The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-10-01
WICKED COERCION.
PRAcTIcEp UPON EMPLOYEES BY BIG
CORPORATIONS.

Compelled to work for Mckinley or Lose
Their Jobs-An Agent of the Mccormick
Harvesting Machine Company Who
Would Not He Bulldoxed.
The wholesale bulldozing of their
employees by the railroads and other
great corporations, to compel them to
vote for Mckinley, is a new feature of
American politics, and is as infamous
as 1t Is new. Weak attempts are occa-
sionally made by the Republican man
ayers to deny that such outrageous
methods are being used to secure
votes but the proof is so plain and
overwhelming that successful denial is
impossible.
The Chicago Record, itself a strong
advocate of the gold standard, and,
therefore, not disposed to misrepre-
sent It's own side, contained the follow
ing dispatch on the morning OF the
10th, from Golden, Ills, amply con-
irming this charge:
Golden, Ills, Sept. 1S.-James Da-
Wis, William Wilker, Thomas Smith
and Charles Fuller, residents of this
place, employed as track layers by
the contractors laying the steel of the
trail between Makanda and Dongola,
were notified this morning by their
foreman, Mccoy, to report to him and
receive checks for their time. Twelve
nonresident laborers received the
same notice. Mccoy informed them
that the only reason that he could
give for their dismissal was that they
were advocating the cause Of Bryan
and free silver too freely. Their places
were promptly filled by Italians. AS
soon as the news reached this place
the Bryan followers became very angry
and excitement is at fever heat to-
night"
On Sept 10 the Mccormick Harvest
ing Machine company of Chicago sent
the following circular to all it's agents
throughout the country:
Dear Sir: We sent you by express
yesterday q package of sound money
literature. We want by return mail
an estimate from you as to how much
of this can be used in your territory.
and an enumeration of the kind that
will be most effective. We will then
send you another supply by express,
and will request in advance that you
supply IL to your travellers and in
struct them to use II just the same as
thOuSn IL WtIt duNtIllSluB lldblSi lOi
the sale of our machinery.
"we surely have n right to expect that
all Mccormick employees have the interest
Of the company at heart, and will take
; up this matter and carry IL out re.
quested. Yours truly,
"M'CoRMICK HARVESTING MACHINE
COMPANY"
The idea that a corporation has the
right to the votes of its agents and em.
ployes, and to make mere politica
servants of them, has not heretofore
we believe, been advanced in this
country. Men who sell their labor
have not heretofore been compelled t,
sell their votes with 1t. They hav,
still been American freemen, at lib
erty to affiliate with any party anC
cast their votes as they might please
But the encroachments of modern cor
porations, organized to promote part!
selfish interests do not now 1t seems
stop short of attempts to make politi
cal serfs of their employees. Upon re
ceipt of the above circular the agent o
the Mccormick Harvesting Machin
!. company at Carthage, Mo-, who SEEM
y to have an idea that he is still fire.
and independent citizen, in matter
political, at least. replied in the fol
lowing spirited manner:
= Mccormick Harvesting Machin
company: Dear Sir-I beg to acknowl
edge the receipt of your favor of tn
10the inst. You are on cold trail
Missouri will give Bryan $4,000 major
ity. If these letters are written b,
authority of your company, every Mis-
} souri, farmer who uses a Mccormick
harvester, deserves to sell his whea
for 40 cents a bushel.
[Signed.l ~, H. WILSON,"
; This Is q most appropriate reply I
such a circular. 1t is strange beyon
comprehension that the McCormic
Harvester company, of all the corpora
tions in existance, should attempt I
coerce its agents and employees to sup
port the existing gold standard syster
of finance. 1t has grown enormousl
rich from the sale of it's machines t
the farmers of the country. 1t has n
business relations with any othe
class OF people. One would thin
1t would naturally oppose tn
gold standard, under the opera
tions of which agriculture ha
suffered most and the prices of all farr
products have fallen even below tn
cost of production; and that 1t woul
favor the reconciliation of silver, tn
immediate result of which would be
make agriculture once more prosperou
and profitable. But 1t has as little re
gard for its cusomers as for its en-
ployes. 1t will excite no wonder ths
the agent at Carthage, Mo-, should prc
test against farmers harvesting 40-cer
wheat on Mccormick machines.
Other instances of the attempts {
pDrnDratinnq IN hot
are numerous. A few days ago Ma,
tin spangler, an expert electrician
called at National Democratic heaC
n quarters and stated that he, with tW
0, other employees of the General Electr
Light company of Chicago, had bee
!, discharged because they refused
: join the Mckinley club. According
u Mr.. Spangler's statement, the forema
a of the company approached them la,
q, Friday and asked them to join a M,
nd Kinley club. Spangler and two of h
fellow-employes refused to do s
Nothing more was said at the time ar
they were paid off as usual on Satu
day aight. On Monday morning whe
they returned to work they were II
formed by the foreman that their ser,
ices were no longer needed. Mr.. Span,
- Ter has worked at his trade through
~ out Mexico, Central and South Anne
lea, and In China, japan, India, ar
several European countries and speal
- seven Languages. He Is thorough
posted on the effects of q gold stan,
ard as compared to bimetallism I'm Il
countries he has visited, and has bee
giving his fellow-workmen some o.
Ject lessons that could not be a,
swered. For this reason, added to h