The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-10-11
CLUBS IN MICHIGAN
lhe Employees Don't Tske Kindly 10
Advice Of Employer.
WILL SUBMIT TILL NOV. 3
Pingree's Chances OF fElectIon-Mr.
Bryan VIII ~ AXE 55 speeches
In the State-hepublican
on Silver's Side.

Special Campaign Correspondence or the
Standard.
Detroit. Mich. Oct 6.-The first i'm
preston one gets In Detroit OF the poll
tical situation in Michigan Is that Of
perplexity. or course there are on each
side those who are certain. but the
unprecedented number of doubtfuls
that have been yielded by the at
tempts made to canvass render their
results uncertain. AS II was expressed
to me the republicans are confused.
while the democrats are like a man
who has been accustomed to lose in
lotteries. but who suddenly thinks he
has won a prize. yet fears 1t too good
to be true.
The names of 1856 democrats or sup
posed democrats were advertised as
vice presidents Of the sound money
meeting addressed by John p. Irish Of
California tonight. The republicans
point to them with pride as embodying
the very cream Of Detroit democracy.
while the Bryan democrats say that
though they will vote for Mckinley
they comprise about all the democrats
In tnlS city VINO Will.
The republicans have plenty of
money and are spending II in every
possible way by the organization of
all sorts of clubs and excursions, and
are admitted to be thoroughly organ
ICED. They are holding midday meet
ings addressed by gold speakers In a
large room In the central part Of the
city. and also sending speakers to the
similar meetings that are held In man
ufacturing establishments to enlighten
the workingmen. But there Is the
same gathering Of knots of discussion
on the streets that were to be seen in
the cities of Ohio. In these the Chi
cago platform has unmistakably the
upper hand.
The movement to organize gold clubs
and sound money clubs among their
employees has been very general here
among the large business concerns. but
has met recently with something Of
discoura cement. First. from the fact
that the great firms that led In 1t have
found that II Is resulting In a serious
slackening in their western orders-a
ItSQIt W AllAA LAG totA -44fesN WIZ tOlu hiC
of this interpreted as showing that
the smaller business men through this
part Of the country are not In political
sympathy with the large business men
of the cities; and second by the fear
that has begun to dawn on some of
them that they are really making
votes for Bryan.
This was amusingly illustrated to me
by member OF a manufacturing firm,
himself gold man, but who has re-
Trained from this effort TO influence
employees. He told me of a manufac-
turing firm that had started such
gold club. They felt certain that some
of their men really intended to vote
for Bryan. but they found no opposi-
tion, and when they came to look over
the list Of signatures to the member
ship roll they saw that it contained
the name of every man in their EN-
ploy. This they concluded was too
d-d unanimous" So they set on foot
inquiries in another way with the re-
suit Of convincing themselves that the
unanimity was there but that II was
the other way. and that there was not
single man in their Sound Money
club that did not intend to vote for
Bryan.
And this. as far as can learn. is
not far from the feeling Of the real
workingmen OF Detroit who have been
joining sound money clubs and putting
on Mckinley buttons to please their
employers. 1t has become a sort OF
fashion among them to submit until
they get to the polls. but they deeply
resent what they feel to be an indig-
nifty. and men who ought to know
their true intentions much better than
do the republicans or sound money
people who are figuring upon the vote
Of workingmen to Offset somewhat the
conceded detection OF republican far
mers. tell me that the various attempts
of employers to politically instruct. IL
not practically coerce, their employs
Is making worklngmen solid for Bryan.
The offort of the clubs. they say, has
been to deprive the free silver cause Of
workers who would otherwise be maxi
Ing an open propa ganda for silver. but
II has intensified the quiet work. And
all the information / get Is that the
workingmen OF this city, organized or
unorganized. will be almost unanimous
for Bryan.
In Mayor Pngree's shoe shops there
are clubs of both complC xlons. but
when asked what the relative men,
bership indicated l was told that 1t
was l6 to i-more than is for Bryan
TO one for anyone else.
The intensity of the discussion that
is going on among the people. both in
the cities and In the country casts a
strong doubt on the election OF Mayor
Piagree himself 10 the governorshlp
for which he Is running, and. which.
such was his popularity before this.
there seemed TO be no possible doubt
Of. He WAS known as free silver
man. and In case of a refusal OF the
republicans to nominate him for gov
ernor. was expected to break away
from them. and run as free silver
candidate on an Independent nomina-
ton. But his aflliations as a republi-
can have brought him Into proclAimlng
his acceptance OF the St Louis plat
form. and he is now stump.ns the
country making his own fight on mis-