The San Francisco call., 1896-10-31
MILES. REPLY no ALTGELD.
United States Troops Here Held. In
Readiness for CoDeyttcs.

United States Troops Here Held ia
Readiness for CoreDttes
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Oct. 30.-1n re-
ply to arguments in Governor Altgeld's s
speech in Cooper Union, New York,
October 27, in relation to the Debs riots in
Chicago. where he said that the United
States troops were ordered to be In readl-
ness five days in advance of any trouble
with a view to force employees to work Tor
their EN- ployers, a statements made With
the approval of General Miles, who COM
manded the United States forces on the
occasion in question and with his indorse-
ment of its accuracy as follows:
The hordes or so-called armies OF Coxey were
organized in Kansas, California, Oregon and
other States and formed across the country, in
some cases seizing trains Tor their transporta-
tion and living upon the people OF towns, VIII
lagos and communities in their route. Fol-
lowing this the employees of the Northern Pa
cifc struck and practically held possession OF
the road when it was not earning running
expenses The same thing was done on the
Grea. Northern. the strikers holding posses
sion OF the property for weeks regardless of
the law or the rights of the property-owners
Strikes occurred in nearly all the mines be-
tween the Alleghenies and the Rocky Noun
tains. In many instances the property was
seized and unlawfully held regardless of the
civil authorities.
Following this. in May, 1894, strike was
ordered in the Pullman works in Chicago, and
when that business was paralyzed a SYM
pathetic strike was ordered on all the rail-
roads over which the Pullman cars moved.
This was in June, and according to Governor
Altgeld's own statement in his Cooper Union
speech all freight trains in certain parts of
Illinois were abandoned by the employees and
prohibited from moving by the strikers.
Trains were ordered sidetracked by the hun
dreds and the passengers were practically held
prisoners for weeks.
The interstate commerce of the entire coun-
try west of Chicago was suspended by the end
of June. A few mail trains were allowed to
run, but in many instances every window was
smashed. In some instances the operators
were brutally treated.
This was the condition of affairs on the last
of June. Under the laws of Congress 1t was
the duty of the President TO protect the inter
state commerce, the mail route the sub-Treas-
ury at Chicgo, containing $20,000000 of Gov
ernment money and other tied States prop
erty. When the mail and interstate commerce
lines were obstructed and paralyzed, it be-
came the duty of the United States court to
take action, which it did, although the lives
of the United States Marshals were threatened
and they were unable to carry out the lawful
orders OF the court. 1t was then and not until
then, that President Cleveland ordered Fed
eral troops to protect United States Marshals
in the lawful execution of their duties and
also to protect property under the jurisdiction
of the United States authorities.
A the same time the leaders publicly de-
cared that at was no longer strike, but a
rebellion" When the United States Marshals
under protection of the Federal troops had
opened the lines Of Interstate commerce and
mail routes and protection had been obtained
for the property under the jurisdiction of the
United States the troops were removed TO
their former stations July 1S. Hence they
were in Chicago only fifteen days and cid not
in any way interfere with the municipal or
State authorities. The strike, however, was
not declared off until two weeks later. This
demonstrated clearly that the Federal authori-
ties had nothing whatever TO do with the So
called strike. Neither had they anything
whatever to do with the questions between
capital and labor.