Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-10-30
A ST. LOUIS EXPERIMENT IN
COERCION.
From Chicago Record

Inc sensation OF tne campaign IN Ot.
Louis was the action of Dugald Craw-
ford, sole owner of one OF the largest
department stores OF that city, in
dscharging last Saturday twelve
heads of departments in his store be-
cause, as he explained to them, he did
not want any anarchists to breathe
the air OF his establishment. In part
ing with his employees Crawford is
reported as having said to them:
Spread the news throughout the
city. Let it be known as far and as
near as you choose that you are dis
charged because you are in favor Of
free coinage of silver"
AS Crawford is very wealthy man
and a leader in the social aud business
life of the city his action naturally
stirred up a commotion, especially
among the silver democrats, and
fund of 81, 800 was promptly subscribed
to prosecute Crawford under the state
law for "intimidating, coercing or un-
duly influencing the choice Of a
voter"
This action, and perhaps the cooling
of Crawford's Indignation at his en-
ployes, resulted in card from the
merchant inviting the men to return
to their several positions without loss
of salary. "a man in anger" says
Crawford in his card, 'often makes
mistakes, but do not believe he loses
any of his manhood by admitting the
error. ] desire every man in my en-
ploy to vote as he pleases, but l
believe that every man, when he care.
fully studies existing conditions,
should vote for Mckinley. To allow
all of my employees to vote as they
please and have ample time to do so |
have decided to close the store of
Crawford & Co. at D NJ. on Nov. g."
So far as Crawford is concerned his
acknowledgment of his folly ought to
be accepted as an amende honorable
by the discharged men, and further
more his proposed action in closing
his store on election day would be
good precedent for merchants in
general to follow. 1t is fortunate also
that this St. Louis incident has ocurr-
ed thus early in the campaign, as it
will be OF service to both employers
and employed as illustrating the
failure Of coercion and the rights to
the individual voter. 1t may be ad-
mitted that the present is an unprece-
dented campaign and that business
interets are bound up in the issue Of
Nov. 3 to a greater extent perhaps
than ever before in national can
vasS In these circumstances it is
natural that there should be the keen
est anxiety as to results. But great
as are the business interests of the
campaign the preservation of the
purity of the ballot and the right Of
the people to decide by their votes
what policy they wish to prevail are
OF far more Importance as affecting
the perpetuity of republican institu-
tions, and coercion will do more harm
to the cause of free government than
the triumph of the principles of any
party now before the American voters
for their sufIrages.
AS matter of fact, however, it may
be questioned whether there is as
much danger from coercion as many
persons think. In this city, for exam
pie, there has been talk of coercion,
but in most, perhaps in all, cases such
talk when Investigated seems to have
for basis but little more than imagi-
nations and fears. tits grave matter
to coerce voter, and few business
men or corporations would care to run
the risk of the experiment. That
voter is unworthy the privilege of a
free man who would vote against his
convictions and against what he
believes to be the best interets of
himself and OF the people generally
through fear that his vote may be
displeasing to any felow-citizen, what
ever may be their mutual relations as
employer or employed.
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