Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-09-10
TO THE LABORING MAN.

TO THE LAB0RING MAN.
The enemies of Governor Cleveland who
attempted to defeat his nomination, and
who are now endeavoring to defeat his
election, are diligently endeavoring to cir
culate reports that he is not friendly to the
laboring man. 1t is absolutely false. The
great body of laboring men in the State
of New York never had warmer and
wiser friend in the executive chair than
Governor Cleveland. From the time that
he accepted the nomination for the gov.
ernorship of New York TO this time, every
public message and every veto have been
friendly TO the laboring classes, and with
direct bearing upon their interests. In
view of the false reports that have been so
widely circulated throughout the country,
it is important that the laboring men I'M
derstand the exact state of the case.
1t has been said that the laboring men
and labor organizations of New York
State were opposed to Governor Cleveland.
How false this is can be easily seen from
the following letter written by Mr.. Wal
ter N. Thayer, president of the State
Trades Assembly. Mr.. Thayer is one of
the representative wOrkingmen of the
State, and one of their most respected
and influential leaders This is what he
says of Governor Cleveland:
Troy, July 81. 1884.
/ have been informed that statement
has been published to the effect that
while in Chicago at the recent National
Democratic Convention / stated that |
could pledge the vote of the workingmen,
of this and other localities, to Governor
CLEVELAND. l wish to state that no such
expression ever fell from my lips, and
that no interview with me was ever pub.
lisheo in which l made such a statement.
On the contrary, / stated that no man
could pledge the vote of the labor element
of New York State, or of any portion of
1t, TO any candidate. nor did any man have
sufficient influence to cause it to be cast
against any candidate. | stated that if
any man pretended to pledge the work.
ingmen's vote to any candidate he did so
without any authority. i stated that /
had no authority to speak for them on
political questions, nor had any one else.
| was ask what my personal preferences
were, and said that | preferred Cover.
nor CLEVELAND. When ask my reasons,
l expressed them as follows: The work
ingmen's assembly of this State has. since
l have been at the head Of that organiza.
ton, succeeded in passing through the
Legislature the following bills: Abolish.
ing the manufacture of hats in State pris-
ons, creating a bureau of labor statistics
the tenement house cigar bill (taotce) the
abolition Of convict contract labor, the
lien law, and the conductors and drivers
bill-seven in all OF these measures
Governor CLEVELAND signed foe and
vetoed two, viz. the lien law, and the
the conductors and drivers bill. As to
the lien law, ii is generally acknowledged
now that he did us kindness in vetoing
that bill, because, through errors of our
own In drafting the measure, the bill as
passed would have been positive in
jury TO us. The conductors and drivers
bill, think, he should have signed. So
the record shows that we have sent TO
Governor CLEVELAND six perfect bills |
and he has signed five and vetoed one. |
On this record | am not prepared to con
denim him. If the Governor does us five
favors and commits but one error, / feel
that he is entitled to my support. In
addition to the labor measures prepared
by our organization, Governor CLEvE-
LAND has signed bill introduced by
Senator Fassett, which makes working.
men preferred creditors in case of assign
nent or failure of the firm or corporation
by which they are employed. Recogniz-
ng the justice of the measure and its
great benefits to the working class, IL asked
Governor CLEVELAND to sign it, and he
lid so without hesitation. So, to sum up
he matter, he has approved of six bills
favorable to our interests and disapproved
If one. BY his record on legitimate labor
measures judge him, and on the strength
If that record shall support him. l do
lot wish IL understood that am voicing
he sentiments or preferences of any one
nut myself have no authority to speak
or the workingmen on political sub.
ects.
Yours truly,