Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-10-24
Special to the Register.

Chicago, His, October 23.-It is gen.
era!ly admitted by Chicago manufacture
ers that the election of Mckinley will
be followed by a reduction in wages.
While the claim is made by scme that
the reduction will be slight, there is
prevailing suspicion that the cut will
not be less than 10 per cent. and from
that to 20 and even 25 per cent in fac
tories which have suffered most from
the gold standard.
It is a significant fact that not an
employer of labor in the United States.
so far as can be learned, has publicly
Ior privately offered to raise wages if
Mr.. Mckinley be elected. Many of
them have threatened to discharge their
men if they dared vote for Mr. Bryan,
and have threatened to close down their
shops or reduce wages in such an
event, but they hold out no bright prom
ises contingent on gold standard sue
cess.
They will not even promise 20 main
tain wages at their present scale. They
knew that it cannot be done They
know that the gold standard makes a
wage reduction imperative and they are
anx.ously awaiting the close of the
campaign so as to be able to put lower
sca3a into effect without endangeriag
Mark Hanna's cause.
DEMAND A CONTRACT.
If the workmen Of any great factory
or Of any great industry are in doubt as
TO the absolute accuracy Of this asser-
zion. they can easily prove CT disproye
it. Let them appoint a committee and
authorize it to confer with the en-
plOyes or employers. Let this commit
tee ask for an agreement in writing
either that wages shall be raised in the
evnt of the election OF Mr.. Mckinley,
or that the present rate of wages shall
be maintained, or finally demand an
absolute guarantee that no cut in
wages shall follow the triumph Of the
single gold standard. This will settle
ones word for it. Have a contract
made and signed and let it specify at
least two years in which there shall be
no material wage reduction.
THIS IS not an unreasonable demand.
Mr. Mckinley is announced as the 'ad-
vance agent of prosperity" Employ
ers are asking their mcn-and even
threatening them-in an attempt to
perpetuate the gold standard, which
has thus far been failure If these
factory owners and business men have
any confidence in their political sagac-
ity. if they really believe that Mr.. Nc
Kinley is the advance agent of prosper
ity. # they really believe the gold
standard is a good thing, they certainly
should be willing TO agree not to cut
down wages just the moment the peo-
ple have voted to have four more years
of gold regime. Their confidence
s oulG. go TO the extent of making a
legal contract with the men they are
now urging to vote for Mckinley and
Prosperity"
Workmen are advised to put their
employers to this test 1t will cost
them nothing and may settle disputed
point.
AFRAID TO PARADE
The fear that the laboring men in
the Republican parade advertised for
ehe n'Pnt Of October 81 would howl for
Bryan 2el to its abandonment. That's
only one reason The other is that not
more than 1,5O0 men could be drummed
together to represent the 10000 Nc
Kinley men promised.
This failure is part Of the gold brick
Mike Madden, Dick Powers and MOuthy
P0merOy sold to Mark Hanna for $12,-
600 cash upon the opening OF the Re-
publican National headquarters here.
They were the men who talked Of 40,
0OO men in line for gold, greed and
Gehenna. They sent letters around to
the employers of labor, Clerical and
otherwise. in the large factories, stores
and Offices in this city. The replies
were not reassur.ng. Chicago Day the
bosses had their men under their eye
in the broad light of day. Turning
out at night was different scheme.
The men could yell for Bryan without
fear of detection. They could do more
harm than good TO Hanna's pet pro-
iects. Besides the men who marched
70 obl:ge their employers October 9,
raioed into a seeming support OF Nc
Kin.eyism by consenting to advertise
their respective concerns greatness.
did not enjoy the remarks that were
made as they passed by, TO the effect
that they were hired to parade or
forced to parade or gotten to parade
i'm some way that reflected on their
manhood.
And there was one more reason. The
Democrats We're, and are going 70
march that same night of October 81.
They are going to turn out in crowds
+h9- will make hair curl on Hanna's
bsId head. And the Republican cam
naign managers. so nightly kinder 10
the Iabor;ng men while an election is
IN n~9gress. were afraid that some sil-
Yer men might be hurt by the handful
of men they were going 10 force into
line If silver man is hurt il is be-
lieve4 that Mckinney will become even
tr,c-a unpopular than his ownership by
tn trusts is making him. Silver men
arc having accident insurance taken
ont for them by the Republican man
ogars these days. They are so sure Of
Chicago that they do not dare think OF
Wb7t might happen If laborer with
.-e5frections for Bryan should come TO
t,rr, They do not wish any