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d； the authorities arrested a number of Coxey's 〃soldiers〃 as vagrants。 On the 11th of August； a detachment of Virginia militia drove across the Potomac the remnants of the Kelly and Frye armies； which were then taken in charge by the district authorities。 They were eventually supplied by the Government with free transportation to their homes。
Of more serious import than these marchings and campings； as evidence of popular unrest； were the activities of organized labor which now began to attract public attention。 The Knights of Labor were declining in numbers and influence。 The attempt； which their national officers made in January； 1894； to get out an injunction to restrain the Secretary of the Treasury from making bond sales really facilitated Carlisle's effort by obtaining judicial sanction for the issue。 Labor disturbances now followed in quick succession。 In April； there was a strike on the Great Northern Railroad； which for a long time almost stopped traffic between St。 Paul and Seattle。 Local strikes in the mining regions of West Virginia and Colorado； and in the coke fields of Western Pennsylvania； were attended by conflicts with the authorities and some loss of life。 A general strike of the bituminous coal miners of the whole country was ordered by the United Mine Workers on the 21st of April； and called out numbers variously estimated at from one hundred and twenty…five thousand to two hundred thousand； but by the end of July the strike had ended in a total failure。
All the disturbances that abounded throughout the country were overshadowed； however； by a tremendous struggle which centered in Chicago and which brought about new and most impressive developments of national authority。 In June； 1893； Eugene V。 Debs； the secretary…treasurer of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen； resigned his office and set about organizing a new general union of railroad employees in antagonism to the Brotherhoods； which were separate unions of particular classes of workers。 He formed the American Railway Union and succeeded in instituting 465 local lodges which claimed a membership of one hundred and fifty thousand。 In March； 1894； Pullman Company employees joined the new union。 On the 11th of May； a class of workers in this company's shops at Pullman； Illinois； struck for an increase of wages； and on the 21st of June the officers of the American Railway Union ordered its members to refuse to handle trains containing Pullman cars unless the demands of the strikers were granted。 Although neither the American Federation of Labor nor the Brotherhoods endorsed this sympathetic strike； it soon spread over a vast territory and was accompanied by savage rioting and bloody conflicts。 In the suburbs of Chicago the mobs burned numerous cars and did much damage to other property。 The losses inflicted on property throughout the country by this strike have been estimated at 80；000；000。
The strikers were undoubtedly encouraged in resorting to force by the sympathetic attitude which Governor Altgeld of Illinois showed towards the cause of labor。 The Knights of Labor and other organizations of workingmen had passed resolutions complimenting the Governor on his pardon of the Chicago anarchists； and the American Railway Union counted unduly upon his support in obtaining their ends。 The situation was such as to cause the greatest consternation throughout the country； as there was a widespread though erroneous belief that there was no way in which national Government could take action to suppress disorder unless it was called upon by the Legislature； if it happened to be in session； or by the Governor。 But at this critical moment； the Illinois Legislature was not in session； and Governor Altgeld refused to call for aid。 For a time； it therefore seemed that the strikers were masters of the situation and that law and order were powerless before the mob。
There was an unusual feeling of relief throughout the country when word came from Washington on the 1st of July that President Cleveland had called out the regular troops。 Governor Altgeld sent a long telegram protesting against sending federal troops into Illinois without any request from the authority of the State。 But President Cleveland replied briefly that the troops were not sent to interfere with state authority but to enforce the laws of the United States； upon the demand of the Post Office Department that obstruction to the mails be removed； and upon the representations of judicial officers of the United States that processes of federal courts could not be executed through the ordinary means。 In the face of what was regarded as federal interference； riot for the moment blazed out more fiercely than ever； but the firm stand taken by the President soon had its effect。 On the 6th of July； Governor Altgeld ordered out the state militia which soon engaged in some sharp encounters with the strikers。 On the next day； a force of regular troops dispersed a mob at Hammond； Indiana； with some loss of life。 On the 8th of July； President Cleveland issued a proclamation to the people of Illinois and of Chicago in particular； notifying them that those 〃taking part with a riotous mob in forcibly resisting and obstructing the execution of the laws of the United States。。。 cannot be regarded otherwise than as public enemies；〃 and that 〃while there will be no hesitation or vacillation in the decisive treatment of the guilty； this warning is especially intended to protect and save the innocent。〃 The next day； he issued as energetic a proclamation against 〃unlawful obstructions； combinations and assemblages of persons〃 in North Dakota； Montana； Idaho； Washington； Wyoming； Colorado； California； Utah； and New Mexico。
At the request of the American Railway Union； delegates from twenty…five unions connected with the American Federation of Labor met in Chicago on the 12th of July； and Debs made an ardent appeal to them to call a general strike of all labor organizations。 But the conference decided that 〃it would be unwise and disastrous to the interests of labor to extend the strike any further than it had already gone〃 and advised the strikers to return to work。 Thereafter； the strike rapidly collapsed； although martial law had to be proclaimed and； before quiet was restored； some sharp conflicts still took place between federal troops and mobs at Sacramento and other points in California。 On the 3rd of August； the American Railway Union acknowledged its defeat and called off the strike。 Meanwhile； Debs and other leaders had been under arrest for disobedience to injunctions issued by the federal courts。 Eventually； Debs was sentenced to jail for six months；* and the others for three months。 The cases were the occasion of much litigation in which the authority of the courts to intervene in labor disputes by issuing injunctions was on the whole sustained。 The failure and collapse of the American Railway Union appears to have ended the career of Debs as a labor organizer； but he has since been active and prominent as a Socialist party leader。
* Under Section IV of the Anti…Trust Law of 1890。
Public approval of the energy and decision which President Cleveland displayed in handling the situation was so stro