Editing Grover Cleveland (section)

===Pullman Strike===

{{Main|Pullman Strike}}

The Pullman Strike had a significantly greater impact than Coxey's Army. A strike began against the [[Pullman Company]] over low wages and twelve-hour workdays, and sympathy strikes, led by [[American Railway Union]] leader [[Eugene V. Debs]], soon followed.<ref>Nevins, 611–613</ref> By June 1894, 125,000 railroad workers were on strike, paralyzing the nation's commerce.<ref>Nevins, 614</ref> Because the railroads carried the [[U.S. Postal Service|mail]], and because several of the affected lines were in [[Bankruptcy in the United States|federal receivership]], Cleveland believed a federal solution was appropriate.<ref>Nevins, 614–618; Graff, 118–119; Jeffers, 296–297</ref> Cleveland obtained an injunction in federal court, and when the strikers refused to obey it, he sent federal troops into Chicago and 20 other rail centers.<ref>Nevins, 619–623; Jeffers, 298–302. See also ''[[In re Debs]]''.</ref> "If it takes the entire army and navy of the United States to deliver a postcard in Chicago", he proclaimed, "that card will be delivered."<ref>Nevins, 628</ref> Most governors supported Cleveland except Democrat [[John P. Altgeld]] of Illinois, who became his bitter foe in 1896. Leading newspapers of both parties applauded Cleveland's actions, but the use of troops hardened the attitude of organized labor toward his administration.<ref>Nevins, 624–628; Jeffers, 304–305; Graff, 120</ref>

Just before the 1894 election, Cleveland was warned by Francis Lynde Stetson, an advisor: "We are on the eve of [a] very dark night, unless a return of commercial prosperity relieves popular discontent with what they believe [is] Democratic incompetence to make laws, and consequently [discontent] with Democratic Administrations anywhere and everywhere."<ref>Francis Lynde Stetson to Cleveland, October 7, 1894, in Allan Nevins, ed. ''Letters of Grover Cleveland, 1850–1908'' (1933) p. 369</ref> The warning was appropriate, for in the Congressional elections, Republicans won their biggest landslide in decades, taking full control of the House, while the Populists lost most of their support. Cleveland's factional enemies gained control of the Democratic Party in state after state, including full control in Illinois and Michigan, and made major gains in Ohio, Indiana, Iowa and other states. Wisconsin and Massachusetts were two of the few states that remained under the control of Cleveland's allies. The Democratic opposition were close to controlling two-thirds of the vote at the 1896 national convention, which they needed to nominate their own candidate. They failed for lack of unity and a national leader, as Illinois governor John Peter Altgeld had been born in Germany and was ineligible to be nominated for president.<ref>[[Richard J. Jensen]], ''The Winning of the Midwest: Social and Political Conflict, 1888–96'' (1971) pp.&nbsp;229–230</ref>