The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-06

scene on my own responsibility some days earlier than the sheriff called for them; since conditions far more favor able than ours for the preservation or the peace, in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and other mining states, dur ing tho same strike, speedily brought forth bloody riots, seizures of railroads, burning of bridges and interruption Of traffic, aud 1t seemed unwise to risk further delay. The sheriff, however who was on the ground, and who acted throughout with great wisdom and firmness, held to lis conviction that the civil authorities and local military could cope with the situation, and did not ask Cor other than the local troops until the 25th day of May, when he made a formal call under the statGtc for further assistance.
 Second Regiment Ordered Up.
 The Second regiment was at once ordered into camp at Ensley City, which had been previously selected, owing to its nearness to Pratt City and the con- vict stockades. and the ease with which other threatened points could be reach eG by rail. As it was about the season for the annual camps of instruction, it was determined not 10 call the troops into active s.rvice for the enforcement of the laws, but t. put the three reEi- ments in s'IccessIon in camp of in struclion at Ensley City for period Of 10 days each, where their presence and avaiia bility for service would accom- plish all the dcsired ends. The second reg ment was in it's turn relieved by the First regiment, and it, in turn, by the Third. In this way, at no other | fr cfa fa O and transportation of the men, force : of 500 troops were constantly kept at Ensley during a period of 30 days. Their presence subdued all further at 1 tempts at organized violence. but could not prevent frequent attempts at bridge l burning and assaults upon unprotected watchmen, to which the lawless con | fined themselves after the arrival or 1 the troops. During the tour of duty of 1 the First regiment, 200 men, under Colonel Williams. wh om I accompanied. | were ordered to Blue Creek to prevent a threatened attack upon the miners at work there but news of the movement 1 of the troops preceded them, and the mob the numbers of which had been ! greatly exaggerated, had dispersed A | similar experience followed the sending 1 of detachment of 80 men from tn 2 same regiment on June 12 to Chinn's ! trestle, the destruction of which was threatened by body of armed men, AS the tour of duty of the last regi- ment expired on the 23d of June, and 1 the situation, though quiet, was not ' satisfactory a force of about 250 of ! ficers and men, who volunteered for | duty were ordered into active service 1 at Ensley for an indefinite period. On 1 the 3Oth of June. no acts of violence | having been repeated since the 23d, and after a personal conference with. tn sheriff, this force was ordered home, as 1 tn was no indication of further trou ble which the civil authorities and To- l cal military could not control.
 7he Railroad Strike.
 The passions of the miners strike, wh ich were then slowly dying out. were suddenly revived by the railroad strike. which was inaugurated at Chicago un- der the auspices of the American Rail- way union, and extended to Birming | ham on the night of July [.
 This same strike by its blockade of | interstate highways elsewhere had all ready thrown numbers of our workmen l out of employment, denied many of our l farmers a market for their produce and increased the cost of the necessaries of life to all The acts of violence and blood shed, at times bordering almost a state of war, which accompanied this strike in its progress through other states i to Alabama, gave emphatic warning of ! what might be expected from 1t here. The repetition and increase of these evils by 1 lawless blockade of our own highways would have been calamitous. The minds of many ordinarily self-poised men em- ployed upon our railroads seemed pos sessed of temporary frenzy, which made them easy converts to this causeess cru sade against our prosperity, and aggra- yated as the situation was by the disor- ders and passions of another strike, 1t ] was difficult to foresee the intensity and duration of the struggle precipitated by the movement. It seemed duty there- fore to appeal to the reason and pa triotism of those of our own citizens who were expected to engage in this war upon our own people. as well as to arouse pub- lie opinion against 1t. Accordingly on the 7th day of July I issued a proclama- ton denouncing the. folly and wickedness of attempting to interrupt the use of ouI railways. and bring harm upon the whole people. in order to force the adjustment of dispute between Chicago manu' facturer and his workmen with whicf
 the people of Alabama had no concern
 and in the settlement of which they hao
 neither voice. influence nor control.
 Two Strikes at Once.
 Adequate preparations to suppress the
 lawlessness which was imminent couie
 not ignore the grave consideration Una the turbulence born of this new strlh'
 would surely be swelled in volume pA
 renewed violence in furtherance or tn'
 old strike, and that to the task or SUD
 duing the combined forces of both 1T
 Jefferson county might be added the ne
 cessity of dealing at the same time witf
 diskrder resulting from attempts to piock
 ade our highways at other points unies
 the fate of the effort at Birmingham uis
 couraged such attempts elsewhere. Ac
 cordingly cautionary orders were issue'
 to all the troops. and preparations mad
 to afford strong and prompt support t l the civil authorities.