The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-05-19
CALLED
ON BY STRIKERS
They Protest Against the Send
ing Of Federal Troops
to Chicago.
ROOSEVELT'S FIRM REPLY
In the Course Of His Speech He De.
clares Order Must Be Maintained,
Although He Has Not Been
Asked for Troops.

Chicago. May 1.-THE committee of
laboring men appointed to call on
President Roosevelt and lodge with
him a 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 Internal
tional Brotherhood OF Transfers;
Charles bold, president Of the Chi
cago Federation of Labor; James
| ONeill. vice president of the Chicago
Federation of Labor; Il. p. Quinn, a
member Of the Canvassers' union, and
r. Rickert, president of the Garment
Workers International union. outside
of the members of the committee
| President Roosevelt and Secretary
| Loeb no one was present The follow
| ing account of what was done was
| given out by Secretary Loeb:
After presenting the protest to the
president Mr.. Shea, acting as spokes-
man. said:
I'VE are here as a committee to pre-
sent to you a statement stating our
position In this controversy between
the employers association and the
teamsters union. We have understood
that they have asked your aid for
bringing troops into Chicago. We want
to present our petition to YOU"
Mr.. Quinn said: 1T will take about
ten minutes to read this: perhaps we
had better leave it with you?"
Roosevelts Reply.
The president said he would read it
at once, and after doing so said:
II have read the petition you have
presented to me, the conclusion OF
which is a request for a hearing before
any action be taken by the federal pres
nl.,fi y,rr to 1,n too OF sit
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 l ~" wholly ignor-
ant. l have no owledge of what
the situation Is. or what steps should
be taken to end it. I feel, however. that
in view Of one statement, or series Of
statements. In your letter l ought to
say this: l regret that you in the let
ter should have spoken Of the use Of the
federal army as you have spoken.
Order Must Be Had.
mo 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, l want to
my power. In UNFOLDING law and 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 hearty support. l am
glad to be able to say this to vi gen
tlcmen before l say 1t to any other
body. Now let me repeat that 1 know
nothing Of the facts Of the situation;
know nothing Of the rights or wrongs OF
the points at issue. What have to say
is based purely on what / regard as the
unfortunate phrasing of a letter pre-.
scented to the president of the United
States. have not been called on to in.
terfere in any way, but you must not
misunderstood my attitude.
IN every effort of Mayor Dunno tC
prevent violence by mobs or individuals
to see that the laws are obeyed and
that order Is preserved he has the
hearty support 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 a great
pleasure to see you, and l am glad
to have had the chance to say this tc
you"
Union Must Obey tho Law.
Mr.. Quinn, who knew the president
in his youth, said:
Mr.. President, what prompted us
to come to you with this statement is
that for the past two or three weeks
there has been a continual howl for
the federal army. l have known you
long enuogh to know that you would
not respond to onesided demand; that
you will not respond until you have
thoroughly Investigated the case"
The president replied:
"Mr. Quinn. as yet the mayor of Chi
cago has not made an appeal to the
governor, and therefore, of course, the
governor has made none to me, and
! as yet nothing in the situation has de-
y manded action by me-"
President Shea then said:
) Let me explain that. The COVER
nor has been requested by the commit.
. tee Of the employers to demand fed
eral troops. The statement has beer
made in the papers. l Immediately
{. telegraphed Governor Dcneen that we
would allow him to appoint a commits
= sion. Regardless Of that l want tC
make our position known to you in re-
Il, gard to mob violence. Every time G
= mob congregates. every act Of violence
performed by either a union man or 8
sympa thiZer reacts to our detriment
l believe that we are skilled workmer
enough in our particular craft to dem
demonstrate to the business men OF
Chicago that it is to their interests
to employ us. There is nothing al
stake but to re-employ citizens Of Chi
cago who have been forced out Of their
positions. Violence meets with the
. condemnation of the officials, both To-
cal and national, of our organiza ton
1t does not meet with the sympathies
say that we want to be fair, to pre-.
serve the business interests of Chicago
realizing that the prosperity Of our EN-.
ployers Is our prosperity"
: Union Must Obey the Law.
|, The president replied to this, say.
; ing:
Mr.. Shea, 1 can only repeat wha
l have said. l am believer in unions
l am an honorary member of one un.
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 actor
has been called for by me, and mos
certainly If action Is called for by mt
I shall try to do exact justice under
the law to every man, SO far as l have
power. But the first essential Is the
preservation of law and ORDER tn,
suppression Of violence by mobs or in
dividuals."
i This closed the interview, and tn,
committee withdrew.
, 1t was generally understood by boti
: sides that there would be no disturb
: ances while President Roosevelt wa.
:. in the city. Notwithstanding thi.
3 there were a number of outbreaks, on,
/ taking place on Michigan avenue
, short time after President Roosevelt
had passed, and in which number O.