The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-09-25
TO RAILROAD MEN.
PROCLAMATION OF THE AMERICAN
RAILWAY UNION.
The Contents Of an Important Document
Which Was Ignored by Chicago NewsPa
pers with but One Exception-Every
American Workman should Read Ii.

o"S
American Workman should Read 1t.
National Democratic and Silver Head
quarters, Chicago, Sept. %, 1S96.-With
q single exception. the Chicago news
papers did not regard the recent
proclamation of the American Railway
MO as of sufficient Importance to
reserve mention. The one exception
was the Chicago Record. which pub
Nshed the address in full, and thereby
demonstrated that it was willing to
perform the common duty of a daily
newspaper.
Every American workman should
read and study this address. 1t makes
no difference whether or not he be-
longs to a labor union. In plain, candid
terms 1t 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 a redress Of grievances?
In scores Of small cities you wi. find
@ mail car, which once in a while Is
used as a trailer to a trolley train. In
~~'~ ~ u SIol ID cut llrklS SlOc
OF an electric car, and it thus becomes
q United States mail car and the little
trolley road becomes a part of our ma
tional postal system. Do you know why
this has been done? Here is the reason:
Whenever the street car company gets
ready to reduce wages-which will be
Just after Mr.. Mckinley is elected, If
C1yFh q 1alnynit,, a,,~- o-- 49,.
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-
ton. 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 a cry of sound money. If you like
the scheme vote for it. Here is the ad-
dress issued by the men who were the
first victims of a government by in
junction:
- sohA"a AuhPloytSs
To Members of the American Hallway
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 po-
iitical campaign o in progress. You
have no doubt been struck with the I'M
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. "Sourd 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
depends upon their supporting the
gold standard candidates. In this pro-
ceeding. the money question only is
permitted to be discussed, and only one
side of that.
Now, Ina of 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
they say, thousands will be thrown out
of employment and the country ruined
MI .--..~ l. H-~~l
to the exclusion of all others. Their
minds are not to be diverted from the
free silver calamity a single instant. II
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 p~retext for d~eceivine
n 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 ir
American politics in all it's various
forms since the foundation of the gov
eminent. When have railroad corpora
tons organized. drilled and openly com
manded their employees to vote the
company's ticket? Never before tC
an extent that would even remotely
compare with their brazen activity il
his campaign. Employees ave yielded
5 up everything, and now they are to b.
stripped of their votes and deprived o.
their last means Of protection agains
oppression and injustice.
And now. we ask. why this unhcert
Of activity On the part Of railroad nan
ayers for Bryan's defeat and McKin
lev's election? How Is it to be ]accounte,
for! We appeal to railroad emp'oye
- aus and think The like of TIL
Present situation has never been wit
Lessed. The country stands amaze,
In the presence OF such bold, bald an,
STAINLESS intimidation. Again, we ask
what does it mean? What can be 1t
significance? Why such ceaseles
stupendous and desperate efforts t
control ain election? Is it on accoun
Of free coinage? No! The absurdit,
CT the prosition Is evident upon tn
very face of it. That railroad com
panies have some interest in the mon
ey question Is conceded, but tina the
would turn earth, heaven and hell O
that account. to prevent an injury