Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-10-08
A WORklNCMAN'S VIEW.
lie Gives His Reasons why lie Intends to
Vote for Mckinley and Hobart.

your columns TO the voters of Belding
That this is one of the most importan
campaigns for many years is general.
admitted and that the results of til,
election means much Tor good or i'll Il
the workingman as well as the business
men and manufacturers of the country
both sides claim. Orators of both side
claim TO have the interest of the voters
and OF the country at heart, and fol
the man who wishes TO place his vote
as will best conduce TO bring back the
prosperity OF the country at large, il
order that he, and his, may share il
that prosperity, there seems only one
way to decide how to cast his vote
And that is, to listen to and read al
arguments, investigate their merits in
the light OF history, and past exper'
ience, then vote as his own judgment
dictates.
There is much talk of coercion ol
employees by employers in some cir
cles. Mr.. Bryan leading and lesser
lights taking up the cue given, and
making it stock argument, and | will
beg pardon for depressing and saying
something personal on this subject.
The employees of the company en-
ploying me and including myself by
specific mention, have been charged
with being intmidated and coerced in
the expression of our personal views.
How silly this talk is, is shown by the
fact that among our numbers are a few
a very few, however, open silver ad-
vocates, and | challenge any one to
prove that any of that number have
ever stated, or even limited that any
improper influence or threat, or even
the slightest intimation of a threat,
has ever been brought to bear upon
them to change their views; further, l
have myself listened to open arguments
among the shop hands, in which no
silver man tried to hide his views, or
showed any fear of the result. To any
the merest twaddle and can only show
the narrow views of those proclaiming
such nonsense, and | am glad to say
that have known OF no Belding sill
yer advocate of any influence or stand
ing having used it. AS to myself,
stand exactly where / did when, four
al
more confidence in Democracy and
their promises than experience has
shown him and others was safe, risked
casting his vote as his convictions led
him to do for the candidate of the Pro-
hibition party.
With our secret ballot, any such in
timidation, while it might, perhaps,
silence mans voice, would only
insure his casting his vote in opposi
tion to his employers by adding a
desire for revenge, and knowing he
was safe from detection, and TO my
mind, it indicates desperate straight
in their campaign which they are try
ing to mend by the old trick of making
fool of boy by daring him to do
some silly or dangerous thing, and
then if his good sense refuses, trying
TO taunt him into doing it by saying
he "dassent." And Mr.. Bryan's argu
ment means, if you vote for Mckinley,
you are intimidated; now show you are
man by voting for me. A very poor
argument and will never win, for the
workingmen Of this country are neither
children or fools. l have lived eight
years in Michigan, and have always
been employed by others. have
travelled and worked at a bench, and
as workingman, my interests are
identical with that of every other
workingman of Belding. | want to
so cast my vote as will bring me steady
employment and good pay. So my
first question must b., which party
will do it?
Up to the election of full Demo
cratic government, four years ago,
every factory in our town run steadily
and often over time. / do not believe
that there was man in Belding who
was willing to work who could not get
work. | know that when / left the
employ of the Belding Mfg. Company,
a little over five years ago, had a
place secured at bench in the Hall
Bros. factory, inside of fifteen minutes,
and with no previous understanding.
Our town was full of outsiders who
came here for employment, and who
hired board aud bought goods in the
town, making times good. New homes
were going up on every hand, the
prices OF property were advancing
steadily, and, by means OF our loan as
sociation, the workingmen shared this
advantage, for il was the boast OF our
citizens that the majority OF the work
ingmen lived in their own homes.
During that campaign, the Democratic
orators emphaticallv promised the
workingmen that, IL they would vote
their party into power, "no mans en-
fAln ohn,,1I frnn, him,