The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-06-13
ARMED INTERVENTION DENIED.
Seaboard Air Line Asks Gov. Aycock
for State Constabulary Protection OF
Their Shops at Raleigh.

thSh ohopo a. H>oASA6"'
Saturday Mr. j. NJ. Turner. repre-
senting the Seaboard Air Line Rail-
ways interests, applied to Gov, Ay-
cock for special police to protect the
company's shops in Raleigh and the
men at work in place of the striking
machinists there. The request was
refused the Governor giving his rea-
sons therefor while pledging the
power OF the State to protect property
and suppress disorder should occas-
ion arise. The following correspond
ence explains itself. MIR. Turner
wrote the Governor as follows:
Certain evil disposed persons are
coming upon the premises of the Sea-
board Air Line in Raleigh, attempt
ing to persuade our machinist. and
workmen to quit, and refuse to cease
| coming upon our premises when re-
quested. Some persons this morn
| ING ignited fuse and caused an ex-
| plosion in our round house. The ex-
| plosion did no damage, but caused
| great alarm among our machlnlsts at
| work | ask you, under the State
law, that you appoint four special
| policemen to afford protection to our
men and property"
To this the Governor replied:
Il decline to appoint these police
men. | believe their appointment
would tend to breach of the peace
rather than to preservation Of law
| and order. The sections Of the Code
referred to provide for the appoint
ment of such policemen and likewise
provides that they shall be paid by
the railroad requesting their appoint
ment and that they can be discharged
when the railroad company requests.
| These provisions make the policemen
essentially policemen Of the railroad
company, rather than officers of the
law of the State of North Carolina.
The striking machinists and their
friends would at once recognize that
these policemen particularly repre-
sent the company rather than the
State and this would tend to irrita-
| llOu. II SUuS lOl W CIlCi
| your premises enter, the law Of the
State is adequate for your protection.
| You can swear out warrants for them
and have them arrested for tres pass
ing upon your premises after having
been forbidden. You can employ al
your own expense as many guards
around your premises as may be
necessar? to keep off intruders. From
your premises they would have the
same right to evict trespasser> az
they would have ii they We're police
officers. They can certainly protecj
your property against laying of fuses
and igniting explosives. | DO not
recognize, therefore, the necessity
which you seem to think exists for ap
pointment Of the police force request
ed by YOU.
II deem it proper, however. TO as
sure you that any attempt to lnJur'
your property or your men, from
whatever source it may come, will b'
met with the full power of the State
| am not sufficiently informed as tt
the merits of the controversy be
tween the Seaboard Air Line and it!
employees to have formed detinit,
opinion, but | am certain that what
ever the grievances of the striker
may be they must be worked on
through lawful means. am assured
by representatives. of the laborin!
men that they will use their utmos
endeavors to prevent any lawess
ness, and SO far as their own men ar,
concerned | am certain they will b.
successful. AS to those who seek t.
attach themselves to those of you
employees who have struck | wish i
distinctly understood that no viola
tion of the law will be tolerated, ant
that the utmost power of the Stat
will be exerted to preserve property