Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-05-05
VOL. 54--WHOLE NO, 2,670.
MMASSAGHUSETTSANDR RHODE ISLAND
OF PENNSYLVANIA
N sENAEE tkITED Es,AFaLL, ESQ.

Your Select Committee to inquire
into alleged frauds in the recent cleo.
tions was directed by the authority
given it "to inquire whether any citi-
zen ofany State has boon dismissed or
threatened with dismissal from EN-.
ployment or deprivation Of any right
or privilege by reason Of his vote or
intention to vote at tho recent elec.
tons, or has been otherwise interiered
with, and whether citizens Of the Uni
ted States were prevented from eXer.
cising the elective franchise, or forced
to use it against their wishes, by
any unlawful means or practices" "
The attention OF the Committee was
directed, by a number Of atlidavits
upon this subject, TO the State of Mas
sachusetts, and the inquiry was prose.
cuted there and in the State of Rhode
Island, where your Committee was
also pursuing another branch Of the
duty assigned to it by the Senate. The
specific allegation was made that en-.
ployers OF labor in those States coerced
their employees to vote as the en-
ployers wished, and that deprivation
Of employment was the penalty for re.
iusal to do so. Among the data sub.
mitted to your Committee in proof Of
this allegation was u circular, which
was in these words.
DEAR SIN Your cooperation with the Mas.
]
Is most earnestly requested. 1t Is 10 your power,
! by the authority you can exercise over tho.o en-
! ploy ed by you, to maintain the homer Of Massa-
ebusetts, and keep It out Of the hands Of spoilers
and political knavos whO have selected General
| Butler as their candidate His election would
Disgrace our State, and ruin our standing at
home and abroad. A thorough canvass Of those
you employ, and an early report TO the Secretary
Of he Republican State Central Committee, will
be thankfully received.
That this was issued in the canvass
of 1878, by authority Of the Republi.
can organization was shown to be un.
true. It's origin could not be traced.
1t seemed to your Committee to be q
trick OF partisan politics originating
with some irresponsible person and
productive Of no evil results to any
workman.
A meeting OF some twenty leading
manufac tlrers and employers Of labor
was held at the Parker House, IN Bos.
ton, during the canvass Of 1873. Its
purpose, as stated by the Chairman of
the Republican State Committee, was
not to raise money, but to arouse the
interest Of those in the meeting to the
Importance Of tho issues Of the can.
vass; but there was no proof that any
arrangement was there made to coercc
employees or exercise any influence
upon them. Indeed, it was expressly
denied by the testimony.
Another meeting of manufacturers
was shown TO have been held at Wor.
cester, Mass, in the office of Mr.. Wash.
burne, who was Chairman OF the Re
publican City Committee. The pur.
pose OF this meeting was to urgo the
employers Of labor there present to
exercise their influence. 1t was to
arouse them TO action. They were
asked to call their employees together
and address them ON the issues. This
was done in at least one case. The
action taken at this meeting was spo.
ken OF by the employees affected as be.
ing prejudicial to their freedom of ae-
tion. Fear of loss of work II they vo-
ted or acted against their employers
wishes was frequently expressed. The
result OF the meeting, and It's action,
was degree Of intimidation to the
emplOye One witness described its
effect upon the operatives thus: 1t
caused. them TO be no longer active, to
grow cold; it dampened their ardor
and changed their conduct. Another
witness said the meeting was held for
the purpose of "iorcing their help,
through dread OF unemployment TO
vote contrary TO their wishes and ac.
cording to the wishes of their employ
ers." And still another, who was in
charge of the Democratic hcadauar.
ters, described it thus:
"a. The effect OF the meeting as it
was detailed to mo-oi course do not
know that it is accurate, but it came
TO me from quito a number Of sources
was this, that there had been meet.
ing Of manufacturers called that the
policy as laid down at that meeting by
some Of the speakers, and by one
speaker particularly, was to this effect
"We must keep inside the law; We