The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-08-12
BIG FRAUD EXPOSED.
THE SHARON 'NATIONAL LABOR
CONVENTIONS THAT INDORS-
ED GARFIELD.
Fifteen States and Two Hundred and Twenty.
Five Delegates DWlndle Down to Ped.
dlSr OF Silver Polish,

Sharon, Pa, August 4, 1880,
To the Editors Of the Pittsburgh Post:
The telegraph from this place last week favored
the public with an elaborate account OF the pro.
| ceedings Of a National Convention of the "Inde.
pendent Peoples Labor Party" alleged to have
been held In Sharon, July 28th The Conven ton
It was announced, consisted of 225 delegates rep.
resenting fifteen States A ballot by States was
given, resulting In the nomination of Garfield
and Arthur. AS most OF our citizens knew moth.
Ing OF all this until they read 1t in the Pittsburgh
and Cleveland papers of Friday, considerable
curiosity was aroused and many questions were
asked concerning this important political trans.
action. Such questions proved, however, entirely
futile, for no one seemed to possess any informa.
tion on the subject The writer, being one of the
curious, instituted an investigation; and with
considerable difficulty, obtained the facts in re.
gard to the Convention" It was ascertained, in
the first place that the telegraphed report was
sent out In answer to request from Pittsburgh
iof tue proceedings Of the convention. 1t was OBJ.
tained from the editor Of an evening paper here
who had received 1t in the form Of a Communica
uon, the editor stating that he knew nothing
lurlhef concerning the matter than the contents
OF TINS communication. The registers of the DIFF,
lerenl ho'es were then examined. They showed
only the usual number OF arrivals and these Of
the usual class. At enc hotel however the name
OF single delegate was found. and here also was
lound gentleman who had scraped an aCuuain.
lance with him, and from him had learned the
ruin concerning the convention. Six delegates
were present, five white AMI one colOred. The
one above mentioned, who was evidently the
leader OF the party proves to be an itnerant ven.
der Of silver polish, The FIVE other delegates"
oouDtless are "laboring men" Of the same general
character The Convention as far as could be
learned, was held on street corner and remain,
ca In session about five minutes. In the light of
Tie tbOVe facts, the importance Of this working.
mems demonstration Is considerably lessened.
instead Of convention of 225 delegates represent.
Ing the wOrkingmen OF Is States we have street
corner gathering of half dozen lodfers, sent no
doubt by Republicans for the purpose Of ban-
oo02ling labOring men Into voting for the Candi.
dates Of the imperial party.
The Sharon Times has the following 10 say
about the alleged Convention "There was in
Sharon on Thursday last six strangers other than
those registered at the different hotels whose bu.
siness was known and whose presence can be &C.
counted for, These six gentlemen constituted
the entire delegation from the fifteen States to the
National Convention" Of the independent La.
Dor party" One was from Pittsburgh, one sill.
yer polish peddler from Cleveland one colored
gentleman from Wheeling, while the locations of
the other three are not given. Five of these gen
tlemen put up at the American House and the
other at the ShensDgo House. The only place
they were seen to meet together was on the cor.
ner of State ard Railroad streets, and tits there
1t is supposed that the momentous affairs of the
convention" were conducted The "proceedingsr
OF this convention" were published in this place
and paid for as an advertisement and were AZ
terwards telegraphed to the Associated Press
And now for the motive of the "conventlan." !"
The idea that any convention was held in Sharon
Is too absurd 10 he entertained 1t Is apparent TO
every one that there was some scheme in connec.
hon with the matter, and the only solution of the
enigma worthy OF consideration is that Il was
conspiracy Of the Republicans to capture a few
independent votes for Garfield. The deceptIon
SHOWS at first glance that 1t was practeed fol-
the effect It might produce upon the laboring
men In the Shenango and Mahoning Valleys, A
convention Of independent labOrng men declar.
Ing for Garfield would be very beneficial to the
Republicans at the present time, but there being
no such party the Republicans manufactured one
OF the six distinguished strangers who visited this
place last Thursday, and who are now no doubt
holding little conventions in towns where the
laboring men predominate. The iaboring men of
ms vicinity, however, are rot as credulous as the
Republicans consider them aud 1t is very pro.
oable that the scheme will miscarry In other
places as 1t has done here"