The Indianapolis journal., 1896-10-12
Open Letter to Mr.. w. j. Bryan.


Dear Sir: / am a machinist in a large
factory. Ny employer has told me it would
be to my interest to vote for Mckinley this
year. When | asked him why. he said be-
cause it would be to his (my employer's)
interest for me to vote that way; that it
would make his business better if the Re-
publican party got into power again: that,
his business being better would get more
wages. Last presidential election he asked
me to vote the Republican ticket, giving
the same reasons, but not seeing it that
way. 1 voted the Democratic ticket, and
things turned out just as my employer told
me they would. Although I am getting
nearly the same wages as before, yet the
factory does not run half the time, and |
am not getting enough money to live on,
though he gives me work whenever he pos
sibly can. and that, too, in preference to
men who voted his way, because / do my
work better than they, presume. In fact.
have learned long ago that my interests
and my employers are identical When
times are good for him they are good for
me. Yet 1 tell you candidy 1 don't want
to vote for Mckinley, because l have al
ways been Democrat. / admire you, Mr..
Bryan, because you are sincerely honest
in your desire to see the workingman pros
You a proposition. which / think is per-
fectly reasonable and wholly possible II
your position IS correct. AT hammond,
Ind. on Wednesday, and several times pre-
vious, you said. in substance the same
thing, as follows:
II want to call your attention to one
thing. IL under free coinage your dollars
will only buy half as much that means
that your employers would get twice
much for what they produce, twice as
many dollars as they do now, and If your
employers get twice as many dollars as
as many dollars for your wages as they do
now; if they love you as Wei after electlon
when. they want your votes Now, my
friends, just remember this: Whenever
your employer tells you, that under free
much, you tell him that you are not afraid
that he will ever let you suffer, because ne
is loving you so MUCH now-too much TO
let you be jeopardized by getting poor dol
lars. If he tells you that while he can pay
you double but he won't do it; tell him
that a man that can help you and won do
it ought not tell you that he VIII before
elections
er, and the following lines was his reply:
although l cannot constitute myself q
county poor farm to take care Oh all my
employees who would suffer by a severe
panic. yet you have been a good and faltfl-
full employe, and l want to see you DO Wen
as well as myself, hence | advise you 10
vote for Mckinley. because l think 1t best
for both our interests. But will make you
this propositions In case Bryan is elected,
and i make 81 clear profit on my products
instead of 81. / promise you. on the honor
of man. that yours, as well as an the
creased proportionately, it, on the other
hand, you and all the other employees Will
agree that in case of Bryan's election
times grow worse so that | shall not make
more than half what | do now, you will
allow me to reduce your wages proportion
ately. We will draw up writings to that
effect. Now, boys, if you want me to love
you as much after the election as do now,
it is only fair that you should love me as
much as [ do you.
This proposition of our employer. I think.
is perfectly reasonable and just. And now,
Mr. Bryan. / want to make you a PROPOSE
ton. which you certainly ought to accept.
1t is this.
If you will publicly declare in your
speeches, and in open letter signed by
yourself backed by the signatures of the
members of the national Democratic COM
mittee, giving bond i'll the sum of So, 900,
to be distributed to the unemployed poor
in case your promise fails. that my en-
ployer. well all other factory owners
that shall conduct their business in strictly
business economy, shall make 81 clear profit
on their products. to where they now make
81, then the workingmen will agree to cast
their vote solidly for you. / know what
am saying, Mr.. Bryan, when l make You
the above promise of the support of the
workingmen these conditions.
A WORKINGMAN.
Indianapolis. Oct. 10.