compliant
Gen. Harrison began drllilng MS company
at once, taking up quarters on sae arse Sc
nal grounds, IN inc eastern palG oI me
city, along with other companies. Al
though there was no ACTUAL connlcI VIII
the strikers, IL was evldent 10 eVery one
on the ground that Harrison was eager to
try conclusions with bayonet and musket.
To several members of his company, as
we'll as to those connected 1I eoo WIN otner
military companies az inc Arseaai groaaos
he is decalea ~ naye pro- sbnnt da as
willing ITO charge upon anu snoo1 gown
the strikers, II pfoVocasion were anoro-
ed. ~ ,o.- so,o.: - a.
On July ~ len, aeiegaglon OF inc
workingmen, heaa :s oy Mliliam Sayre,
waited upon eue Saela'I 9o Ui't S IN
Mcdonald, Judge gresham ana otners.-
The Delegation was courteously received
by all except HaII h W., VINO ee oegan Iurl-