The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-09-10
CAN THE VOTERS BE INTIAfIDAT-
ED?

paper in New York city was cham
pioning Mckinley and gold, the Journ-
al came out for Bryan. It's columns
have since been filled with able articles
in advocacy of the platform and candl-
dates of the Chicago convention. They
have had great weight, and made every
true Democrat grateful to Editor
Hearst for the service he is rendering
the cause of the people
A dav or two ago, learning that the
Democratic committee was dependent
solely upon popular subscriptions to
meet it's necessary expenses, the
Journal invited the people to join us
in raising a campaign fund, agreeing
to give one dollar for every dollar sub
scribed. Immediately there were res
ponses showing the deep interest the
wage-earners feel in this campaign. AS
an evidence of the interest of work
ingnlen, whom their employers are
trying to coerce, we copy two letters:
Baltimore, Sept. 5, 1896.
w. II. Hearst:
Enclosed please find so cents for
the cause of the Democratic campaign.
Seeing the letter in your morning pa
per making an appeal for money for
fhe good cause OF the working classes.
quickly picked up this paper and
used it for fear that our boss would
catch me, as they are for gold. l am
so nervous that can hardly write for
fear someone might see me. Wishing
you well, yours, MECHANIC
Boston, Sept. 5.
w. r.. Hearst:
Enclosed you will find SIS for the
Democratic campaign fund. Please see
that it is placed to the best advan-
fage, as it is half of my weeks in
come. / feel that / must do some
thing for the cause, as / am obliged
to keep quiet where | work. Ii 1t be-
came known that / was aiding in any
way the Democratic ticket / would
probably lose my situation. / have
wife and four children to support, so
you will see I am tied hand and foot.
My wife cheerfully encourages me in
sending this money, although it
means a great deal to us. God bless
YOU in the work you are doing, and
hasten the day when American work
ingmen viii again be free.
RAILROAD MAN.
These are but two of many evil
dences that many employers are re-
solved to compel their employees to
vote for Mckinley, and are sparing no
coercive measures to that end. Mr..
Bryan, in his speech on Labor Day to
the worl1ingmen of Chicago, gave ut
teranee to sentiments that ought to
find a hearty response in the breast of
every free man, and ought to. bring
the blush of shame to the face of every
employer who has thought of trying to
intimidate the humble men in his en-
ploy. The following extracts from Mr.
Bryan's Labor Day speech not only
apply to present conditions, but are
fit to be kept as maxims for all time:
"The ballot is the means by
which the people of this country
must right every wrong. And if
the people have not the indepen-
dence, if they have not the intelh-
gence to right their wrongs at the
ballot box, they have not the cour-
age to secure their rights in any
other way"
II honor the laboring man of
this country, and organized labor
standing at the head of the labor
ing men, because they secured
for the people of this country an
Australian ballot"
''That ballot did not come down
to you from above. That ballot
is a result of your own demands.
1t is the result of your own in
fuence. The laiboring man to-day
enjoys the advantage of the Aus
tralian ballot because the labor
ing man of this country compelled
the adoption of the Australian bal
Iot."1g ks9 as
NOW, my friends, when you
come to use the ballot, want you
to remember that that ballot was
not given to you by any man who
employs you"
''That ballot was given to you
by law; you had it before he en-
ployed you. 1t will be yours af-
ICI yOu4 CAhPAOJ duChb NS"oNSs AOO
do not tell him that if he does not
vote according to your opinion
you will quit working for him.
But you have as much right to tell
him that as he has to tell you that
you will have to quit working for
him if you do not vote as he wants
you to. When say this,I am not a
fraid of offending anybody because
il there is an employer in this
country who believes that he has
a right, by paying wages to con-
troll the voter to whom the wages
go, he is a man who cannot be Of
Tended.
81 have known men who thought
that because they loaned a man
money that, therefore, as long as
they held his note, that he must
vote as they wanted him to, or
risk foreclosure. ! am not afraid
of offending any man who has
that opinion, because man who
will use a loan to intimidate q
oi4izay baS not Harmed 4iba onui11a