Birmingham state herald., 1896-09-10
WORKING MEN RES ENr OPPRESSION


 The efforts of the railroads and other corpora tions in Ohio and other middle western states to coerce their employees
 to join McKinley clubs and pledge them
 selves to vote the republican ticket has
 gotten to the point of oppression and the
 workngmen have been aroused and are
 in revolt. The labor associations and
 unions are taking the matter in hand and
 declaring their independence in a man.
 ner that is creditable to them and alarm
 ing to their would-be masters.
 A few days ago a meeting of the
 miners of the Hooking Valley was held
 at Nelsonville, O., and adopted the fol
 lowing preamble and resolutions:
 Whereas, It is well-known fact that many corporations that employ labor, such railroad companies, manufactur- ing plants. brick plants. iron mines and many others that might be mentioned, have resorted to methods of intimidating their employees to the support of the sin
 gle gold standard, wages have been cut
 manufacturing plants have been closed
 and workingmen relegated to idlsnesS
 with the statement that the works may start after election if the right ticket is
 elected. the Railroad Managers associa- tion of Chicago has sent out pamphlets in which it calls upon railroad employees
 
 making sure that they will be retained in their positions, and that their wages will not be reduced; therefore be it Resolved, That we, delegates and rep resentatives of the miners of the Hook ing valley, in convention assembled, view with alarm such action of said employees of labor and that we condemn and de- nounce such methods by whomsoeyer used as un-Amer.can and subversive of the inalienable rights of the free Ameri- can workingmen; and, furthermore, we regard all employers of labor that resort to such unfair methods as the real ene- mics of our freq American institutions. They are the real anarchists of society. They have almost completely robbed us
 of our means of sustaining life, and now they turn upon us and show thelr desire
 to rob us of our libsr rites.
 .Resolved further, That we extend our
 sympathes to our fellow workingmen who have been thus unfairly dealt with, and call upon all workingmen ana JuS- tica wherever found to stand by thelr convictions of right and cast their vote in November for the establishment of whatever principle in their own individ- ual judgment will best subserve the 1n- | terest of the great masses of the Worklng | people. We believe that period Of time | is now upon us for our wealth producers | of America to make one great final stand | in resistence of the encroachments of l corporate capitalistic greed, and in the | language of the immortal Patrick Henry l cry out with all our might, Give us l liberty or give us death.
 l This is only one of many instances of | the kind that have come to our attention | That the railroads and corporations of l the country are almost solidly arrayed | on the side of the gold standard is fact l beyond denial. That they will use all l means at their command, even to the l extent of intimidating and coercing their employees, to elect Mckinley, is matter | about which there is little doubt.
 The above document has the right ring l and is the inspiration of true American l manhood, brave enough to assert it's in | dependence and strong enough to main- l tain it's rights against the aggressions l and autocratic dictation of organized | plutocracy and corporate power. It is 1 a patriotic call to all worlSingmen every | where ito stand by their convictions of right and cast their vote in November for l the establishment of whatever principle
 in their own individual judgment will | best subserve the interests of the gfeat | masses of the working people,"
 1 In all their lawful efforts to resist un- l lawful encroa chments of corporate pow l CT and capital.stic greed, the toilers of l America must look to the democratic party for sympathy and aid. Through it alone will be achieved for the people, the wealth producing yeomanry of the nation, freedom from and independence of the domination of a plutocratic oli.
 garchy, and the inestimable privileges of | free American citizenship. Supporting l it, and with it's aid the great producing. I cla of fha l;o 1 will win a final victory for American labor and American institutions, and l forever throw off the yoke of bondage. l which the republican party, as the tool | and agent of the money power, would rvet upon the necks of American free men.