The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-05-31
ROOSEVELT At CHICAGO
Meets Delegation Of Striking Team
sters and Makes Speeches.
CROWDS CHEER THE EXECUTIVE
Police Guard the Presidents Party to
ana From Railroad Dep~ot-Strlking
Teamsters Show Some Violence Dur-
ing the DaY-Hamilton and Merchants
Clubs Addressed.

ing the -dafnilCon anu hercnants
Clubs Addressed.
Chicago. Ill. - The committee ap-
pointed by the labor unions obtained
an interview with President Roosevelt
late in the afternoon and came away
with a rebuke for the way in which it
referred to the United States Army in
it's protest and with a declaration from
the President that Mayor Dunno and
other authorities would be upheld in
every attempt to suppress mob violence
and maintain law and order.
President Roosevelt, after a busy
twelve hours in the city, left at 1910
o'clock at night over the Pennsylvania
line for Washington. D. G.
The labor unions committee was
sent to lodge a protest against the EN-
ployment Of the Federal troops for
which. the unionists alleged, it was
the plan of the employers to ask. The
members of the committee were Cor
nelius 2. Shea. President Of the Inter-
national Brotherhood Of Transfers;
Charles Dodd. President of the Chi
cago Federation Of Labor: Joseph
O'Neill. Vice-President of the Chicago
Federation of Labor; 7. P. Quinn, a
member of the C~anyassers' Union, and
r.. Rickert. President of the Garment
Workers International Union. The
committee, President Roosevelt. and
Secretary Loeb were the only persons
at the conference. The account Of
what passed was given out by Secre-
tary Loeb:
Mr.. Shea. acting as spokesman. said:
we are here as q committee to pre-
sent to you a statement Of our position
in this controversy between the En-
ployers' Association and the Teams
ters' Association. We have understood
that they had asked your aid for bring
ing Federal troops to Chicago"
The President took the petition, read
it, and said:
: II have read the petition, the conclu-
sion Of which is a request for a hear
ing before any action be taken by the
President relating to the Chicago strike
situation. AS yet no suggestion of any
kind has come to me from any source
that I should take any action. OF the
merits of the case I am wholly ignor-
ant. I have no knowledge of what the
situation is or of what steps should
properly be taken to end it. I feel.
however, that in view Of one state
ment, or series Of statements, in your
letter I ought to say this:
II regret that you should in the let
ter have spoken at all Of the use Of the
Federal Army, as you have there spo-
ken. No request has been made to me
for action by the Federal Government,
but at the same time, Mr.. Shea, as you
have in this communication brought up
that matter, l want to say one thing
with all the emphasis in my power. In
upholding the law and order, in doing
what he is able to do to suppress mob
violence in any shape or way. the
Mayor of Chicago. Mayor Dunno, has
my hearty support. 1 am glad to be
able to say this to you, gentlemen, be-
fore I say it to another body.
Nov. let me repeat that I know
nothing, of the facts Of the situation. l
know nothing of the right or wrong Of
the points at issue. What I have to
say is based partly upon what I regard
as the unfortunate phrasing of a letter
presented to the President Of the Uni
ted States.
II have not been called upon to in
terfere in any way. but you must not
misunderstood my attitude. In every
effort Of Mayor Dunno to prevent vio-
lence by mobs or individuals, to see
that the laws are obeyed. and that. or
der is preserved he has the hearty sup
port Of the President of the United
States. and, in my judgment, he should
have that Of every good citizen Of the
United States. Now, gentlemen, it
has been q great pleasure to see you,
and 1 am glad to have had the chance
to say this to you"
The arrival Of President Roosevelt
here was celebrated by rioting, in
which George S. Pierce, a union team
ster, was shot and killed and several
non.union workers were severely in
iured. Two were shot and five stabbed
in a fight begun by union transfers.
Great crowds lined the streets here
to get a glimpse of President Roosevelt
OH his way home from his hunting
trip. The general esteem in which the
Chief Magistrate OF the Nation is held
was visible throughout the line of
march from the railroad station to the
hotel. The address Of the President
at the midday luncheon at the Mer-
chants Club, and his later speech to
the members and guests Of the Ham
ilton, bristled with such sturdy Ameri-
can sentiment that ever his political
opponents. who had come to criticise,
were forced to give him the full need
of praise for his patriotism.
Chief of Police O'Neil preceded the
Presidents procession in a carriage
and personally supervised the arrange
ments and saw that the streets were
clear. In the advance Of the line Of.
carriages were fifty mounted police,
the pick of the department. Behind
the Presidents carriage rode eight
detective sergeants in two carriages.
They were the Presidents personal
bodyguard.