The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-26

Among the diSingenuous arguments
which Mr. Bryan ard the free silver
men In general are working fer all that
they are worth in this campaign is the
plea that the worlEingman is being ''co-
creed" You will hear the changes
rung on this charge by every curb
stone orato", and especially is the ap-
tack upon the independence of it's stuff
rage This accusation rests upon the
same basis as the other endeavors of
the Populist party to set class against
class, and to rest the future of this re-
public upon foundation of passionate
hatred, instead of mutual good will.
The only possible eelor Of fact behind
the charge is found IN the interest
which all men concerned in the future
prosperity Of this country and the sal
walton of its material interests take in
the event Of the present campaign.
1t happens too frequently in our politi-
cal contests that business men with
draw themselves entirely from the fray
leave the professional politicians to set
tie matters to suit themselves. This
is not that kind of year. The very eX-
istence of all kinds of business is at
stake, and self-interest stimulates the
active exercise of q too frequently SOM
nOlent patriotism.
Some large employers of labor have
taken pains to express their opinions
freely. and in some instances have
either authorized or allowed sort Of
political census among their employ
es, to find how they were likely to
stand in the coming contest. Upon no
better foundation than this rests the
charge of intimidation. 1t is, as far
as we are able to ascertain, absolutely
and entirely false. No pressure has
been brought to bear to influence the
vote of employees IN one direction or
the other. There may possibly be iso-
lated cases, where the employer is so
intolerant in his support of the gold
standard. or the silver standard, as the
case may be, as to hint or threaten
what he will do if the event shall not
turn out to his liking. Such men, how
ever. are few, and are not in control
of great enterprises. AS far as it re-
lates to the concerns whose pay rolls
are lengthy, the great corporations en-
gagged in transportation, in manufacture
ing, and in commerce, we do not know
of a single caca whore tho i,,dio+p,ao+
holds good and we do not believe that
there is one. The heads of these en-
terprises may be anxious, not unnat-
urally, that their workingmen should
not cast vote which would at one
blow cut in two their own wages and
the profits of their employer. They are
justified in making their own wishes
known, but beyond that they have not
gone, except in the imagination of the
Populfst talker.
To understand this one has cnlv to
remember that the people who are thus
accused are not fools. They would have
to be if they tried to coerce their en-
ployes. The only consequence Of such
a policy would be to stir up universal
indignation against themselves without
the slightest compromising benefit IN
der the Australian ballot it is not nos
sible to put any pressure upon the
voter. The prosecutors on the other
side forget that when they make this
ridiculous charge. An employer might
poll his employees every day between
this and election, and secure a stack
of promises a foot high from each one
of them. without having the least
power to affect the result In the end
the individual votes precisely as he
pleases, and no other human being can
be. appraised ef his act except by his
own words. The entire secrecy of the
ballot removes the last chance of in
timidating veter- Therefore the man
who tried to dc this would only raise
q ciamor Of indignant protest against