The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-20
MERRITT'S SOLDIERS
THEIR WORK DURING IL COXEY
CRUSADE AND DEBS STRIKE.
Annual Report of the General in Conn
mand of the Department of the Dn-
kota-The Battle Ship Maine.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19.-In his annual
report. just published. Brigadier General
Merritt, commanding the Department OF
Dakota, says that the movement OF troops
in his department during the last sum-
mer was occasioned by two remarkable
outbreaks which il has been necessary to
control by the use of the army. In April
was the organization and movement of
the so-called army OF commonwealers or
CoXeyites; the other the strike
ing in June oil the Northern Pacific rail-
road, precipitated in sympathy with the
strike at Pullman. Ill. The report con-
tinues: 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 that occurred subsequently
or considerable proportion and more or
less Difficult TO control. The causes are a
large fiodting, mining and, at times, un-
employed population which, being more or
less free from the restraint of law. is al
ways ready to join any movement in which
viclouSneSS and lawiesSneSS are found. An
other cause IS an affected sympathy ex-
tended to the lawless by both high and low
in office who depend On the suffrage OF the
less law-abiding for their positions. This
principle of dependence is apparent among
all classes of the community. The mer-
chant. the grocer, the 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
boycotting which has been reduced to a
science in this newly and meagerly popu-
lated State. WhEe many in these COM
munfties OF the classes of which l speak
privately condemn lawless conduct, fear
that their means of procuring a livelihood
will be taken from them by the boycott,
places them, so far as their public express
ment. 1t is not wonderful under these cir
cumstances that lawlessness was in the as
cendent in Montana during both of the abb
normal outbreaks referred to. 1t is, per-
haps, only necessary to add that all the
resistance was made to civil authorities;
in no Instance did the people included in
appeared on the scene of disturbance. The
troops were used with complete discretion
by the officers in command and the law
was enforced without violence"
In treating of the great strike which
stopped every wheel on the Northern Pa
cific railroad and inflicted great loss and
untold inconvenience upon the public, Gen.
Merritt says: 'It Is difficult to conceive
a worse state of affairs than existed on
this road. There was no mail communion
posts situated on this road could hold no
communication with department headquar-
tiers save by telegraph. If the blockade had
troops stationed at different points on the
road were in danger of starvation result
ing from the stoppage Of supply trains"
General Merritt tells in detail how he
disposed of his forces to meet the emer-
gency and open up communication and
says: 1T is especially gratifying to note
that all these movements, which involved,
in many instances, considerable marching
under the least pleasant conditions, were
performed promptly and in the most credi-
table manner. The dispatch with which
troops moved. without being cautioned to
that effect. the celebrity with which they
reached their several destina tons and the
clearness with which orders were under
stood and reports were made reflect credit
on the soldierly instincts of the responsible
officers at the posts and in the field. 1
have no doubt that If ample measures had
not been taken in time to prevent it, that
a great destruction of railroad property,
even to the effacement of the road for a
considerable length of time, would have
been wrought by the lawless element whose
character has been limited at in the fore
going"
In conclusion General Merritt returns his
thanks 20 the officers of his staff and to
Colonies Wayne and Burte. especially, for
their excellent mana cement of the theater
or operations in their care. In connection
with the labor troubles he also calls at
tertion to the necessity of a system of
tactics for machine guns