Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-21
MIR. B,wsErL AND THE woRKMEY.

and see If it does not mean what we have
said.
MIR. BswsELL AND THE WORkMEN'
The Times fellcitates itself much upon
Mr. Bawselrs statement that the work
men are not being driven by certain
corporations into the support Of the Nc
kinney ticket. and it calls our partcu-
lar attention 10 what he said az the meet
ing held in the Young Mems Christian
Association Hall a few nights ago.
Mr.. Bawseu can only speak for him
self. and. inasmuch as be claims 10 have
been a sound-money man for months
past. II is quite credible that no influence
was brought 20 bear upon him % make
him sign a "sound-monoy' pledge. Nor
have we ever contended that corpora
ton oaicers or other employers have
gone into the shops and said 10 this or
that man. you must vote thus and sc.
No indeed. None but a Ounce would
pursue that course. Theirs are too many
other ways open for the employer to
coerce his workmen.
his business will be shattered and his
workmen turned into the streets 20 beg
for bread fl this or that policy be adopted
He may submit 70 Newspaper interviews
and speak out stingingly against the dis
honest dollar and the nischievous men
who are trying TO upset our monetary
system. He may hustle around Repub-
Hcan headquarters and busy himself at
conferences OF disanected Democrats.
and In divers ways show his detestation
OF our nominees. or he may spend large
sums OF money in circulating anti-Bryan
newspapers. or he may give the names
Of his employees 70 "sound-money
clubs" in the North. and have them
overwhelmed with "sound-money" docu-
ments sent through the mails. Or he
and his helpers may 90 a hundred other
things. all going 10 show how he expects
his men TO vote.
Thus the dependent workman Ia led 70
declare himself or keep silent, and
whereas he may have been an active
Bryan man a little while before. he now
keeps his mouth shut as 10 politics. and
avoids his former political associates OF
comes out boldly for Mckinley
Now II Mr. Bawsell is a Virginian. he
must know that these methods have
never before been practiced I'm Virginia.
He must know that strong, strong in
deed. must be the influence which con-
verts a Virginia Democrat into Nc
Kinley man. Our people know that du-
ring his whole term IN Congress Sic-
Klnley did his best TO put the force bill
upon The people Of the South McKinley's
Plan was TO convert Democrats by force.
He proposed 10 90 directly what certain
corporations In Virginia are trying to do
indirectly.
We have other sources Of information
than Mr.. Bawsels and We declare our
belief that II the influences Of which We
complain we're wholly removed, the
worhrnen Of Richmond as a mass would
be az ready. as willing, and as sure TO
vote the Democratic ticket this year as
they have ever been before.
quite possibly some Of them are not
entirely satisfied with the free silver
plank in the Chicago platform, but, as a
whole the platform is acceptable 10
them. They have never heretofore allied
themselves with those who ridicule our
poverty. despise our customs and tradi-
tons. and speak Of Us as "unreconeiled
shareholders" And II there IS no con-
rtraint put upon them, the mass OF our
white worknen Wal stand to-day as ever
they have stood. proud Of Virginia, proud
/ Il the South. hogtils 10 every effort OF
the McKinleys and Bourke Cockrans 10
class us with regulators and Anarchists
and Democratic TO the core.
No. sir. we do not believe in the sudden
conversion OF hundreds OF the working
men Of Richmond. Whoever goes among
/ those who have been subjected to the infiu-
ences that we speak OF. viii find out that
10 tie the hands Of an employee is one
thing but TO tie the hands Of his kins-
men is quite another thing.
when we talk TO workmen who are Tar
removed from the influences Of which We
sneak. we find they are as loyal to the
Democratic ticket as ever before. They
EXPRESS no purpose TO repudiate the ac-
ton OF their national convention. They
are not signing anti-Bryan pledges. They
are not joining Mckinley clubs. They are
the same true, stalwart Democrats as OF
wore Why are they not changed? Every
one knows why. Need We search long 10
| find an answer?