Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-07-24
IMPORTED LAB0RERS
TILL YHg RICH PIBLDS OF MILLIONAIRE
MORTON.
A Candidate Who is Dstsstsi BY His Employee
and Unpopular at His Homs-Hs
Pays Smaller Wages than
NsighbOring Farmers.

fishes the following: 1t would be natural
TO suppose that Rhinebeck would boil over
with pride and enthusiasm because OF the
nomination of Levi P. Morton for the Vice
Presidency Of the United States. 1t would
be an honor to town of 5000 inhabitants
10 have one of its residents in 80 high and
honorable position. But there is great
lack of enthusiasm among the neighbors
of Mr.. Morton at his beautiful villa on the
Hudson, and although the town has been
carried by the Republicans for good many
years, odds are offered by betting men that
this year a majority. Of the voters OF
Rhinebeck will cast their ballots for the
Democratic nominees, while many dyed
in-the-woo Republicans, who would not
vote the Democratic ticket under any
circumstances, will stay at home on cleo
ton day, as they will not aid in the effort
to elect Mr.. Morton.
It is not because Mr.. Morton is rich and
aristocratic that the people oppose him,
for, although he is a millionaire, he min
giles with the people Of the village; and as
he walks through the streets, as he often
does, he will not pass an acquaintance
without greeting him pleasantly. But,
although his greetings are returned,
the people do not feel at all pleased
with Mr.. Morton. They say that, not
withstanding his riches and his pleasant
greetings, he has treated the people of the
town shabbily; that on his farm he pays
less wages than any farmer in the vicinity
that he discharged all the old farm hands
a year ago and filled their places with pau
per lsborers, whom he brought over from
England and Scotland under contract, and
in violation of the law against the impor-
tation of contract labor, and that he even
went so far as to threaten that he would
employ Italian laborers at s day when
the imported hands asked that their pay
be increased from SIPS to 81. so day.
WHAT HIS NEIGHBoRs SAY.
A reporter who was at Rhinebeck noticed
the feeling against Mr.. Morton and in
ouired about it. People were very loatf
to talk of the matter, and many who did
80 insisted that their names should not be
mentioned, because, they explained, their
business in the village would be injured
should it be known that they had beer
gossiping. A group of men and boys gath
cred, and eventually tongues got wagginl
freely. In the group were two men whit
are at present employed on the Morton
villa. These men are doing farm wori
and are paid $l.50 day, while the regu
lsr price for such work is from $2 to 81 81
a day. These men said they would moi
vote for Mr.. Morton.
Mr.. Morton. they said, is now paying
for farm help $1S month with board, or
$l.4O a day without board. Other farm
ers are paying 81 to $3.50 day without
board, or $25 to $50 month with board.
A year ago last March Mr.. Morton began
bringing Scotch and English farm hands
from Europe to work the farm. and the
old hands were thrown out. He paid lest
wages than any other farmer around here
The Scotchmen used to complain bitterly
to the villagers, saying they had been in.
duced to come to this country by an offer
Of what appeared to them to be big wages.
When they found that it cost more to live
here than in the old country they saw
their mistake They all got disguised and
left the farm. The Europeans were giver
the best positions on the place. Boss
Gardener Mcclellan, who was a Scotch
man, told Mr.. Morton that the men wers
complaining that their pay, which was
ST. 25 day, was not enough TO live or
and was not nearly AZ much as the average
wages in their country.
1.-The men want % cents day more, ,
said Mcclellan.
"'Want % cents more?" asked Mr.
Morton; 4 was contemplating cutting then
down 25 cents day"
But they would not work for 81 {
day
"'Then we'll get Others who will
HE WANTED ITALIAN LABORERS.
"'None but Italians would work fo
that money
"'Then we'll get Italians to do it," re
piled the candidate for Vice-President.
To see how much truth there was in tn,
stories Of the treatment Mr.. Mortop's ser
wants received at his hands, the repOrte
looked mp some of the men who had work
ed for Mr. Morton in executive position,
on the Ellerslie farm. Two of these mel
were found on Long Island yesterday
John McCrae, who, as chief farmer, wa
manager Of the entire farm, is now super
intendent Of w. l.. Brese's Timber Pom
farm, near Islip. The reporter called Of
him yesterday.
what sort of q man was Mr.. Morton
to work for?" asked the reporter.
"a most contemplate one," was tn
terse answer, and the man continued
"Mr. Morton kept none of his contract
except when they were put down in blacl
and white, and even then he did not al
ways keep them. was engaged for
year but at the end of nine months l wa
discharged because Assemblyman Barnet
wanted Mr.. Hope to have full charge o
the farm"
"What interest has Assemblyman Bar
nett in the placer"
"Tbe place is run by politicians. Mr.
Knox, the railroad station agent at Rhine
cliff, and Mr.. Connolly, the agent for tn
/ steamer City of Kingston, are local Re
, publican leaders, and they give out as pat
ronags positions on the farm. As said
Mr.. Morton engaged me for a year. II
: did not bring me ont to this country, bu
he imported about twelve men and twic
that number of women to work on tn
place.
1.-The men under me were constsutl
finding fault, and l told Mr.. Morton on
time that he should pay more, as coul
not keep good men at ST. 25 day. l toll
him that small farmers in the neighbol
hood who were struggling for bare livin
were paying 81 day for the same work
Mr.. Morton treats bis help as though the
were mere dogs. He is contemptuous
them; forced them TO do lsborers' wor
about his new house and does not want
pay them fair wages. 1t is shocking to se
man who has been highly honored b
his country, and who is so wealthy, takin
the lead in reducing wages while his cour
trymen who own little farms are psyin
, more, although they find it hard to max
both ends meet. did not expect 10 fin
such state of affairs in this country, an
am glad to know that but few gentleme
farmers are like Mr.. Morton in this N
spect"
} MACLENNAN's ACCOUNT.