The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-04

4
Coinage But the Burden Of Sentiment
| is for sound Money-Many Democrats
Have Deserted the Standard of Bryan
and Think 1t is Now to Their Interest to
Vote for McKinley-Many Think That
the Coinage o.. Silver Materially Effects
Their Wages.
Kansas City. Mo-, Aug. "A special
| from Newton, Kan, to the Journal
says:
The railway employees at Newton
are not taking as active an interest in
| politics as usual, partly because they
| are not agreed upon policy, and part
~ because they have been unable to
fully determine what effect a change in
the monetary system Of the country
would have upon the railways and rail-
way employees. A great many have
formed no conclusions at all, while
those that have are about equally d.
vided on the financial question, each
employe following the platform of his
adopted party in nearly every case A
canvass of the railway employees at
Newton by q Journal representative
ELECTED the fact that there is a great
difference of opinion among the wage
earners here. A few interviews taken
at random will demonstrate this:
'Trainmaster D. d. Bailey-'T am
forced TO admit that the employees of
the railway are about equally divided
on the silver question, which, of course,
determines which way they will vote
ar the Draoidaptial aonpOy
see why any man working for a salary
wants a deprecated currency. When
1 get dollar, l want it to be worth a
dollar, and 1 want, too, TO know its
value. 1 don't want it to be worth so
cents, or SO cents, or any other sum eX>
ceptng 100 cents.
''Hostler John Bender-'It's free sill
yer for me every time, and it should be
for every workingman. We want more
money. and free silver will give it to
us. l am not afraid of the dollar de-
preciating in value. Uncle Sam has
never yet allowed it to depdeciate, and
he won't again. / believe 1T is TO the
best interests of the workingmen to
have free silver.
Fireman S. G. Kinney-I am for Nc
Kinley and gold every time. 1 am not
in favor Of cheap money under any
considerable l believe in letting we'll
enough alone
Brakeman Frank Conway have
been studying the situation closely on
both sides, but have been unable to de-
termine what would be the best for all
classes. If am unable to determine by
November I shall not vote.
''Machinist Robert WyIlie-I am
Republican and want honest money.
do not want to work for $50 a month
and then be able to buy only s39 worth
Of goods for it. 1 believe the Republic
can policy is the only true policy.
Engineer Robert Mears-I believe
that free silver will afford employment
for more men, will stimulate activity
In all circles and will in that way vast
ly benefit all laboringmen.
agent L. c. HorSt-While there is a
strong sentiment among the railway
men at present in favor of free silver,
1 can see that it is changing as the
question is more fully understood. BY
November do not think that there will
be half as many men in the employ of
any corporation who will believe in free
silver. The policy would be suicidal,
and they will discover it sooner or later.
''Organizer C. NJ. Parker, Railroad
Loan and Savings company| am for
anu SOOu money last
and always The widespread silver SEN
timent is growing less among railway
men all over the line, as the question
becomes more thoroughly understood |
The employees are beginning to discover
that what would bankrupt their en-
ployers would also injure the employees |
Station Master NJ. Covert-Sound
money and Republicanism are the only
true standards for the man on a sal |
airy. The present free silver craze :s
nothing more than a revival of the |
sreenback craze, and it will have the
same fate. We who work on salaries
do not want our wages cut in two. |
am of the opinion that the free silver |
ties among the railway boys are by far |
in the minority.
Might Yard Master Richard Peters |
i have been a Democrat all my life |
but when it comes to voting my salary |
away, 1 am compelled to bolt. 1 can
not see how any workingman can con-
sistently vote for free silver, and they |
see it before election.
Superintendent of Bridges ]. H |
Banker am for silver only so far as
it can can be kept at the same value |
with gold. In other words, / want ten |
silver dollars to be worth ten gold dol |
lars. Our present system is all right,
and 1 do not want to see any change.
especially as radical a change as the |
free silveriteS want