The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-05-19
PRESIDENT CALLED
ON BY STRIKERS
they Protest Against the Send
ing of Federal Troops
to Chicago.
7~oOsEvELT'S FIRM REPLY
In the Course of His Speech He De.
clares Order Must Be Maintained,
Although tie Has Not Been
Asked for Troops.

Chicago, May 12.-The committee OF
Iaboring men appointed to call on
President Roosevelt and lodge with
him Il protest against the employment
of federal troops during the present
transfers strike was granted an au-
dience. The committee consisted of
c. p. Shea. president of the Interna-
tional. Brotherhood OF Transfers;
Charles bold, president of the Chi
cago Federation of Labor: James
O'Neill. vice president of the Chicago
Federation of Labor; II. p. Quinn, a
member of the Canvassers' union, and
7. Rickert, president of the Garment
Workers international union. Outside
of the membe of the committee,
President Roosevelt and Secretary
Loeb, nc n was present. The follow
ing account of what was don was
given out by Secretary Loci
After presenting the protest to the
president Mr.. Shea, acting as spokes-
man, said:
w are here as q committee to pre-
sert to you a statement stating our
the employers association and the
Transfers union. We have understood
that they lave asked you aid for
bringing troops into Chicago. We want
to present our petition to YOU"
!, Mr.. Quinn said: 1T will take about
ten minute to read this; perhaps we
had better leave it with you?"
R~ooseveit's Reply.
The president said ne would read it
at once. and after doing so said:
Il have read the petition you have
presented to me, the conclusion of
which is Il request for a hearing before
any action be taken by the federal pres
g., .& ,-1 - H. - -.
uation. AS yet no suggestion of any
kind has come to me from any source
that l should AXE any action. OF the
merits of the caSe ! "~' wholly ignor-
ant. I have no Ii owledge of what
the situation is, or what steps should
be taken to end it. 1 feel, however, that
in view of one statement, or series of
say this: L regret that o in the let
ter should have spoken of the use of the
federal army as you have spoken.
Order Must Be Had.
n request has come to me for the
action of the federal government. but
at the same time. Mr.. Shea, as you
have brought UP that fact, 1 want to
say y thing with all the emphasis in
my OWE In unfolding law n or
der. in doing what lie is able to do to
suppress mob violence in any shape or
way, the mayor of Chicago, Mayor
Dunno, has my heartv support. l am
glad to be able to say this to ! gen
tlenIen before | say it to any other
body. Now let me repeat that i know
nothing of the facts of the situations: 1
know nothing of the rights or wlongs of
the points at issue. THAT | have to saw
is based purely on whSt l regard as he
unfortunate phrasing of a letter pre-
scented to the president of the United
States. l have not been called on to in
r. wa yl q "a &t-, - lst
misunderstood my attitude.
In every effort of Mayor Dunno to
prevent violence by mobso or individuals
TO see that the laws are obeyed and
that order is preserved he has The
hearty suDDort 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 n great
pleasure to see YOU. and am glad
to have had the chance to say his to
YOU"
Union Must Obey the Law.
Mr.. Quinn. who knew the president
in his youth, said:
Mir. President. what prompted us
to come to YOU with this statement is
that for the past two or three weeks
there has been Il continual howl for.
the federal army. / have known You
long enuogh TO know that you would
not respond to a onesided demand: that
YOU Will not respond until you have
thoroughly investigated the case"
The president replied:
MI. Quinn. as yet the mayor of Chi
cage has not made AN appeal to the
governor, and therefore, of course. the
governor has made zone to me, and
as yet nothing in the situation has de-
and action by me-"
President Shea Their said:
Let me aXpl1in that Tho povar-
nor has been requested by the commit
tee of the employers to demand fed
eral troops. The statement has been
made in the papers. | Immediately
t%elegraphed Governor Deneen that we
would allow him to appoint Il commits
sion. Regardless of that ] want to
make Our position known TO you in re-
gard to moi violence. Every time n
mob c~ongregates, every act of violence
performed by either a union man or a
sElnpathiZer. reacts to our detriment.
l believe tina. We are skilled workmen
enough in our particular craft to dem
demonstrate to the business men of
Chicago that it is to their interests
10 employ US. There is nothing at
stake but to re-employ citizens of Chi
cagO who have been forced out of thei.
positions. Violence meets with the
condemnation of the officials, both To-
cal and national. of u organization.
1t does not meet With the s~y1npathias
of our organization. simply want to
say that we want to be fair. to pre-
serve the business interests of Chicago,
realizing h n the prosperity of our en-
ployers is our prosperity"
Union Must Obey the Law.
The president replied 10 this, say
ing:
MI. Shea, l can only repeat what
have said. ] am Il believer in unions.
am an honorary member of one UNI
ion. But the union must obey the law
Just as the corporation must obey the
law, just as every man, rich or poor,
must obey the law. AS yet no action
has been called for by me, and most
certainly if action is called for by me
l shall try to do exact justice unde.
the law to every man, SO far as I have
power. But the first essential is the
preservation of law and order, the
suppression of violence by mobso or in
dividuals."
This closed The interview, and the
committee Withdrew.
1t was generally understood by both
sides that there would be no disturb
ances while President Roosevelt was
in the city. notwithstanding this
there We're a number of outbreaks, one
taking place on Michigan avenue a
short time after President Roosevelt