The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-20


Peabody. Nicc-Prcsident and General
Manager OF tho u. and o. s. W. and a
lifelong Republican. His boys greeted him
with great enthusiasm. and their noise
was supplemented most heartily by the
employees OF the other lines.
Captain Peabody paid an eloquent tn
butte TO Mr.. Mckinley and IN conciuoihs'
said.
And now-I am not going TO call him
anything but Mistcr-I think he likes tha'
better. a man who Is foremost In our ci'y'
and In our state and IN the ADJOINING
States. IN good words and works "a ul"',
who, In matters OF art. IS only e1ceHed
by his railroading. / want the prNlege'
and ] thank you for asking me 10 pressure
tonight for that pleasure. II nothi"s ",o'e'
OF presenting 10 you. as the nrst speaker
Mr.. NJ. T.. Ingalls,
Mr.. ingalls, arose and was received WIN
such hearty cheers ana enthusiastic wav-
ing Of flags that II was fully two minutes
before he could proceed. lie said.
FULL TEXT or Mr.. INGALLS,
SPEECH.
NV Fellow Citizens and Fellow-Em-
ploycs-
NV heart warns up to you tonight as 1t
never has before on an occasion IKE
this.
1 have been accused OF committing
tho most terrible crime that a man can
commit-that of coercing his employees
and / am glad to find by this meeting
tonight that / am vindicatcd. because,
as the president OF this meeting said,
the people ana the happy faces in tins
meeting do not look as though they were
cocrced.
\ distinguished statesman in this coun-
try once said that IN time Of peril
10 the nation there could be but two
partiCs-one for the country and the
other against it-and 50 tonight there
are but TWO parties-Onc for the country
and one against it-except. that 1t seems
as If in regard to railroad men. that
there was but one party. ana that they
were all for their country.
1t looks as though the railroad men In
this country were all for the honor OF
the country. for honest money. for good
government; and that they saw no way
TO accomplish that in this hour of peril
except by the election OF William Nc
Kiney. He stands as the exponent OF
honest money. Of honest government; as
the exponent OF an honest dollar. with
a chance to earn IL. And IL Is our
duty TO overcome our political preJu-
dices, to overcome our passions. whether
we have been Republicans or Democrats
and join the vast thrOng that on the
90 OF November are going TO settle this
question. and settle il once for all
There never was class of men that
were treated worse in any campaign
than the railroad men have been treated
in this by the man who was nominated
by the Chicago mob for President. lie
started out in the first place by saying
that he was going TO reduce the value
of the dollar in which the railway men
were paid. He started out with plat
form that they could not pay their honest
debts by contract II they tried. lie
proposed to increase the value Of the
gold dollar. in which their interest was
payable. as he said. 10 two hundred
cents, so as TO make his silver dollar one
hundred. The effect Of doing that
would force every railroad in this coun-
try into bankruptcy. They cannot earn
twice their fixed charges Of to-day. and
yet. because the railway men propose
TO stand in defence OF their property,
ne complains and says they are meddling
with politics, and then he goes out and
In his speeches accuses the railway
men of being coerced " hen he finds
that there is no coercion. when he finds
that the railway men propose TO sec that
every employe has fair opportunity to
vote then what does he do? In every
speech that ne has made for the last
fifteen days, he has said to you: Boys.
wear the Mckinley buttons; deceive your
employers. deceive the public. and when
YOU get into the voting booth, perform
the lie. and vote contrary TO what you
have talked" Now. that probably is
according to the moral standard that
prevails out on the Platte. IT does not
prevail with the railroad men in this
country Why. think of it. my friends.
think Of It, This man. who IS running
for President, who expects to be the
President of the greatest country on
earth. this man tells che men who stand
upon the foot-bOards and face death I'm
defence of the companys property and
passengers-he tells them TO lie to their
employer and deceive him. and then to
vote differently from what he talks.
There is not a man I'm this audience to-
night, I believe-I doubt IL there is one
in hundred or even a thousand In the
professionalism would lie about a thing
like that.
NV friends. the best thing you have
on earth. next to your hope OF heaven
and your family. is your right to vote.
1t Is a thing that goes TO a freeman.
IL is the product OF blood. trouble. and
toll in past years, such as nothing else
has cost. Now. a man. no matter
whether he is rich or poor. black or
white. in this country. has right upon
electiOn-day to so 10 the booth and
deposit his vote. uninfuonced by any
man or woman; and. so far as 1 am
concerned. so help me God. he shall
have II.
While 7 say 20 YOU. boys. that the
election Of Mr.. Bryan means destruction
to the railways. while 1 tell you that
it means destruction 10 you. and the
reduction OF your wages; wa le ! say
to you that his election means the great
est and worse panic that ever struck any
country: while - means iaes work. and
lonely days. and piteOus faces at your
homes: yet read and inform yourself.
and II your conscience tells YOU o vote
for Bryan, do it; but. in God S name, as
you value your profession. as you be-
lieve I'm yourselves. as you hope 10 leave
a good name 10 your children. don't do
what this man tells you do and asks
You 10 do. and that is. ct a lie. He
little thinks what he IS talking about
Tho switchmen in these yards. at forty
dollars a month. who carry in their
hands the lives OF thousands OF people
every day-onc single mistake may cost q
hundred lives-and 10 think that a man
with that responsibility should be such
4 person that the whole class should
be such men-that this man from out in
Nebraska should insult them by telling
u en- that they should pre-end TO o~c
thing and DO another Willy. ! would
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