Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-10-30
MUST ASSERT
THEIR RIGHTS.
Chairman Jones, of the Demo-
cratic National Committee.
Issues an Address.
APPEALS TO VOTERS
To Assert Their Rights at the Ballot
Box and Not to Submit to Co.
ercion or intimidation.

SFCiOH OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
The Full Power of Every Democratic
Organization Pledged to Protect
Voters and Punish the scoun-
drels Who Attempt to In
timidate Them.
Chicago, Oct. 22.-(special.) -senator
Jones, chairman of the democratic ma
tional committee, has given out the fol-
lowing:
ITO the American People: In view of
the fact that the great corporations,
with scarcely an exception, and many
of the large employers OF labor in the
United States, are engaged in con-
certed effort to coerce their employees
into voting at the approaching election
against their own convictions, deem
it my duty to call upon all those who
believe in the supremacy of the law and
the untrammeled freedom of the indi-
vidual in the right of exercising the bal
lot to use their utmost effort to prevent
the success of this most fragrant act of
lawlessness; for if this conspiracy sue
ceeds government by corporation will
have superseded government by the
people.
Corporations have no powers-ex-
cept those conferred specifically in the
laws creating them. The right to
coerce voters or to interfere with
American citizens in the exercise Of
their rights at the ballot box are not
named in any Of these acts of incol-
roration, and when corporations I'M
dertake to exercise such powers they
become lawbreakers and the good of
society demands that they be rebuked
and punished. During the present con-
test, which involves questions of the
utmost moment to the American peo-
pie, thousands of men have been COM
PEELED, by fear of losing their places, to
join clubs and march in professions in
behplf of cause they detest. Requests
from corporation bosses to vote the
republican ticket, which are perfectly
understood to convey threat of dis
charge in case of refusal, are made
every day to men who dare not resent
the insult.
"The corporations which thus appeal to
force and fraud strike ut the very founda-
ton Of republican government, and the
lovers Of free institutions must arouse
themselves to save che country from this
great peril.
ESPECIALLY should the workingmen
assert their manhood rights. If they
vote their convictions and in accordance
with their interests, the democratic
ticket is certain of election, and in that
case the employing corporations will
have no desire to embark upon policy
of punishment. On the contrary, they
will be eager to conciliate employees
who will have behind the assertion Of
their rights the vast powers of a fed
eral administration in sympathy with
those who toll. But should they sub
NIT to coercion and elect an admin
istration that will be the creature of
the corporations and moneyed inter-
csts of the country those working men
whose entire submissiveness is regard
ed with suspicion will find themselves
replaced by men who can be depended
upon to vote as they are told. In the
contest that is raging the salvation of
the worliingman lies in the assertion
at the polls of his rights as free and
independent American citizen.
"The state laws providing for tho Aus
tralian ballot, II enforced, are ample to
protect every citizen in the secrecy of the
ballot and the corporate anarchists must
be compelled to obey these laws whether
they are willing or not.
'"The preparation of this attempted
outrage upon free suffrage will work
it's own cure. An indignant people, jeal-
Gus of their rights. will demand that the
legislatures, state and national, shall
proceed at once by rigorous measures to
prevent the possibility of repetition
of such attempts hereafter.
"While the metropolitan press, witt,
few honorable exceptions, is under
conspirators and is basely subservient
to their wishes, the country newspa-
pers as rule remain nndebauche1
and are still in sympathy with the
principles of government established
by Washington and Jefferson, and IL
Illustrated and maintained by Jackson
and Lincoln. They will cry out and
spare not until legislation is had that
will prevent another such shameful at
tempt at abuse of power.
"In tho meantime tbs success of tho
present conspiracy must be prevented.
Tho pending contest is already won by an
Overwhelming majority. II the honest
sentiments OF tho people are permitted to
find free expression at the polls-and this
the people are ready to have at any cost.
1.-The national committee appreciates
the need of vigilance. 1t has taken
steps to impress upon the people,, and
especially upon cyery democratic cleo
ton officer, the great Importance of
scrutinizing the marks upon every bal
lot and of carefully watching every act
at or about the polls to make sure that
no judge or clerk of election shall have
an opportunity to betray the secrets Of
the ballot. if he would.
sand the national committee, backed
by the full power of the democratic Or
| ganization in every state in the union
| pledges itself that every scoundrel, wheth-
| or public officer or private citizen, who Is
| detected in any violation of tho law, shall
| be vigorously prosecuted and sent to the
psnitentiary If possible.
JAMES K. JONES,
Chairman Democratic National Com.
Yaittaa'
| What Gen. Palmer Said.
Democrats, the fight of the silver
dollar is more than 40 years old. W.
won it once against the national banks