The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-09-03
TRICKSTERS.
Three Men Will EndeavOr to
Deceive the Miners
And Turn the Solid Vote over tc
Major Mckinley.
w. Il. Lewis, John 2. Jones and JOhl
NugeDt in the Scheme.

| "Ghe Republicans of Ohio, not con
tent with an unlimited supply of boo1l'
at their command, are drawing in adj
| vance on prospective state offices and arr
going down into the bowels OF the earth K
secure votes for Major Mckinley. One o.
the neatest schemes, involving somt
gentlemen high in a leading organization
of this state, has recently developed. The
mysterious movements Of w. Il. Lewis
who visited Canton a week ago, excited
the suspicious of Plain Dealer corre-
spondent, and through persistent etort
the designs OF the Mckinley managers
are laid bare. MIR. Lewis is an ex-secre-
tary of the Progressive Union of Miners,
an organization which has merged into
the United Mine Workers. society, and he
was the Republican candidate for con-
gress in the thirteenth district last No
vember. Two years ago, in the campaign
| between Foraker and Campbell, he was a
noted Foraker adherent and did some
very energetic work in certain line FOR
the fire alarm ex-governor. Mr.. Lewis
| was the guest of John p. Jones, president
| of the Ohio district of United Zine Work
| ers', at the latter's home in North Law
| renee, the day following McBinley's
| opening speech at Niles. The appear
ance in this locality OF Mr..
Lewis and his conference with
| Mr.. Jones, q well known and active
| Republican, was sufficient TO excite the
| suspicious of many people. Besides meet
| ing the president of the Ohio District Mr.,
| Lewis was also in close communication
| with q number of prominent Republicans
| in this section of the State. After an in
/ vestigation, extending over several days,
| it was learned that W. T. Lewis, John P.
| Jones and John Hugent are in SCENE to
| turn over TO Aojor Mckinley and the Re-
| dublican ticket the mining vote OF the
| State. Nugent Ia Vice President OF the
| United Mine Workers OF the State OF Ohio
| and he, President Jones and ex-Secretary
Lewis form triumvirate which the Re
publican managers believe will be very
useful to them in the coming campaign.
In the eyes of the Republicans there is
one obstacle in the way OF carrying this
| scheme into successful operation, but be
| fore they get through with the campaign
they will probably learn that the miners
OF Ohio, although they spend many hours
of their lives below the surface OF the
| earth earning an honest living, in many
cases at the risk OF their own lives, are,
| nevertheless, well posted on public af-
| fairs and will undoubtedly refuse to be
! sold out by present and ex-oflicers OF their
association. The greatest obstacle to
contend with before the agreement was
| reached between the Mckinley managers
and the officers of the Mine Workers
Union named above, was tho restrictive
clause in the laws of the organization.
This law provides shat any officer taking
part in campaign must resign, but in
this case, of course, the resignation would
mean loss of prestige and influence.
After considerable figuring plan was hit
upon by which il is hoped TO carry the
scheme into successful execution and the
managers believe the schemers will sue
ceed ia capturing the votes OF the miners.
1t is barely possible that Mr.. NuEent may
become an active worker and take the
stump in behalf of Mckinley. In this
event he would of course be compelled to
resign his office in the organization, but IL
is not likely that his income would be any
less for SO doing. TO successfully carry
out the plan agreed upon, and that the
three gentlemen may receive their rewards
much depends on President John p. Jones.
He is to be the quiet and silent worker IN
the triumvirate and part of his work will
be to select men ct each mining center
upon whom they can depend 10 DO the
bidding of the Republican bosses.
Through these individuals the desires OF
President Jones will be made known TO
the individual miners and they are ex-
pected to vote for Mckinley and the other
Republicans simply because the FRESH
dent and vice president of the orgRniza-
tion desire them to DO so. VI course
they will endeavor to back up the desires
Of the gentlemen by some argument IA
yorable to the Republican party bat on
these points the miners of the state are
too well posted to be misled by any mis-
representations that may be prepared by
the Mckinley managers or the literary
bureau at Republican headquarters in
Columbus.
This disreputable attempt to mislead
the honest and intelligent miners OF the
state is known to but few, and 1t was the
intention Of the promoters OF the scheme
70 keep it from becoming public. Already
there is a quiet but vigorous kick on the
of Nf TnInara
been put in possession of the facts, but in
such a way that they are not yet at liber-
ty TO diyuipe the plans OF the manipula-
tors. When the real situation becomes
fully known, which will be the case upon
the publication of this article, there is
liable to be vigorous protest all along
the line. 1t Is not TO be supposed that
Messrs. Lewis, Jones and Nugent have
undertaken to turn over the vote or the
miners of the state through purely patri-
otic motives or because they believe that
il will benefit either the miners or the
masses of the working people OF the state:
On the contrary they are fully aware that
the election of Mckinley means the en-
dorsemeut of the high protective tarih
policy of the Republicans and consequent
ly a burden upon the thousands who nave
20 pay the duty to enrich the monopolists
of this country who have hourlshed under
the rule Of the Republicans. Each OF the
three gentlemen, Lewis, Jones and Nu-
gent, is to receive his reward in the shape
OF an official position. MIR. Lewis for his
part of the work Is, in the event OF the
election of Mckinley, TO be made com
missioner OF labor statistics, succeed
ing Hon, John Mcbride, former pres.
dent of the Miners Progressive union
and man who has done more perhaps 70
better the condition of those engaged in
mining coal than anyone in the state OF
Ohio. Hon. II. M. Hazelton, the present
incumbent of the Office of state mine in-
spector, and prominent and active he
publican and q capable official, 'g 10 be seLt
aside and his place is to he OCCupiegby
President John p. Jones as q rewgTd Tor
the latter's services in turning. over INC
votes of the miners 20 blCHTgley' wee
President Eugent is not lQI,,Slett out, even
should he conclude sStne ia5' mon nloInsht sit
stumn Tor NcKinpoy, For his part as an
assistant In carrying out the programme
he is to he oJmpen yated by a position in
the nenisenvary, aud will either be made
IDENTITY warden or secretary OF the board
~ managers. It was not believed possi-
-be that the officers of the United Mine
Workers could he indUced 10 take part in
any such scheme, but tue information
comes from snch reliable source, from
man who IL in position 10 know just
what u going on among the miners OF the
state, that there IL no longer room to
dOuDt tD6 ldcts bSt iOIth huOFo' ne
miners as a class are well read men and
capable Of thinking and acting upon their
own Judgment and this attempt to turn
them over in body TO one political party
for the benefit of three individuals is GER
tain TO react when the facts have become
public and Mr.. jones' men, after having |
been selected at each of the mining CEN
ters, will find that they have undertaken
a very difficult task to carry out the pro-
Qramme as prepared by the Republican
bosses. The presumption that intelligent
,,,ax oan he aontrolIad and Influenced In