The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-09-24
TO RAILROAD MEN.
PROCLAMATION OF TIE AMERI
CAN RAILWAY UNION.
The Contents of an Important Docu'
ment Which Was Ignored by Chi
cago Newspapers, with But One
Exception-Read 1t.

cago Newspapers, with But Oue
Exception-Read 1t.
National Democratic and Silver Head
quarters, Chicago, Sept. %, 1s96.-with
q single exception, the Chicago news
papers" did not regard the recent
proclamatic n of the American Railway
Union as Of sufficient Importance to
deserve mention. The one exception
was the Chicago Record, which pub
lished the address in full, and thereby
demonstrated that it was willing to
perform the common duty of daily
newspaper.
Every American workman should
read and study this address. 1t makes
no difference whether or not he be-
longs to labor union. In plain, candid
terms it throws a flood of light upon
the attitude now assumed by the great
railroad corporations. Do you desire a
government by injunction? DO you de-
sire to forever surrender your right to
appeal for redress Of grievances?
In scores of small cities you will find
mail car, which once in a while is
used as a trailer" to a trolley train. In
other istances a slot is cut in the side
of an electric car, and it thus becomes
United States mail car and the little
trolley road becomes part of our ma
tional postal system. DO you know why
this has been done? Here is the reason: :
Whenever the strsst car company gets
ready to reduce wages-which will be
Just after Mr.. Mckinley is elected, II
such a calamity ever happens-they
can do so and by an injunction restrain
the men from quitting work. If they
quit work they interfere with
the United States mails" Do you see? :?
This is called government by injunc-
tion. 1t is another name for white
slavery.
There is nothing imaginary about
this. 1t is not something which may
happen. 1t is something which has
happened and which will happen again
unless the American people put a stop
TO 1t by defeating the men who are
spending millions to elect Mckinley,
with cry of sound money. If you like
the scheme vote for IL. Here is the ad-
dress issued by the men who were the
first victims of a government by in
junction:
Address TO Railway Employees.
To Members of the American Railway
Union and all employees in the United
States:
Greeting:-The undersigned, consti-
tuting the board of directors of the
American Railway Union, desire to ad-
dress you upon a matter of momentous
import in connection with the great DO
litical campaign now in progress. You
have no doubt been struck with the un-
precedented activity and astounding
tactics of railway owners and manag-
ers in this campaign. High officials are
going up and down the lines addressing
employees and warning them against
the frighful consequences of free silver
coinage. Roundhouses, depots and
shops have been temporarily changed
into political wigwams Sound mon
ey' clubs have been organized and en-
ployes intimidated to join them. Cir
culars and campaign documents are
being delivered to employees with their
wages, and in many instances en-
ployes are given plainly to under
stand that their continuance In service
gold standard candidates. In this pro-
ceeding, the money question only is
permitted to be discussed, and only one
side of that.
Now, what ef all this? The railroad
managers are overwhelming employees
with predictions of frightful disaster
which will follow in the wake Of free
coinage. Wages will be cut in two,
l- ,.,1Il
of employment and the country ruined.
This one issue is forced upon employees
to the exclusion of all others. Their
minds are not to be diverted from the
free silver calamity single instant. 1t
is to command their united, ceaseless
and terrified gaze to the very election
booth, so that by no possibility may
the discovery be made that sound
money" is only a pretext for deceiving
and hoodwinking employees. and that
railroad managers have a totally differ
ent motive for Transforming the cor
porations they represent into huge Re-
publican machines in this campaign.
The money question has been in
American politics in all it's various
forms since the foundation of the gov
ernment. When have railroad corpora
tions organized, drilled and openly COM
manded their employees TO vote the
company's ticket2 Never before to
an extent that would even remotely
compare with their brazen activity in
this campaign. Employees have yielded
up everything, and now they are to be
stripped of their votes and deprived of
their last means of protection against
oppression and injustice.
And now, we ask. why this unheard
of activity on the part of railroad man
ayers for Bryan's defeat and McKin-
ley's election? How is 1t to be accounted
for? We appeal to railroad employees
to pause and think. The like of the
present situation has never been wit
messed. The country stands amazed
in the presence of such bold, bald ard
Bhamless intimidation. Again, we ask,
what does II mean? What can be it's
significance? Why such ceaseless
stupendous and desperate efforts to
control an election? Is 1t on account
of free coinage? Mol The absurdity
of the prosition is evident upon the
very face of it. That railroad COM
panies have some interest in the mon
ey question is conceded. but that they
would turn earth, heaven and hell on
that account, to prevent an injury to
their poor employees" is not only
ridiculous. but an insult to every em-
ploye of common intelligence who is
not. wholly the property of the com
pany.
They have been cutting the wages OF
their employees by all the means in
genuity could suggest and IL they be-
leyed free silver would "cut in two
the wages they are now receiving, we
know of nothing in their past record
that would warrant the assumption that