The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1880-12-18
Why We Were Defeated.


complished. The methods by which it
has been reached are no secret.
The money of the one hundred thou
sand olliceholders and the campaign
labor of this large trained army (paid
alike by all the peOple) did their work.
The concentrated capital of the great
Republican lords of the realm did its
work.
Republican employers of labor gen.
orally, but notably in the manufacturing
industries, did their work.
The worst form of bulldozing the la
Dor of the country has had full sway.
Men have been told that il they con-
suited their interest they would vote
with their proprietors for Garfield.
The thing was planned with Satanic
shrewdness.
1t was delayed until late. when, APP
parently. at given signal. the big cor
porations and companies, and kepub-
iican employers generally, all over the
land, informed their workmen that
their interest required the election OF
Garfield, and, Presto, in glides Garfield
on forced votes before the great voice
of the people can protest.
The following from the New York
Sun may be regarded as fairly illustrat-
ing the method:
On Thursday before the election Superin-
| tendent Armstrong, an ardent Republican,
| who has entire control OF the immense OIL de-
Of the az me started cd
out from his office with a fOrmidabie-lookin
| book under his arm and made complete
| round of the works, interviewing all OF the
10 bai nrpfprpncpa-
jotting down their replies in his book
He would approach man with smile and
swell, how do you voter
"For Garfield"
"Good; Garfield it is"
But il a man said Hancock, the Superin-
| tendent would say: "Our candidate is Gar
| field; vote for Garfield; this Company goes
for Garfield, and advise you to do likewise"
The man, in nine cases out OF ton, cQnsid-
cred his employment and the maintenance
of his family of paramount Importance, and
yielded a reluctant consent to the cocrcive
measures of the man on whose favor depend
The day after this effective course of bull
doing twenty-five men were discharged, or,
as the Superintendent puts it, laid over"
Hancock men who refused to be intimidated
into voting the Republican ticket.
Mr.. Thompson being asked: "Wha
chance do these discharged workmen
stand for employmentr' answered,
"they don't stand any chance at all,
unless they go back to the works and
say they'd vote for Garfield, when it's
possible that they might be take n on
again" The poor fellows obliged to
live up to the last penny of their in
comes with winter at their door, were
brought to face the alternative of hum
ger for themselves, their wives and their
children, or lose their self-respect.
The side of certainty of no shelter
and no bread for wife and little ones
won, and self-respect and manhood
were surrendered victims to an ac-
cursed spirit of tyranny and greed, in
order that Garfield might become Pres
ident.
The political result of the movement
in this particular Instance was this:
The town of Weehawken, heretofore
strongly Democratic, cast a large ma
jority for Garfield. Such are the meth
DDS by which General Garfield will be-
come President.
Great as they were, the sacrifices
growing out of the late Rebellion
dwindle, compared with the loss of the
self respect and manhood of the Amer
lean workingman; the destruction of
the dignity of labor; the sacredness of
the free ballot; the right of freeman
to be free. Great God, what a blight
of the best hopes of true Americans!
What loss of the real wealth of the
country!
This method of bulldozing, a plant of
many years growth throughout New
England and the East, was planted on
Indiana soil for the first time during the
recent elections, and doubtless enough
votes were controlled through this
means alone to give the Electoral vote
OF the State to Garfield.
The past cannot be recalled, butIthere
is future; and we regard it as the pres
emit highest patriotic duty of independ-
ent, pntrammeled Democrats, so far as in
them lies, to see that this most infa-
nous and cruel tyranny, this conspira-
cy against free ballot is a plant that
cannot grow into paying investment
upon Indiana soil.
The New Jersey case instanced here
in is but sample of what was enacted
by great numbers of Republican manu-
facturers and employers in the State.
One of the distinctly marked cases
occurring in this city was that Of the
Indianapolis Chair Manufacturing Com
pany.
At the beginning of the campaign the
workingmen of this concern were about
equally divided politically.
Inc work began by the men being
told that if the Democrats were success,
iuii work would cease or wages would
be reduced; that it was the interest of
the proprletOrs that Garfield should be
elected, and if the men working for
them would consult their own interest
they would vote with their EMPLOYERS.
These threatenings have perhaps
snrewdly been kept within the law, but |
in intent and effect they were the worst |
form of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. State
Sentinel.
This great victory of tho Re-.