Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-08-25
CHARGES OF COERCION OF RAILWAY
EMPLOYEES UNFOUNDED.
JOHN MARTINS TALK ALL B0SH.
NO ATTEMPT WHATEVER TO FORCE
MEN TO VOTE RIGHT.
All the Employees Mt Topeka Absolute
Is Free to Act ms They See Fit
PoIiticaII.-EmpI pIOyes and
officials interviewed
Kansas Politics.

Toneka. Kas.. Aug. 2I-fSpecialD At the
recent free silver rally in Topeka, one OF
the speakers was ex-senator John Mdfih-
His address WIS particularly dlFected 10
the railroad employees, Of which topeka
has many hundreds. Below is given an
extract from this address, as taken by d
stenoErapher present:
"There is an attempt in Topeka TO pull
doze and browbeat the employees OF cor
poraticns into voting fer the gold standard
As compared to this the buildozing and
browbeating practiced in some of the
Southern states becomes respectable. i
say to the railroad men. take the money
they offer you. Sign their Mckinley rolls
for the sake of yourselves and families
but when election day comes 90 into the
booth and no one will see you. There cast
your votes according to the dictates OF
Your conscience
The sCD or go Republicans present were
dumiounded at such an expression IRON
d gentleman who has heretofore borne a
reputation for Intelligence and veracity.
VI h ic IL was known that Senator Martin
had he n soureG and embittered by iinan-
c!sl Icverses which had pursued hun even
10 the loss of his home, il rad not b=en
sIpposed that lie would throw truth and
ciscTeii5n to the winds AID join the ranks
cf the nowIing oemasoguss whose political
stGck IN trade is falsehood, denunciation
and ignorance.
The Journal correspondent made a tour
OF the Santa Fe Stops and the Rock Island
Saris. Nowhere could a singse railroad
oInpiOye he found bo would state that his
political action had in the slightest degree
been interfsred with by his superior otfi-
GERS. ATorc the Rock Island and Santa
Fe empires are Republicans. Democrats
and fopulsts. They belong to the political
tluhs of their respective parties aad in
the freest manner possible discuss and
maintain the principles which they have
selected as their own. Not a man could be
found who had been threatened or offered
penny for his vote. Not man could be
found who had ever heard of an employe
losing his job because his political action
did not suit the road he was working for.
II was declared on every side that Senator
Martin had not the slightest foundation
fer his charge.
From the employees the correspondent
proceeded to the brass collar officials
and there the same story was told. Mr..
u. A. Low. who is at the head Of the
Rock Island in Kansas. said in response to
THAT is the veriest rot which ever ex-
uded from the mouth Of Il political shouter.
u might be expected from some dry goods
box politician who cares nothing for his
reputation for honesty, but 10 CONC from
an ex-senator of the United States IT :s
simply execrabe. ! have been With the
Rock Island for more than a quarter of a
century During that time l have meyer
called to account for his political beliefs or
action. We have Republicans, Democrats.
POruliStS ana anarchists working IO- US,
and If you will take the trouble 20 20 cut
among them you will discover that ali four
are openly advocating their beliefs with
out the slightest fear of consequences. The
president of the Rock Island is Democrat.
] am a Republican. He does not attempt
to dictate politics TO me any more than i
attempt to dictate politics to those who are
under me. ! do not even talk politics 10
the railroad men as freely as | do to out
siders. We are a railroad, not a political
party. and the only test j have ever heard
of being applied to our men is competency
and honest dealing"
Mr.. A. A. Hurd, who occupies the same
with the Rock Island, expressed himself
as follows:
There is absolutely no foundation what
ever for Senator Martins assertion. Never
in my long connection with this road has
an employe been discharged, intimidated
or In any way influenced unfairly in the
exercise of his political rights. We have
Republicans. Democrats and Populists in
our employ at the shops and on the trains.
They talk and vote according to the die
tates Of their own consciences and no one
ever has, or ever will attempt to interfere
with their right to do so. In this head
quarters building are few of the most
rabid free silver men in town. They come
down here and quarrel with me over poll
tics and / am sure the preposterous idea
that anyone was attempting TO bulldoZe
them never entered their heads. The man
whc talks the stuff that Martin did must
know IL to be false. 1t is only intended
for one purpose and that is to infiame
outsiders who do not know the truth II
railroad man. for however humble may be
his degree he knows that his company has
never attempted TO force his political ac-
tions against his own desires.