The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-11-11
GETTING SERIOUS.

The actions of the railroad COM
panies during this campaign ought GER
tainly to convince the unbelieving that
government ownership is dire necessi-
ty. Railroads, in conjunction with COM
bines, banks, and plutocracy in general
are becoming more and more aggressive
in their tyrannical operations than ever
before, and their reckless coercive meth
DDS and intimidation process promulga-
ted to cow and quail employees into sup
porting the gold standard is enough to
appal civilization and threatens the
overthrow of free government and the
substitution of a despotic and autocratic
monarchial form of state.
Gold bug orators flood the country,
and by prearrangement hold meetings
where railroad employees are forced to
assemble or jeOpardiZe their positions
They are tabulated like sheep to the
slaughter and to be absent from the Sc
lected meetings means to look for job.
Iney are furnished blank applications
to join railroad leagues for sound mon
ey, and to refuse to join means dis
charge and blacklist. The majority Of
them have families to support, and
with possible starvation staring at
them they will submit to a great deal
rather than be thrown out of employ
ment and forever be denied the privilege
of working at their calling again. Cir
culars are mailed to employees all along
the lines asking an expression on the
silver question. Each employee from a
section hand up is entered upon the
ledger" and should an adverse answer
come, or no reply at all, the name is
checked, and the railroad officials do
the rest Notices are posted in railroad
shops to the effect that if free silver is
adopted the men will only receive half
pay and part of them be discharged out
right. The most audacious, determined
and daring schemes are prOpagated to
perplex and bewilder the already
crushed and spiritless men, who dare
not proclaim to the world that their life
Is their own. The conduct of these plu-
tocratic montsrosities is the most vile
and hideous pollution of American free
dom that has ever been Haunted in the
faces of chivalrous population. They
coerce work people, curb legislation, de-
file society, provoke riots, bride officials
and menace the peace of the country,
add injury to insult, and secure the
services of the military at the slight
est resentment on the part of the peO-
pie. They dictate decisions to courts and
their will is law, whether constitutional
or not, and on demand any citizen who
has hoisted the flag of defiance goes to
Jail and swelters in a filthy dungeon,
while his taxes go to support the insti-
tuition that Expresses him instead of
protecting him.
It is war to the knife, and knife to
the hilt- Plutocracy means for gold to
win, and corporations rule or strike the
country blow that will set upon the
throne in Washington some minion of
Wall street, who will govern the tagged
work people with an iron hand to
treachery and cruelty, the extent of
which is only equalled in Siberia. The
railroads. and other corporations have
the government at their backs, and the
army and navy at their command, and
with the millions in their possession will
struggle hard before they will reiinquish
anything that would tend to rob them of
their power.-St. Louis Evening Jour-
nal. 5000 :,