The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-09-13
DRUNn1ERs EMPLOYED BY HANNA.
Paid to talg Against Silver and Scare
Country Merchants.

Chicago, H., Sept. 12.-Circular let
| ters from Republican National head
| quarters are in possession of the Dem
ocratic managers, showing that Mark
| Hanna, with the cooperation and con-
nivance of large manufacturing and
mercantile firms i'm the cities, will not
hesitate to utterly destroy and bank
rupt country merchants who refuse to
support Mckinley and the gold stand
ard These circulars not only call up
on travelling men to "place themselves
i'm touch" with Republican National
headquarters, but also contain instruc-
tons to travelling men how to operate
upon the fears of country merchants.
They are instructed to inform coun-
try merchants that if Mr.. Bryan is
elected there will be a general panic
throughout the country; all business
houses win close; all country dealers
who have outstanding accounts will
be summarily closed up, and that uni
versal bankruptcy will prevail. They
are also instructed in many instances
to refuse credit to country merchants
who are supporting the silver cause.
Positive information to this effect
has reached Democratic headquarters
from more than dozen towns in Hi
nois. This circular letter from Nation
al Republican headquarters has in
many instances been REINFORCED by
letters of instructions from large bust
ness houses in Chicago to their travel
ling men on the road, informing them
that if they do not carry out the in
structions from Republican headquar-
ters and work for Mckinley and the
gold standard their services will be dis
pensed with.
Two travelling men employed by
Chicago business houses personally re-
ported at Democratic headquarters
that while they are for Bryan and free
silver, they are compelled to canvass
for Mckinley or lose their jobs. One
of them showed a letter written by his
house-one of the largest hardware
firms in cago--stating that if he re
fused to work for Mckinley among
his customers he would be discbarg
ed. This man is an ardent Bryan man.
These commercial men have informed
merchants in several towns in Illinois
that they could not longer receive cred
it unless they came out for Mckinley
and the gold standard.
The result of this general terrorism
and bulldozing has been to stop the
sale of goods and create stagnation
of business throughout the country
towns Some of these commercial men
have privately stated that they are
making this disreputable kind of cam
paign just for the money that has
been promised to them by Mark Han
ma. They are getting $40 a week in
addition to their regular salaries and
commissions from their houses. 1t is
part of their duty to talk panic and
bankruptcy at the hotels where they
are stopping in country towns In
many of these towns they have admit
ted that they are making this talk for
money. Tt is also a part of their duty,
as instructed by Mr.. Hanna, to make
glowing representations concerning
the 'wane of the silver movement"
that the business men are solid for
Mckinley, and that in all localities
there viii be Overwhelming majorities
for Mckinley.
A careful canvass of the country
merchants of the State, furnished the
National headquarters by reliable
travelling men, shows that three
fourths of the country merchants and
small business men throughout this
State, and also other Western States,
favor Bryan and free silver coinage;
Notwithstanding the daily reports be-
ing sent to the National Republican
headquarters that country business
men are solid for Mckinley.