Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-07-26
People of the Bluegrass Section
Grateful to the Acting
Governor.
The Masses Hail Him as a just
Ruler and Most Wise
Counselor.
UNEQUALED As AN ARBITRATOR

by Gov. Edward ]. McDermott in the
settlement of the street railway
strike at Lexington stamp him ne
one of the great men of the hour and
has won for him the respect and con-
fidence of the people of Kentucky
/ and the country. That our readers
may know how his services are ap-
preciated in the Bluegrass region VIC
reproduce comments from the three
| Lexington papers, which verify what
we said in our last issue. Under the
| heading, cause For Rejoicing" the
Lexington Herald said:
ut is needless for us to express
4, 1ur qualification at the settlement Of
the--strike; equally needless to ex-
press oNr appreciation of the gooG
offices of Soy. McDermott in bring
ing about a settlement satisfactory
alike to the stfHi2g employees and
to the officers of me, traction COM
pany. Every citizen must~-Eeioice
that the strike is ended, settfRd
without further bloodshed, violence
or destruction of property and with
out the troops being sent tc Lexing-
ton by the Governor. 1t was a wise,
manly and considerate course for the
Governor to come to Lexington TO
investigate conditions before taking
action ordering out the troops; it
was particularly fortunate that he
exercised his power as a mediator
and brought together in accord the
warning elements. Both the leaders
of the strikers and the officers of
the company are satisfied with the
agreement that was made and graft
fed at the result; they and all other
citizens of Lexington have cause to
be profoundly grateful to Gov. Nc
Dermott."
The Tribune, of that city, with
Hail to McDermott, had this to
say:
'Kentucky's Lieutenant Governor,
and at the present moment the Act
ing Governor of Kentucky, rose tc
the occasion, met it and we Lexing-
tonians are all for McDermott, God
bless his level red head. On an ap-
peal to send the militia to the cap
ttal of the Bluegrass the Governor
came himself instead. r. did not
take him long to size up the situa
tion. With the city full of bullies,
whose importation caused a rict, the
Governor, being a true Kentuckian,
realized that you can not crush man
hood with a gatling gun and APP
pealed to reason and common sense
instead. The result is Lexing gton ic
In peace, normal business conditions
are restored, and this fair city will
now proceed on its way, growing,
expanding and occasionally when the
occasion demands it, yelling for
McDermott. An emotional Governor
would have had troops on every cor
ner; the rifle ruling the community
instead of justice and reason, with
the result that man would have
been arrayed against man; business
paralized for days and perhaps weeks
and this beautiful city of ours tori
asunder by passion. Lexington viii
ever owe Gov. McDermott an act of
gratitude, and the Tribune today
halls him rs Just ruler and wise
counselor"
The Lexington Leader, also hail
ing Gov. McDermott, commerds him
in the following editorial;
The street car. strike, with its
potent elements of danger, was
brought to a close Tuesday afternoon
through the good offices Of Acting
Governor McDermott, who, inviting
employees and employers to meet with
him, brought them to an agreement
before he left. Acting Governor f.
of a Commonwealth to leave the
Capitol to go to the scene OF a riot
and a strike and settle II. That he
stands unequaled as an arbitrator
is unquestioned, since II only re-
quired twenty-four hours for him to
settle strike which seemed an
impossibility Monday morning, He
practically spent twenty-four hours
listening TO one side. then to the
other, until he understood every
point of the trouble. The crisis
called for a strong man to handle II,
and Gov. McDermott proved himself
exactly the right man in the right
place. The Leader is not fully ad-
vised of the details of the discussion
which took place behind the closed
doors OF the conference room. But
II is known that the forceful. well
juQktu SubHtrtiOnp VI th1 NOftfhtA
made to the representative OF the
Traction Company and then to the
strikers committee. drew both fac
tions toward each other, until =
mutual understanding was reached,
and the success of the conference Is
due TO the confidence which both
sides held in the man from Frank
fort and TO the spirit OF coDciliation
which both sides exhibited. Gov.
MeDermott has won the sincere
gratitude OF all Lexington for con-
ing at once TO the scene Of action
and for his efforts In bringing
about restoration OF normal condi-
tions.
"'Oh, he's little. but he's wise,
He's terror for his size.
And he does not advertise
Do you, Ned7"