St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-10-20
DEALS WITH STRIKES,
MEKRzET.S ANIMAL FOE TED
DEPA TMENT OF Dakota.
1t Discusses Labor and Common,
veal disturbances in the North
west and Their Suppression.

w ASHINGTON, Oct. l0--In his annual
report. just published. Beg. Gen. Mtr-
rift, commanding the department of
Dakota, says that the movement of
troops in his department during the last
summer was occasi0ned by two remark
able outbreaks, which it has been nee
essarY to control by the United States
| army. In the first place, the organlza-
tion and movement of the so called
commonweal army or COXeyites, the
other the strike commenced in June on
the Northern Pacific, preeipitated in
sympathy with the Pullman strike.
The first of these developed to
the greatest extent in the farther
Northwest, notably the state of
Montana. being augmented and aggra-
waited by causes like those making the
strike occurring subsequently of con
siderable proportions, and more or less
difficult to control. The causes are a
large floating mining and at times un-
employed population, which, being
more or less free from the restraint of
law, is always ready to join any move-
ment i'll which idleness. viciousness and
lawlessnesS are found. Another cause
is an affected sympathy extended to the
lawIess by both high and low in office,
who depend OH the suffrage of the less
law-abiding for their positions. This
principle of dependence is apparent
among all classes of the community.
The merchant. the grocer. the trades.
man and all who live by the pat
ronage of others are constrained
to openly express sympathy with
the violent, and in many cases with the
81, l..
eotting which has been reduced to a
science in this new and meageriy popu.
lated state. While many iii these COM
muIltieS OF the classes OF which | speak
privately condemn IawleSsneSS, fear that
the means for procuring Il livelihood
would be taken from them by the pow
colt places them, SO far as their public
expressions of opinion so. among the
worst elem ent.
lit is not wonderful, under these cir.
cumStanceS, that iawiessnpsS was in tile
ascendant in Montana during both of
the abnormal outbreaks referred to- 1t
is perhaps only necessary To add that
all the resistance was made 10 civil au-
tliOritieS. In no instance did the people
included i'll this outbreak resist the mill
tary when it appeared OH the scene of
the disturbance. The troops were used
with complete discretion by the officers
in command, and the law was enforced
W thout violence"
In treating OF the great strike which
stopped every wheel ON the Northern
Pacific railroad, and which inflicted
great loss and untold Inconvenience
upon the public, Gen. Merritt says:
ut is difficult to conceive worse stale
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 COM
mUnicatlOn with department n eadQuar-
tiers save by telegraph. Ii the blockade
had been continued. communities living
and troops stationed at different points
on the road were in danger of starva.
ton resulting from the Stoppage of
supply trains"
Gen. Merritt tells in detail how he
disposed his forces to meet the emer-
gency and open up communication. and
says:
1T is especially gratifying to mole
that all these movements, which ILL
VOWED in many instances considerable
marching under the least pleasant con-
ditons. were performed promptly aud
in the most creditable manner. The
dispatch with which troops moved,
without being cautioned to that effect;
the celebrity with which they reached
their several destinations, and the
clearness with which orders were I'M
derStood and. reports were made
reflect credit on the soldierly instinct
of the responsible officers at the posts
and interior. l have no doubt that il
ample measures had not been taken tc
prevent 1t, great destruction OF
railroad property, even to the etfacement
of the road for a considerable length OF
time. would have been wrought 10y the
lawless element whose character has
been limited at in the foregoing
In conclusion Gen. Merritt returns his
thanks to the officers of his staff anc
Cots. Payne and Burt especially foi
their excellent management of the thea
ter of operations within their care. In
connection with the labor troubles he
also calls attention to the necessity of Q
system of tactics for machine guns.