n the Atlantic States and the
Pacific States, and that this is by far their most important service,
and this explains the meaning of the language employed by the acts
of Congress creating them.

At the time of the massacre of Chinese laborers at Rock Springs,
Wyoming, during President Cleveland's first administration, I was
ordered by the President to go to that place from Chicago and
suppress that violation of the treaty obligations between this
country and China. On my arrival at Omaha, I was informed by the
press reporters that a grand conclave at Denver that night was to
consider a proposition to order out all the train-men on the Union
Pacific Railroad the next morning, for the purpose, as I understood,
of preventing the passage of my train. I told the reporters they
might telegraph those people in Denver, but not for publication,
that I was traveling over a military road, on military duty, under
orders from the commander-in-chief of the army; that interference
with that journey would be regarded by me as an act of war, and
would be so treated. I heard no more on that subject. That
interpretation of the Pacific Railroad acts was suggested several
times, but never officially accepted until 1894.

ORDERS OF THE PRESIDENT

The following are in substance the orders sent on July 6 and 7, by
the President's direction, to all the department commanders in the
country traversed by the Pacific railroads, and the President's
proclamation which followed two days later, under the operation of
which traffic was resumed throughout all that vast region of country
as rapidly as trains carrying troops could be moved. No serious
opposition or resistance was offered anywhere.

"(Telegram.)
"Headquarters of the Army, Washington, July 7, 1894.
"Brigadier-General Otis, Commanding Department of the Columbia,
Vancouver Barracks, Washington:

"In view of the fact, as substantiated by communications received
from the Department of Justice, from military official reports,
and from other reliable sources, that by reason of unlawful
obstructions, and combinations or assemblages of persons, it has
become impracticable, in the judgment of the President, to enforce,
by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, the laws of the
United States, and to prevent obstructions of the United States
mails, and interruptions to commerce between the States, on the
line of the Northern Pac