Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-09-05
Aanrdstcr tntrlAQenrs.
TUESDAY EVENING, SEPT. 8. 1851.

~AStASAoUt GNk IISXtIkkG.
TUESDAY EVENING, SEPT. 8. 1851.
The Labor Vote.
Since the first organized movement
Of workingmen in politics in this state,
forty years ago, it has been their misfor
tune almost uniformly to be either mis-
led or betrayed. In the expressive words
Of Judge Black in a recent familiar talk
upon this subject, enriched by interest
ing "reminiscences and earnest words of
sympathy with the daily toiler: Labor
in this country for more than a third of
a century has been like blind giant,
tbrashing itselfin its just fury, apparent
Iy unable to see and know when, where
and how to strike in order to secure re-
dress of undOub.ed and blighting griev,
ances." And that is pre-eminently the
situation in Pennsylvania today. Hon
est sympathizers with the tOiling mil
lions are not satisfied that it has been
relieved by the progress of the present
political Labot movement. For if that
movement is organized sincerely in the
interest of Labor its present manage
ment is a blunder, and if, as Chairman
Cooper boasts, it is managed in the in
terest of the Republican hopes, it is a
conspiracy, and its results will be most
disastrous to the workingmen.
In the present condition and attitude
of the two great parties no candidate of
third party has any likely chance of
election to state Office. This is fact
which no intelligent man will for one
moment question. The independents
frankly admit that they do not expect to
eject Mr.. Stewart, unless he should be-
c,me the candidate of a united party,
and Armstrong cannot hope to poll any
thing like the number Of votes that
Stewart is morally certain 10 receive in
his present:position. This alleged Labor
ticket has been i'm the field for more than
three months, yet it has excited no popu-
lar interest among wOrkingmen through
out the state, and it is evident that nearly
the whole of whatever support it does
receive at the polls will be the result of
systematic effort by interested persons
and of hidden influences which dare not
face the light. Cooper makes it apparent
that he will try and rellearse the dis
creditable story of 1878, though it must
be on a smaller scale.
Since the Republican chairman aycws
that a vote for Armstrong is a vote for
Beaver, why should any workingman,
or any citizen, and especially any Demo
crat, throw away his vote Oh the Arm
strong ticket? Every such ballot cast
is worse than wasted, inasmuch as it
might be made productive Of great good.
There is no parallel between the cases of
Armstrong and Stewart. The latter's
supporters, in voting for him ARE striking
a deadly blow at the corrupt machine,
the existence and growth of which
threatens their party with ruin, while
the logical result Of ArmStrOng'S S candi.
dacy is claimed to be the salvation of
the bosses in their hour of extreme peril
Honest workingmen over the state
have taken alarm ut Cooper's "give
away y that the secret purpose of the
most powerful element enlisted in be
half of this sO-called Labor ticket is tC
uSe it 50 rs to bring about General
Beavers election. Messrs. Armstrong
and Heath and Jarret have no right tC
affect indignation nc Democrats for put.
ting this construction upon their move.
ment. They have only to thank the
Beaver campaign manager for a timely
and overwhelming exposure of the pur.
poses i'm which their movement is to be
manipulated, no matter what different
purpose it was originally intended to
serve. In his elation at the work of the
Philadelphia convention MIR. Chairman
Cooper" " gives the whole thing away .
in an interview in which he is reported
as saying:
think that Armstrong will poll from
10000 to 1O0,C0 votes. But his candidacy
will not tend to prevent Beavers elec
tiOn it will work the other way. Two
Republican counties would otherwise &c
to tho Democratic candidate, and four out
Of every five which he receives in Demo-
cratic counties will be cast by Democrats
l think that the convention was fairly
representative body and have NO dOub;
that most OF the Labor organization will
work for Armstrong. Stewart will DO very
fortunate il he polls half as many votes AZ
Armstrong, and the majority which will
elect Beaver will be greatly increased by
the results of yesterdays work.
For such a prompt, explicit and full
revelation of the conspiracy to manipu
late the votes of unsuspecting working
men in Beavers behalf, Mr.. Cooper
should have half-dozen Chicago "3O6'
brass medals moulded into one as big as
a barrel head. Is there workingman
in Pennsylvania who cannot clearly and
cOnvincingly see through this disreputa.
ble scheme ? The purpose is to make
sure that the Armstrong vote is at least
fOur-fifths Democratic, in order that Pat.
tiSon may be beaten and Beaver elected.
Republican wOrkingmen sympathizinp
with the Labor movement will be encour.
aged to shout for Armstrong until the
the eve of the election, when, the victims
of Inscriptions traders and the delusive
promises of the bosses made through,