The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1894-10-24
sUBDUED UNRULY M0Bs.

Report Of the Work Done by Troops In
tho Middle West This Year.
WASHINGTON, Oct. l9.-In his an
nual report. just published. Brigadier
General Merritt, commanding the de-
partment OF the Dakotas, says the
movement of troops in his department
during the last summer was occasioned
by two re remarkable outbreaks. which it
las been necessary to control by the
use of the army. In April there was
the organization and movement of the
.o-called commonwealerso or Coxeyites;
he other was the strike commencing
in June on the Northern Pacific rail-
road, cipitated In sympathy with
the strike at Pullman. General Mer.
rift says:
The Coxey Movement.
1.-THE first of these developed to the
greatest extent in the farther north.
western portion Of the department In
the state of Montana, being augmented
and aggravated by causes like those
which made the strike occurring sub.
sequentiy of considerable proportions
and more or less difficult to control.
The causes are the large floating, min
ing and unemployed population, which.
being more or less free from the re-
straint of the law, Is always ready to
Join any movement in which idleness,
vicioushess and lawlessness are found.
Another cause IL tue affected
sympathy extended to the Iawless
by both high and low in office. who
depend on the SURFACES Of the less law
abiding for their presence. This de.
pendence is apparent among all classes
of the community. The merchant,
grocer, tradesman and all who live by
the patronage of others are constrained
to openly express sympathy with the
violent and in many cases with the
lawless. because of the principle OF boy.
cottine, which has been reduced TO a
science in this newly and meagrely
protected state.
"Whils many communities of the
classes of which l speak privately con-
denim lawless conduct, the fear that
their means of procuring livelihood
will be taken from them by the boy
colt, places them, 80 far as their public
expressions of opinions go. among the
worst element. It IL not wonderful
under these circu instances that law.
lessness was in the ascendant in Mon.
tana during both of the outbreaks re-
ferred to. It is perhaps only necessary
TO add that all resistance was made to
the civil authorities; in no instance did
the people included in this resist the
military when it appeared on the scene
OF disturbance. The troops were used
with complete discretion by the officers
in command and the law enforced
without violence"
How He Handled Strikers.
In treating the great strike, which
stopped every wheel OH the Northern
Pacific railroad and inflicted great loss
and untold inconvenience OH the pub
lie. General Merritt says: II! is diff.
cult to conceive a worse state of affairs
than existed on this road. There was
no mail communication with any point
west of Fargo. The posts situated on
this- road could hold no communica-
lion with department headquarters,
save by telegraph. If the blockade
had been continued, the communities
living there and troops stationed at
different points on the road were in
danger of star walton, resulting from
the stoppage of supply trains"
General Merritt tells in detail how
he disposed of his forces to meet the
emergency and open up conmunica-
ton, and says: ut is especially graft
fying TO note that all these movements,
which involved in many Instances con.
siderable marching under the least
pleasant conditions, were performed
promptly and in the most creditable
manner" In connection with the
labor troubles, lie also calls attention
to the necessity of q system of tactics