The New York herald., 1921-10-17
HISTORY REPEATING
NRAILR0AD STRIKE
Former Disturbances, Like
Present Crisis. Followed
Period of Depression.
RIOTING IN JULY, 1877
U. s. Troops Sent to Quell
Labor Disorders in Sew
eral States.
RIOTING In JULY, 1877
INJUNCTION USED IN 1894
CIeyeland's Threat to Call En-
tire Army to Deliver Post
card Lifted Mail Ban.


The history Of railroad labor dis
turbances. in the United States since
the civi, war is a history of economic
unrest the fundamental causes of
which arc strikingly similar, result
ing from financial depression. An
editorial comment on the situation
during the strike Of 1877 reflected
public sentiment perhaps no less truly
then than now. 1t was: "A railroad
war of the trunk lines is about as
certain in recurrence as smallpox
or the change of seasons. Periodically,
and with many formalities agree
ments are made between the rival
parties. and periodically but without
any formality the agreements thus
made are broken"
Attention was diverted from the
other features of President Hayes's
Administration in July of 1877, by an
extensive strike on the railroads which
was described by the historian James
Ford Rhodes as amounting almost
to ii social uprising" 1t was directly
traceable to the depression following
the panic Of 1873 in which the rail-
roads rs a single interest suffered
mere than any other.
In April 1877, the railroad presidents
OF the country entered into fresh
agreement in regard to rates, dividing
west bound tonnage under a pooling
agreement. Faced with an immense
falling off in earnings, due to hard
times, they hastily announced 10 per
cent. reduction of wages, put into ef-
feet by peremptcry order.
U. $. Troops Sent to scene.
The industrial drama opened at
Martinsburg, w. Va. on the Baltimore
and Ohio. where, although accepted by
other employees, the reduction was re-
sisted by the flremen, who, on July 10.
began to leave their trains. The strike
spread quickly all over the line 1t be-
camc little short OF riot with strikers
in complete control Of a large part OF
the property within twenty-four hours.
The Governor called out the whole State
military force. which consisted only of
three volunteer companies, an insult
Ac!ent number to cope with the strikers.
On the eighteenth President Hayes
was called upon for aid and sent 25v
United States Regulars to Martinsbure.
Serious trouble started at Cumberland
and Baltimore and soon spread to Pitts
burgh and other points in Pennsylvania
and to New York. 1t eventually extended
to practically all lines between the At
lantic seaboard and the Missouri Rivef.
and lawlessness and unrest invaded
most Of the Northern States.
New York did not suffer as acutely
as some of the neighboring States.
largely because OF the precautionary
measures adopted by Gov. Lucius Robin
son. There was then, as now, con-
siderable army Of unemployed. and anx-
iety was felt concerning public meet
ings held under socialistic and com.
munistic auspices. Gov. Robinson fur
nished troops. and three regiments OF
militia were kept under arms, the ola
Seventh Regiment being kept on duty
in its armory 500 yards from Tompkins
square. where the strikers and agitators
held their meetings.
The year 1885, following the depres-
sion of 1884, was another noted as q
sreat strike year" Owing to the de-
was announced and submitted to in
September of 1884. 1t was followed by
a further reduction in March, 1885, but
this was resisted by the shop mechanics
in a strike that stopped the freight
traffic OF the whole Southwestern sys-
tenn.
Chicago Strike of 1894.
The next important railroad strike
was what is still known as the "Ch-
cago Strike" which developed in the
summer of 1894 while President Cleve-
land and Consress were engaged In a
discussion OF the tarif question. Like
the preceding instances It was brought
about by reduction OF wages due TO
depression OF business following the
panic OF 1898. The trouble had its in
ception at the plant of the Pullman
Palace Car Company. and a sympathetic
strike OF railroad employees arose from
the fact that nearly 1000 employees OF
the Pullman company belonged to the
American Railway Union OF which
Eugene V. Debs was president.
The strike started on June 2s with
the refusal OF switchman to attach n
Pullman car to a train which was MAX
ing up. and when this man was dis
charged all switchmen struck. The
strike quickly spread to other branches
of the service. causing an almost COM
plete paralysis of n number Of roads
The ramifications extended throughout
the West. but the trouble was most felt
In Chicago.
The first interference by the national
Government came as result OF Presi-
dent Clevelands determination that the
United States mails should not be inter-
fored with. They were generally carried
by fast trains TO which Pullman cars
were attached. Mr. Cleveland deter
mined upon course after he had been
assured by Richard Olney, Attorney-Gen-
eral. that II would not overstep the limits
set by the Constitution. Meantime Mr.
Olney. through the United States Attor- |
reys. marshals and other officials, COM
piled accurate information as a basis
upon which to work. He empowered the
marshals to engage a large number of
deputies, and directed the District At
torneys to apply TO the courts for in
functions.
CIeveIand's Firm stand.
On July a sweeping injunction wa !
granted against Debs and his associates
in the American Railway Union restrain
Ing them from opstructing the mails. |
II was reported that President Cleveland |
declared that "if II took every dollar in
the Treasury and every soldier In the |
United States to deliver a postcard In |
Chicago that postcard should be de-