The San Francisco call., 1896-11-01
President Carleton Johnson Not
in Possession of Any
Facts.
BURNETTE G. HAsKELL's WORDS
Preamble and Resolutions Drawn and
Vouched For by This Well.
Known Agitator.

AT recent meeting of the County Ex-
ecutive Committee of the Peoples party
in the City and County OF San Francisco a
long winded preamble, with lot of
whereases, was adopted. setting forth
that they believed that coercion is TO be
exercised or election day for the purpose
of gaining votes for Major Mckinley, the
Repu blican nominee for President. A
COPY of the document was sent to THE
CALL, and because of its remarkable con-
tents the matter was considered worthy of
all investigation.
The accusation specifically mentioned
the Southern Pacific Company and the
Market-street Railway Company, and in
order TO give it grand sweep-sufficient
to encompass the earth-the words land
other corporations" were added.
The manner in which this alleged pro-
posed coercion is to be carried out, &C.
cording to the Populistic idea, is an old
scheme-a chestnut, in fact-and has been
talked Of before every election that has oc-
cugred since the adoption of the Austria.
liam ballot system, but never heard of
after the votes are counted. The idea NAV
be clearly explained by quoting the words
of the pream BILE:
WHEREAS We are informed and believe that
these corporations have instructed their en-
ployes that they must vote for Mckinley, mo-
nopoly and millionairism,. and have with
devillsh ingenuity notified each man that he
must, in order to show that he has carried out
the instruction OF his slavemester, write in his
own handwriting upon the ballot that he shall
cast at the next election hls own or some other
name for some office, thus showing exactly
how he voted, this in violation of the secrecy
OF the ballot; and Whereas we regard this as
the most Infamous attack yet made upon the
fundamental liberties of American citizens:
and whereas, such an attempt TO coerce and
compel the judgment and action of the elect
. ors OF this commonwealth is a shame, an out
rage and disgrace heretofore unknown in
American history; therefore be it
o Res0lUed, That we, the executive commit tee
OF The County Committee OF the Peoples party
OF the City and County of San Francisco rep
.resenting ten thousand electors of this muni-
clpality, protest against such coercion.
RESOLVED, further, That our Registration
Committee, which has appo inted in every pre-.
cinct OF this City two election officers pledged
10 an honest count, be ana they are hereby
instructed TO carefully scrutinize every ballot
as 1t is counted, and to compare the same
with the polling list, and If they shall find
that any appreciable number of railroad en-
ployes have yielded to this tyrannous de-
mand and have written upon their baAots
names OF people, put there simply 10 identify
their votes, that then they Shall report the
facts in detail at once to this committee.
The document closes with threat to
indict and punish all who may transgress
in the manner outlined, and in the case OF
. corporations to proceed against them for
the forfeiture of their charters under the
purity of election laws.
Chairman Carleton II. johnson and
Secretary George d. Gillespie signed this
remarkable effusion. In order to learn
what information they have ON which tc
base their alleged belief that coercion ot
those gentlemen at the rooms of the Poo.
ple's party in the Murphy building, corner
of'Market and Jones streets, yesterday.
:"Mr. Johnson can probably tell you
about that matter" suggested Mr. Giles
pie, and Mr. Johnson was first asked what
facts he had In his possession that would
justify the promuigatiou of such a proc.
lamalion.
ITO tell the truth, was not present
when that resolution was adopted by the
committee. l was under the weather that
evening, and not feeling very we'll did not
attend the meeting of the committee. |
understand that the resolution was pre-
sented and vouched for by Mr. Burnette G..
Haskell"
Was it adopted by the committee ?"
was asked.
II was so informed"
"You signed it, did you?''
"Yes"
kell's statement for all that the document
contains?i
"Oh, l guess not / suppose they dis
cussed it some. wasn't present, as told
you before"
At this point Mr.. Gillespie took up the
conversation. He said that he believed
there are thousand men at least who
had been threatened with coercion, but he
wouldn't give single name. His own
brother-ln-law had been threatened with
discharge, he said, if he did not march in
the Mckinley parade to-day Saturday,
but he wouldn't tell his name, either, for
fear he would lose his Job.
Thus this marvellous bugaboo fiattened
out, so that the only man of whose coer-
cion the slightest clew can be obtained is
Mr.. GIllespie's brother-in-law, and even
his name cannot be learned in order to
find out whether he is in the list of regis.
tered voters.
Mr.. Haskell is considered among agita-
tors to be lawyer and among LAWYERS he
is deemed to be noisy agitator He is a
rabid talker and writer on certain phases
of socialistic affairs and is seldom regarded
as levei-headed where practical matters OF
everyday lite are under discussion.
OF course If Mr.. Haskell wished to mark
his ballot in the way he says the scoerced''
men must mark theirs he might write his
own or some other name on the ballot he
shall cast for some Office" and by getting
q few others to do the same an impression
might be spread that the accusation in the
resolution was we'll founded; but of course
Mr.. Haskell would hardly 90 that. 1t
would not be found out until after cleo
ton and then it would be too late to be of
any use 10 Mr.. Haskell or those who SYM
paihize with him either in sentiments or