No. 19 · The Presidents
Rutherford B. Hayes
1877-1881
The massive development during the years prior to the Hayes Administration led to a simply unsustainable economic situation once the country felt the effects of the European Depression of 1873. Striking railroad workers unhappy with their second wage cut in a year by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad began to riot, which led Hayes to send in federal troops to bring the peace. After shooting and killing 70 striking workers, this was achieved.
Lyrics
Em, G, D/F♯
everything that comes up
must come down
post-civil war growth
exploded around
then the ripples started coming from across the sea
Europe's depression was coming to we
two wage cuts
on the railroad lines
didn't take much
to enrage the insides
of these fortune-telling men who saw the end of better days
but they couldn't see what was coming from Rutherford Hayes
Hayes, I'm amazed at the ways
That you tried to keep the peace
On the streets
Shot the strikers off their feet
70 was the number of the B&O employees
said goodbye to their lives thanks to Rutherford's mishandling of the times
From the book, published 2009 · song & page updated
70 was the number