Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1904-10-25

erai days Il request was made on Gov
IL. 3. smith by some of the city anC
county officials that troops be sent tt
Great Falls to guard the property O
the railroad company and to quell any
disturbances that might arise.
In other words, the Company
through the city and county officials
wanted to bulld0ze the men into civ.
ing up the strike by using bayonets
and bullets furnished by the state.
At this time Mr.. A. G. Gormley was
County Attorney of Cascade county.
Gov. Smith made personal exanina-
tlon OF the conditions in Great Falls
before granting the request for troops.
AZ an open meeting Mr.. GOrmley ex-
planned the situation, showing that
there was no necessity for soldiers
and that the strikers were peaceable
and orderly. The officials who made
the request, though present at the
meeting, were silent and had no word
OF explanation or comment. When
the Governor saw and heard the con-
dltlons that prevailed, he refused to
furnish any troops, only requesting
the men to refrain from lawless acts.
About this time the attorney for the
Railroad Company posted notices
stating that any of their old employees
who were on strike, found on the de-
pot grounds or track would be arrest
ed and prosecuted according to law.
aif. Gormley again took a decided
stand and notified the Company that
there was no law i'm Montana that
prohibited any law-abiding citizen
from being Oh the depot grounds and
that he would discharge any and all
persons arrested for that alone, unless
guilty OF some breach Of the peace or
other Offense. In the meantime, the
Company had started two coach-loads
Of scabs and Pinkerton thugs from
st. Paul to take the places of, and in
tlmidate the strikers. Mr.. Gormley
heard OF this, and he met the General
and Attorney of the
Railroad Company in conference and
was told that these men were being
brought into the state to operate and
protect the property Of the Company.
Mr. Gormley called their attention.
20 the law in regard to bringing in
my armed force into the state. es-
Pinkerton and Thiel thugs.
ND told the Superintendent not to
'ring these men into Cascade county.
The Superintendent used every at I
empt to threaten and bulldoze. but
without any effect. and he was finally ;
dvlsed by the Company's ATTORNEY !
0 follow Mr.. Gormley's Instructions. {
When the Pinkertons arrived. they {
'ere unloaded near the Marias River {
bout 60 miles east of Great Falls. i'm :.
'hOteau county, and were kept i'm {
ents at that place for several DAYS. c
nally being taken back to st. Paul. i
through the efforts of Governor |
NTH and Mr.. Gormley, in conjunc- i
ion with Citizens Committee, the c
-rlke was finally settled III favor of c
ne men, and all were reinstated.
NOW, Brothers, as labor Organiza- a
on, we do not wish to engage in any &
artisan politics, but we deem it only il
lr and just that at this time we T.
ear witness to you, as union men. of /
le position of which Mr.. GormIov r,
wv candidate for Congress, took in +
lr time of serious trouble. a
We believe that such man can he +
listed in any capacity and that it is o
II duty to acquaint you with the al
gh regard in which he is held by the Il
Union men of Cascade L
UNITY, regardless of party afliliation II
Inc 1oregoinging was presented to re
C .. IL. Z. and b. of II. T. at regu- &C
meeting and the undersigned Off W
lis were unanimously instructed to p;
ftly that the statements therein Iii
htalned are true and correct ac- of
ahts oi matters pertaining to our Oh
IKE OF May, 1900, together with Mr.. ba
'rMley 5 action at that time. ed
H. II. Guisness, c. c. of o. II. c. pc
'teo BJornstaad, Secty of O. Il. c. ar
BLACK Eagle Division No. 356.j on
=. y. Sawyer, Master b. of II. T. ID;
VI. L. Coombs, Secty b. of r. T. di
'ouh River Lodge No. 405.) I'M