Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-10-03
WICKED COERCION.
PRAcTIcso UPON EMPLOYEES sv aIa
CORPORATIONS.
Compelled to Work for Mckinley or Loss
Their Jobs-An Agent of the Mccormick
Harvesting Machine Company Who
Would Me- Re BuIIdo,ed.

The wholesale bulldozing of their
employees by h railroads and other
great corporations. TO compel them to
vote for Mckinley. is Il new feature Of
American politics. and is as Infamous
az it is new. Weak attempts are ocea-
sionally made by the Republican man.
ayers to deny that such outrageous
methods are being used to secure
votes: but the proof Is 50 plain and
overwhelming that successful denial IN
impossible.
The Chicago Record. itself a strong
advocate OF the gold standard. and.
therefore. not disposed to m%isr.pTe-
sent its own side. contained the follow
ing dispatch on the morning OF the
18th. from Golden. Ills. amply on
firming this charge:
Golden, Ills. Sept 1s--James Da-
Wis. William wilker. Thomas Smith
and Charles Fuller. residents Of his
place. employed as track layers by
h contractors laying the steel OF the
new double track Of the Illinois Cen
trail between Makanda and Dongoia.
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 hat he could
give for their dismissal was that they
were advocating the cause NJ Bryan
and free silver too freely. Their places
were promptly filled by Italians. As
soan 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 its agents
throughout h country:
Dear Sir: We sent you by express
yesterday q 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 b. express.
and will request in advance that you
supply IL to you travellers and in
struct them to use II just the same as
though 1t were advertising matter for
h sale OF our machinery.
1--WE surely have n right to expect that
81 Mccormick employees have the interest
Of the company 1t heart. and will take
mp this matter and carry it out - re-
quested. YouH truly,
'M'CORMICK HARVESTING MACHINE
COMPANY"
The idea that q corporation has the
right to the votes OF its agents and EN-
ployes. and to make mere political
servants of them, has not heretofore.
we believe, been advanced in this
country. Men who sell their labor
have not heretofore beer compelled To
sell their votes with 1t. They have
still been American freemen. at lib
erty to affilinte with any party and
cast their votes as they might please.
But the encroachments of modern cor
pc~rations. organized To promote party
selfish interests do not now. IL 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 hat he is still a free
ana independent citizen. in matters
political. at least. replied in the fol-
lowing spirited manner
Mccormick Harvesting Machine
company: Dear Sir-I beg TO acknowi-
edge the receipt of your favor Of the
10the inst. You are on a cold trail.
Missouri will give Bryan 81. 100 major
fty- II these letters are written by
authority OF your company. every Mis-
souri, farmer who uses n Mccormick
harvester. deserves to sell his wheat
for 40 cents q bushel.
ISigned.l u. II. WILSON"
This Is a o appropriate reply "a
such a circular. II Is strange b. voni
comprehension that the Mccormick
Harvester company. Of all the corpora
tions in existance. should attempt %
cocrce Its agents and employees to PUP
port the existing gold standard system
Of nance. II has grown enormously
rich from the sale OF its machines Ia
the farmers of h country. IL ha no
business relations with any Other
class Of people. One would think
IL would naturally oppose the
gold standard. under the opera
tons OF which agriculture has
suffered most M the prices of all farm
products have fallen even below tbs
cost of production: and that IL would
favor the reconciliation of silver. thu
immediate result of which would he e
make agriculture once more prosperous
and profitable. But IL has as little re.
gard for its customers as for its EN-.
ployes. 1t will excite no wonder thai
the agent at Carthage. Mo. should pro.
test against farmers harvesting 4o-cen,
whea on Mccormick machines.
Other instances of the attempts O,
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 TIVE
other employees of the General Electri,
Light company Of Chicago, had beer
discharged because they refused Z,
Join the Mckinley club. According Z,
Mr.. Spangler's statement. the foreman
of the company approached them las
Friday and asked them to DIN a Nc
Kinley club. Spangler and two OF hi
felsow-empioyes refused to do so
Nothing more was said at the time ans
they were paid on as usual on Satur
day night. On Monday morning wheu
= they returned to work they were in
formed by the foreman that their serv
ices were no longer needed. Mr.. Spang
Ter has worked at his trade through
out Mexico, Central and South Amer
lea, and In China. Japan, India. an,
several European countries. and speak