Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-09-19
The Voice of Labor.
SIGNIFICANT DECLARATION BY
THE WORKINGMEN OF WIS.
CONSIN.

An address signed by 1000 me-
chanics and workingmen residing
in Milwaukee, Wis, and published
in the Sentinel of that city, gives
convincing reasons why they re-
fuse to vote for Cleveland for
President. AT least one-third of
the signers, the Sentinel says, have
acted steadily hitherto with the
Democratic party. Below is the
significant document in full:
The undersigned, mechanics and
workingmen, appeal to their fell
low craftsmen throughout the
State Of Wisconsin that they
should so exercise their rights as
American freemen as to protect
their interests and the interests of
American labor throughout the
land. The Presidential campaign
now pending is one fraught with
great interest, especially to the
class of people which we represent,
and to which we belong. The re-
cord of the Democratic party has
always been in favor of Free
Trade, or looking in that direction,
as has been shown by the plat
forms adopted by that party in
many conventions. Their Ma
tional Convention in 1880 declared
for a "tariff for revenue only" and
the one just held in Chicago de-
clares that tariff duties should be
Levied only to raise revenue "suffi-
cient for governmental purposes"
They have always taken this posi-
ton or lodged the question. The
Republican party on the contrary
has always maintained in all its
platforms that they were in favor
of protecting home industries and
elevating and dignifying American
labor. 1t is sufficient for our pur-
nose 70 ouote extracts from the
calls for the conventions in Wis
consin which elected delegates to
the National Conventions in Chica-
90 in June end July last. In the
call of the Republican party we
find the following;
"All citizens are invited to unite
in the election of delegates who are
in favor of elevating and dignity
ing American labor, protecting and
extending home industries, with
ont discrimination in favor of any
class or interest" Tile Democra.
tic call, issued about the same
time, in April of this year, con-
tains this clause "All Democrats
and other citizens of Wisconsin,
who can unite in an effort for pure,
economical and constitutional gov
ernment, and those who believe a
substantial reduction of the exist
ing tariff duties is demanded, are
invited to join in electing delega-
tes to this convention" This
much for the record of the two par
ties upon this question, all impor-
tant to us.
Now, as to the reasons why
Grover Cleveland is not a proper
man for the laboring men Of this !
country to elevate to the position
of President of the United States.
His record during the time in
which he has been Governor of the
State of New York has shown him
to be the friend of monopolies and
corporations and the enemy of the
common people and the laboring
men.
Because he vetoed the bill to re
duce the number of hours of work
for a large class of laborers in the
city of New York, from seventeen
hours to twelve, known as the
street car drivers bill.
Because, as Governor of New
York, he vetoed bill called the
Mechanics Lien law, to prevent
swindlers from robbing workmen
out of their earnings, and giving
them a lien upon all buildings up
on which they were working uhtl
their wages were paid.
Because he vetoed bill to ena-
bic workingmen, their wives and
children to ride upon the elevated
railroads of New York city for FIVE
cents fare, bill demanded by the
teeming millions of the city of New
York.
Because he vetoed the bill to pro-
hibit the employment of children
under thirteen years of age in any
factory in the State of New York.
There are many other reasons
which might be given why the
laboring men of this country should
see to it that this man should not
be elected President of the United
States, but we think we have
a sufficient number.
We call upon all mechanics,
laboring men and their friends to
organize and see to it that every