Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-10-29
Democratic Northwest,
AND HENRY COUNTY NEWS.
HOW IT'S DONE.
MORE ABOUT THE PILGRI
IMAGES TO CANTON.
"A Workman at Homestead Tells
His Experience.

The Silver Knight -Watchman pub
fishes the following from one of the
Homestead employees, who was taken
to Canton to figure in labor demon
stration in favor of the Republican
candidate.
Homestead, Sept. Is, 1896.
Editor Silver Knight -Watchman:
You have doubtless read in the
papers how we men employed in the
iron works of Andrew Carnegie
travelled to Canton by special train
last week to pay our respect to Major
Mckinley. Judging from the
reports in the papers the unin-
formed reader would imagine that we
went there of our own volition. That
is not so. l am one of those who suf-
fered during the great Homestead
strike, after which was out of work
for over year, during which time l
went to some of the leading cities of
the country, even so far from my
home as New Orleans, to obtain en-
ployment at my trade as an iron
moulder, but failed because so many
were out of work because of the hard
times which arose under the McKin-
ley tariff system. 1t was one year
after the end of that strike that | re-
turned to Homestead In rags, penni-
less and willing to accede to almost
any conditions to get employment. l,
an American citizen, had to almost
go down on my knees and plead with
tears in my eyes for employment. /
got it. 1t was given to me as bone
is thrown to q starving dog, but at
greatly reduced wages. You can i'm
agine with what alacrity and with
what love for Hanna Carnegie crowd
I went to Canton to be lectured by
Major Mckinley. ! can say without
exaggeration that nearly every man
who went on that trip shared my
sentiments, and although we hurrah-
ed for Mckinley like slaves that we
now are, in our hearts we nodrished
the hope of casting our ballots next
November for the candidate Of the
people, Mr.. Bryan.
Well, to describe the trip. 1t was
mixture of tragedy and comedy.
The tragic part was the fact that we
men whom Major Mckinley extols
as American monarchs were forced to
do that which we hated to do for fear
lest we lost our employment. On the
Saturday before the celebrated trip
the foremen in the several depart
ments notified such men as desired to
go of the proposed excursion, and
told then that their wages would be
paid as usual on that day, and that a
special train would carry them, free
of charge. Unfortunately l was one
of the number. During the succeed
ing days we discussed the matter
with bated breath and some spoke
of refusing boldly and walking out
rather than SO forfeit our independ-
ence. Wiser counsels prevailed, and
on the morning of the excursion we
assembled at the railroad station,
each squad marshaled by the fore
man Of its department, and marched
into the cars like a lot of conscripts
forced to go to war against their will.
To sweeten the bitter pill, for our
tryants knew it was bitter, they fur
nished us beer on the train just as it
is said that men led to the gallows in
England in former days were given
cakes and ale before being launche d
into enternity.
If there was any enthusiasm
amongst US, it was the enthusiasm of
slaves who laugh because they fear
they will be whipped if they look sui
len. We reached Canton, were de-
trained-I believe that is the proper
expression-and marched down the
street to Major McKinley's house,
each squad still marshaled by its
foreman. Arrived there, Mark
Hanna's pawn came out upon the
porch, and our foreman told us to
take off our hats, which we did. ANY
one from an old country, seeing us
stand as on dress parade. barehead-
ed, before the man on the porch,
would have imagined that he was
some crowned monarch and that we
were enlisted soldiers, any one OF
whom would be sent to the guard
house If he broke ranks. He told us
how prosperous we had been when
his protective tarff was In force, and
how glad we should be that we lived
under financial system which made
every dollar as good as ever other
dollar. The man on my right at
that nudged me with his elbow, and I
could hear him snickering. When
we got back to Homestead he told
me that he almost laughed out loud
at McKinley's remark when he re-
fected that the bondholder got gold
dollars and lots OF them, and the
workingman got silver dollars, and
blamed few OF then.
H 4