The herald., 1894-07-06

WASHINGTON, July Ex-Governor Alt
geld has called upon the president to
remove the federal troops from Illinois.
President Cleveland has sent the follow
ing reply to the governors demand:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, July 5th.)
Hon. John P. Altgeld, Governor of Illinois,
Federal troops were sent to Chicago in
strict accordance with the constitution
and the laws of the United States, upon
demand OF the postoffice department
that distractions Of the mails should be
removed, and upon representations OF the
judicial officers of the United States
that process of federal courts could
not be executed through the ordinary
means, and upon abundant proof that
conspiraCies existed against commerce
between the states. 10 meet these con-
ditions, which are Clearly within the
province of federal authority, the pres
ence OF federal troops was deemed not
only proper but necessary. and there has
| been no intention of thereby interfering
with the plain duty of the local authori-
ties to preserve the peace OF the city.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
The following is Governor Altgeld's
telegram:
EXECUTIVE OFFICE STATE OF ILLINoIs,l
July 8.
| Hon. Grover Cleveland, President of the United
States, washington:
DEAR SIR:-l am advised that you
bave ordered federal troops to 90 into
service in the state OF Illinois. Surely
the facts have not been correctly pre-
sentsd to you in this case or you would
not have taken the step, for it is wholly
unnecessary and as it seems to me, un-
iustifable. Waving all questions OF
courtesy, will say that the state Of Illi-
nois is not only able to take care OF
itself, but it stands ready today to fur
nish the federal government any assist
ance 1t may need elsewhere.
Our military force is ample and
consists OF as good soldiers as can be
found in the country. They have been
ordered promptly whenever and wher-
ever they were needed. We have sta
toned in Chicago alone three regiments
of infantry, one battery and one troop of
cavalry, and no better soldiers can be
found. They have been ready every
MON snt to go on duty, and nave been
and are now eager to go into service.
but they have not been ordered out.
Nobody in Cook county, whether official
or private citizen, asked to have their
assistance or even intimated in any way
| that their assistance was desired or
necessary.
t So far as | have been advised, the
local officials have been able to handle
the situation. But if any assistance
were needed the state stood ready to
furnish 100 men for every one man re-
quired, and stood ready to do it at
moments notice. notwithstanding
these facts the federal government has
been applied to by men who had poiti-
cal and selfish motives for wanting to
ignore the state government. We have
Just gone through a long coal strike
more extensive here than in any other
state, because our soft coal field is larger
than that Of any other state We have
now had 10 days of ths railroad strike
and we have promptly furnished mill
tary aid whenever the local officials
needed it.
In two instances the United States
marehal for the Southern district of
Illinois applied for assistance to enable
him to enforce the processes OF the
United States court snd troops were
promptly furnished hin. and he was as-
eisted in every way he desired. The
law will be thoroughly executed and
every man found guilty OF violating it
during the strike will be brought to JUS
tice. If the marshal for the Northern
district Of Illinois, or the authorities OF
Cook county, needed military assistance
they had but to ask for it in order to
get it from the state.
At present some of our railroads are
paralyzed, not by reason OF distractions,
but because they cannot get men to op.
crate their trains. For some reason
they are anxious to keep this fact from
the public, and for this purpose are
making an outcry about distractions in
order to divert attention. Now L will
cite to you two examples which Illus
trate the situation:
Some days ago l was advised that the
business of one of our railroads was OBJ
structed at two railroad centers-that
there WAS condition bordering on an
archy-and was esked to furnish protec-
tion 60 as to enable the employees of the
railroad to operate trains. Troops were
promptly ordered to both points. Then
it transpired the company had not cuff
cient men OH its line to operate ono
train. All the old hands were
orderly but refused to 20. The com pany
had large shops in which worked a
number OF men who did not belong to
the railway union and who could run an
engine. They were appealed to run the
train, but fatty refused. We wore
obliged to hunt up soldiers who could
run an engine and operate train.
Again two days ago appeals which
were almost frantic came from officials
of another road, stating that an import
ant point on their line trains were fore.
IDLY obstructed, and that there was a
reign of anarchy at that place, and they
asked for protection SO they could move
their trains. Troops were put on the
ground in a few hours time, when the
officer in command teegraphsd that
there WAS no trouble and there had
been none at that point, but that
the road seemed to have no men to run
trains, and the sheriff telegraphed that
he did not need troops, but would him