The record-union., 1894-08-02
GOVERNOR MARKHAM'S WORK.
What He Was Doing During the
Great Strike.
Though He Declined TO Talk of What
He Was Doing, He Was
Busy Mans

during the stirring events OF the past
month. While large numbers OF men
were defying the laws of the State ana
National Governments, he steadily re-
fused to give out any statement for publ
cation. with the result that even many OF
his warmest friends believed that he was
not displaying that activity which the
people expected from the Chief Execu-
tive of the State. But the Governor was
wide awake all the time, though he chose
to keep his own counsel. at the urgent
request of friends. he has at last been IN
duced to make the following statement:
To the People of the State of California:
Now that the strike is virtually over, so
far as the railroads of this State are con-
cerned. and the troops out OF the neIa,
do not hesitate to say to the people what
l have done. 1t is safer to await the result
of events than to attempt 10 toretell con-
sequences which it is impossible to lore
see.
have been obliged to suffer somewhat
from those who have honestly felt that l
ought to disclose my motives, acls anu
purposes hourly to the general puDle'
Results have convinced me that my course
was the best. My only apology is that
my desire and aim have ever been to 90
that which would rebound to the pest IN
terests of our whole people, regardless OF
its effect upon me personally.
Now that our people can breathe easier.
and reason has been restored 10 those who
are responsible for this great calamity,
there will be many who can say what
should or should not have been
by the Governor. The fact that we
are out of it, with the loss OF so few pre-
cious lives and the destruction OF so little
property. causes me TO accept any per-
sonal censure without murmur.
Let me say, without egOtiSm, that but
two important events have occurred since
my occupation OF this office that l have
not anticipated and been ready TO meet.
The first was the great bank run IN 1898.
l left the State for the Worlds Fair, sim
cerely believing that our banks were as
safe as any in the country. Imagine my
surprise when the people made the mad
rush at those institutions and my great
qualification at the outcome. only very
few detective banks were found IN The
State, and had these been weeded out, as
they should have been, this calamity
would have been averted.
The second surprise was when l left
the city of Sacramento on the 10th day OF
June to witness the graduation of my
daughters from the public High School
OF Pasadena. | had promised TO deliver
q Fourth of July Grafton at Nevada City,
and was therefore making this long "trip
to encourage the one and prepare TO re-
spect the wishes of the other. Again i'm
agine my surprise when, without the
slightest warning, the wheels of our
great internal commerce were stopped as
by a single stroke, and every industry
paralyZed to a greater or less extent.
had left the Capital sincerely believ-
ing that no city on the coast had so many
honest, intelligent, well-paid laborers,
proportionate 20 its population, as Sacra-
I had hoard a oOfl1nlainf a
from the employees of either OF the great
railway systems of the State. They APP
peared to be well paid, and we'll treated.
Many complaints had been made against
our railroads by their patrons. but none
by their employees.
Had this strike been confined to Cali
fornia it would not have been alarming,
but when the same sad facts were made
manifest in one Of the greatest railroad
centers of the world l was at once satis-
lied that if the great city of Chicago was
10 be paralyZed, and that, too, with its
proximity TO the seat of the National
Government and at a time when every
function OF its executive, legislative, aud
judicial branches were being performed,
discretion at least should dictate that /
should pause and listen to their words.
AS soon as they were received l wired as
follows:
PASADENA, July 10. 1894.
IONs ~ u. CTTGSftLlUts AO6cT6CUTU ~
State, Washington, ID. c.: have just re-
ceived the Presidents proclamation. as
reported In the papers. Please convey
TO him my hearty approval of the same.
Chicago is the source and center of this
most unfortunate affair. Strikers in
California refuse to sanction any PROPOSE
tion not sanctioned by Debs. With the
strike broken in Chicago, this State will
soon resume its peaceful pursuits. Please
assure the President OF my earnest sup
port. II. ii. MARKHAM, Governor.
But in the meantime was not idle.
Dozens of honest men were en-
ployed to ascertain the cause OF these
strange proceedings, and within twenty
four hours after the strike was declared l
was confronted with the fact that new
President had Ieaped into power, and
that his will and his dictates were set up
against all the established laws of this
country, and that thousands were blindly
submitting to his imperious dictates,
scarcely knowing why, and with SYM
pathizers enough to constitute almost a
majority of our people. The leading
strikers would listen to no one, nor to
any proposition that did not emanate
from their improvised President, Debs.
There were but two courses for me to
pursue. One was to declare martial law
and assume control of everything, and
the other to assist all the civil authorities
10 LD6 1Qtl6Sb 6At6Ib VI NY pONGI III ln6
enforcement of the laws. l adopted the
latter course. On the I'd of July began
TO inquire as to what could be depended
upon from the National Guard OF Califor-
MIA. From all sections except Sacra-
mento the report was positive and assur-
ing. Acts OF lawIessness were being re-
ported to me hour by hour from so many
places in the State. and especially from
Oakland and Sacramento, that L sent
General Dimond this order:
PASADENA, July 5, 1S94-l2:0SP. NJ.
MGjor- General " II. DiB0ad, Sas1
Francisco Exercise your best judgment
as to number and time of putting your
command in condition for work. Do this
without further orders. l will advise
Allen of this order.
ID. h. MARKHAM, Governor.
Again, on the same day, l sent him
these unlimited orders:
PASADENA, July 3, 1S94-I2:55 P. NJ.
Mejo7- General ". II. DimoRd, san
francisco: Yours reached me at 1I:3O
A. NJ. The suggestion is proper one. /
wired General Allen yesterday to ascer-
tain at once the condition of all troops in
that part of the State. You should at
once ascertain what facilities will be given
for transportation from the various points
if called upon at all. Your efforts must
be made in such q manner as TO become
effectual. Post me frequently as TO the
situation, together with any suggestion
YOU deem important. You should know
the strength and caiiber of your men bet
ter than l.
II. II. MARKHAM, Governor.
PASADENA, JulyFS, 1S94-4:56 P. NJ.
P lfdjor- General ". IL. Dimoad, San
Francisco: You will send troops to Sac