The evening bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1887-1905, 1896-09-26
WICKED COERCION.
pRAcTlcED UPON EMPLOYEES BY BIG
CORPORATIONS.

Would Not he Duildozed.
The wholesale bulldozlng of their
employees by the railroads and other
great corporations, to compel them to
vote for Mckinley Is a new feature Of
American politics, and Is as Infamous
as IT is new. Weak attempts are occa-
sionally made by the Republican man
ayers to deny that such outrageous
methods are being used to secure
votes; but the proof is so plain and
overwhelming that successful denial is
impossible.
The Chicago Record, itself a strong
advocate of the gold standard, and,
therefore, not disposed to misrepre-
sent its own side, contained the follow
ing dispatch on the morning of the
18th, from Golden, Ills, amply con-
firming this charge:
Golden, Ills, Sept. 1S.-James Da-
Wis, William Wilker, Thomas Smith
and Charles Fuller, residents of this
place, employed as track layers by
the contractors laying the steel of the
new double track of the Illinois Cen
trail between Makanda and Dongola,
were notified this morning by their
foreman, Mccoy, to report to him and
receive checks for their time. Twelve
nonresident laborers received the
same notice. Mccoy informed them
that the only reason that he could
give for their dismissal was that they
were advocating the cause of Bryan
and free silver too freely. Their places
were promptly filled by Italians. AS
soon as the news reached this place
the Bryan followers became very angry
and excitement is at fever heat to-
night"
On Sept. 10 the Mccormick Harvest
ing Machine company of Chicago sent
the following circular to all it's agents
throughout the country:
Dear Sir: We sent you by express
yesterday a package of sound money
literature. We want by return mail
an estimate from you as to how much
of this can be used in your territory,
and an enumeration of the kind that
will be most effective. We will then
send you another supply by express,
and will request in advance that you
supply ii to your travellers and in
struct them to use 1t just the same as
though 1t were advertising matter for
the sale OF our machinery.
ave surely have a right to expect that
all Mccormick employees have the interest
of the company at heart, and will take
up this matter and carry It out as
quested. Yours truly,
"TCORIICK HARVESTING MACHINE
COMPANY"
The idea that a corporation has the
right to the votes of it's agents and en-
ployes, and to make mere political
we believe, been advanced in this
country. Men who sell their labor
have not heretofore been compelled to
sell their votes with it. They have
still been American freemen, at lib
erty to affiliate with any party Band
cast their votes as they might please.
But the encroachments of modern cor
porations. organized to promote party
selfish interests do not now, it seems,
stop short of attempts to make politi-
cal serfs of their employees. Upon re-
ceipt of the above circular the agent OF
the Mccormick Harvesting Machine
company at Carthage, Mo-, who seems
to have an idea that he is still free
and independent citizen, in matters
political, at least, replied in the fol-
lowing spirited manner:
Mccormick Harvesting Machine
company: Dear Sir-I beg to acknowl- |
edge the receipt of your favor of the |
10the inst. You are on a cold trail. |
Missouri will give Bryan 10000 major
ity. If these letters are written by
authority of your company, every Mis-
souri, farmer who uses a Mccormick |
harvester, deserves to sell his wheat !
for 40 cents a bushel.
tSgned.l u. II. WILSON"
This is a most appropriate reply to |
such a circular. 1t is strange beyond |
comprehension that the Mccormick |
Harvester company, of all the corpora
tons in existance, should attempt to |
coerce its agents and employees to sup
port the existing gold standard system |
of finance. 1t has grown enormously /
rich from the sale of its machines to |
the farmers of the country. 1t has no |
business relations with any other !
class OF people. One would think |
II would naturally oppose the |
gold standard. under the opera |
tions of which agriculture has
suffered most and the prices Of all farm |
products have fallen even below the |
cost of production; and that il would |
favor the reconciliation Of silver, the |
immediate result of which would be to |
make agriculture once more prosperous
and profitable. But ii has as little re-
gard for its customers as for its en-
ployes. 1t will excite no wonder that
the agent at Carthage, Mo-, should pro-
test against farmers harvesting Accent
wheat on Mccormick machines.
Other instances of the attempts of
corporations to coerce their employees
are numerous. A few days ago Mar
tin Spangler an expert electrician,
called at National Democratic head
quarters and stated that he, with two
other employees of the General Electric
Light company of Chicago, had been
discharged because they refused to
Join the Mckinley club. According to