The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-12
The Labor Vote.

support of their prediction that Bryan
will win is that large numbers of work.
ingmen. while pretending to be for Nc
Kinley and joining sound money clubs,
will, in the privacy of the voting booth,
mark their ballots for free silver. This
ed that many persons have come to be-
leve it. We notice, for instance, in the
Toronto Globe, in an article upon the
American presidential contest, the fol-
lowing assertions bearing directly upon
this point:
The leading American newspapers have
been spreading the belief that the strength
of Mckinley and Hobart Is overwhelming
and that their success is already assured.
That is the appearance on the surface IN
all the big American cities, among the
employees of all great corporations. includ-
ing the wealthy newspapers, and Wher.
ever inquirers naturally turn for political
information. But the one reliable source
of information regarding the views of the
American workmen Is closed by the coer-
Cion, bordering on terrorism, practiced
or feared in all big employing firms and
corporations. Men who have mingled
freely with American workmen In and out
of their unions know how unreliable are
the surface indications of the political
situation. Railroad, telegraph and line
steamboat employees are afraid to discuss
the free coinage issue. except to advance
views in favor of Mckinley and Hobart.
The least intimation from employers that
| Il deputation of workmen should so some
where to protest against free coinage
| sends the deputation forth at once, al
though every member of ii be q convert
to the mistaken philosophy OF Mr.. Bryan.
An officer on one of the line steamers rum
ming out of Chicago was recently paid off
at the end of trip, and no effort was
made to conceal the fact that the cause
was his theorizng on the 1G to question.
Such things as this, coupled with the
pressure of hard times, cause workmcn
to conceal and falsify their political views
and to dread coercion even where 1t Is not
intended. Street railway and other great
corporations give their workmen campaign
pictures OF Mckinley and Hobart, with a
request to display them in the windows
of their homes. These requests are i'm
plicitly obeyed. though the men be de-
termined to vote for free silver, and to
pay their employers back.
We have no means of knowing wheth-
err or not the case of the steamship officer
cited above Is correctly reported by the
Toronto journal. We only know that an
investigation of similar charges of CO.
| erciOn in this community has yet to
find foundation for single accusation
of this character A moments reflection
that any attempt by employers to in
timidate their employees in the matter
of voting would under the Australian
secret ballot, be as Intellectual as 1t
would be dangerous; and employers as
rule have too much common sense to
attempt policy which would clearly
do more harm than good. We therefore
dismiss as unfounded all talk of coer-
cion or Of threatened discharge from
employment as penalty for disregard
ing an employers wishes.
But look for moment at the light in
| which this kind of representation places
the workingman. 1t virtually charges
him with the worst species of deceit
| fulness and intimates that he has fallen
SO low In manhood as to prefer to prac-
tice dissimulation and to lend himself
to deliberate Justification in order to
gain privilege which is already guaran-
tee to him under the constitution. We
should greatly dislike to think that the
| picture of the labor vote which is
drawn by the prophets of Popocratic
victory is true in any particular. The
country could much better afford to see
Mckinley defeated, not simply once but
dozen times, than to have to conclude
that the great body of it's artisans and
mechanics and of it's miscellaneous
workers by hand had ceased to regard
honesty as worthy of their esteem.
For our part we shall refuse to be-
lieve these representations. We may be
fooled. The uncertain factors in this
years election are many and we do
not underestimate them. But to sus-
pect the American workingman of an
utter lack of principle is something that
we shall never do, be the election re-
turns what they may.
| The Tribune has received several
communications from residents of New.
| ION ana SOutn Abingdon townships
complaining of the poor condition of the
Providence and North Arlington turn
pike and also at the high tolls charged
These communications urge the con-
struction by popular subscription of ]
new road on the southwest side of the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
railroad, which it is claimed would
shorten the distance to Scranton, ave i'd
two steep hills and do away with the
toll feature. 1t is evident that this turn
pike question in some form is bound
to prove disturbing factor so long as
tolls are charged. The toll road Is
clearly becoming obsolete. 1t served q
good PURPOSE In its day but nsonle NC