The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-25
MORE DEMOCRATIC INTERFERENCE.
The Kansas State Committee Attempt to Die
tate to the 0livers-A Reply that Stings.

tate 10 Ine OllNerS-A Reply tnaU OUln9S'
1t is evident that concerted movement is be-
ing made against the large industrial establish
ments of the State, whose propretors are Re-
publicans, by the Democrats of the country.
The effort is to raise prejudice that will injure
their business, and thus cause loss not only to
to the propretors, but to the hundreds and thou
sands of men employed by them. We yesterday
published letter from the Studebakers in
ply to the Indiana Democratic committee and
below will be found the reply of the divers to
an impertinent letter from the Kansas Demo
cratic committee:
SOUTH BEND Ind, Oct IS, 1884.
w. g. Perry Chairman Kansas Democratic State
Central Committee Topeka, has
Dear Sir-Your communication of the 10th
inst is before us and has received our careful
perusal. Possibly we ought to consider 1t an
impertinence and make reply, but under
rule of our Office requiring answers to all com
munications pertaining to our business, we give
you the benefit of that saving clause, and shall
reply with courtesy at least equal to yours. The
charges that you make to our coercing or
unduly influencing the voters in employ are
false in every particular. They have not
shadow of foundation to rest upon, and no one
but an unprincipled or lying partisan would
make them. --
No man has ever been discharged by us on ac
count of his political principles. No man has
been threatened with discharge because he
would not vote as we dictated, and the matter of
politics in no sense enters into the employment
of our workmen. Every man votes as he pleases,
for whom he peases, and he does so voluntarily
and of his own free will. 1t is an insult to us
and to our men to make the charges presented
by you. and as such will be resented by every
man in our employ.
The charges that you now make are the re-
vamped ones of 1882 which the Democratic Leg
islature of our State, with great show of virtu-
Gus indignation, started to investigate. But
when we courted investigation and respectfully
petitiOned for one our communication was con-
temptuously tabled by the Democratic majority
and never heard from afterward The fact is,
they dared not make the investigation, as it
would have been shown that the
ercion and undue influence were entire
ly on the side of the Democracy, and
this we were prepared to prove. The Democratic
candidate for Congress was beaten fairly and
souarely. much to the surprise and pecuniary
loss of his constituency, and the charges and
buster were INDUCED in for the purpose of let
ting him down easily, as well as to punish us be-
cause so many of our workmen voted the Repub-
lican ticket.
1t is fact that there has been great change
in the political sentiments of our workmen in
the past four years, and that a very large pro
portion of them now vote the Republican ticket
instead of the Democratic, as formerly. This
has been largely brought about by the free -trade
policy of the Democratic party the tendency of
which is to operate against the best interests of
the laboring classes, and our men, being fully
satisfied of this, now voting with their true
friends.
Another strong factor in bringing about this
change was the defalcation of Democratic
city treasurer, occurring some two years since,
running far into the thousands and causing
general distrust of Democratic management be-
cause the Democratic leaders sought to cover up
and palliate the offense, This and the other
cause named have worked a revolution in the
sentiments of our men, and most of them are
now active and interested Republicans, and
proud of their party affiliations.
Believing thoroughly in their right to vote as
they please, we shall protect them in so doing,
and no threat of advertising will deter us
rom acting in straightforward, conscientious
manner Any other course would be neither
manly nor right, and you yourself would de-
spise US if we permitted ourselves to be black
mailed, as threatened
This explanation should be satisfactory to you
but if not, you can proceed to ''ventilate and
advertise" as much as you please. We are great
believers in the virtues of printers ink and what
ever you can do for us in this line will be thank
fully appreciated. Conscious of the rectitude of
our intentions and actions, we shall have no fear
of the result, and are content to rest our case
with the thousands of intelligent farmers of the
country who use our plows with full faith in
their merits.
So much for our explanations and now a word
of advice to you: Be sure that you know what
you are doing hereafter, before attacking
threatening reputable business house.
who make them are entitled to credit
whatever. We know from whom the charges
emanate, by whom they were prepared and sent
to you, and for what purpose, and when we say
to you that these men are morally bankrupt and
utterly unworthy of belief. We say only what
can be proven without the least difficulty what
ever. Neither of them ever earned a dollar by
honest labor, nor have they ever paid dollar
for honest labor to the men whose votes they
are seeking to get
Speaking of coercion, did it ever occur to you
that the course you and other Democratic State
chairmen are taking is the strongest possible at
tempt at coercion2 1t is worse than that and
savors so strongly of black mail that the divid
ing line is hardly perceptible
In conclusion, permit to say that we are
abundantly able to manage our business in our
own way, and we need no advice from you or
any other political manager as TO its conduct
The farmers of Kansas have been our consistent
friends in the past and it shall be our earnest
effort to have them continue so in the future
To that end we shall send them the best goods
that we are capable of making, without asking
or caring how they vote, assuring them that we
gratefully appreciate the favor they have
shown us in using our manufactures so literally.
Respectfully,
OLIVER CHILLED PLow Works.
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