The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-15
DIGGING Up RECORDS.

1t was hoped that the Presidential cam
paign would be conducted upon lines that
would discourage the digging into the
conduct of candidates in the past, and no
doubt it would have been done had work
ingmen been made of material less curl
Gus and inquisitive The fact is, the work.
ingmen of this country are not quite them
selves these days, and they have got it
into their heads that the repeal of the Nc
Kinley act is what hurt them, and that
Bryan had a good deal to do with its re-
peal, which is the fact, but just how close to
the wall workingmen should push him on
that account is the question.
Workingmen should see that it is very
painful to Mr.. Bryan to have reference
made to his speeches in Congress on the
question of giving them protection against
low wage schedules of other countries,
and they do see it; but somehow they
will persist IN demanding to know if he
still thinks that an American wagemar
has no rights that foreign pauper labor
should be obliged by this Government to
respect. 1t may be that Mr.. Bryan thinks
such questions impertinent and i'm pudent,
and that he will ignore the questioners
and their questions, but Mr.. Bryan should
be patient with them. Most of them have
not had great deal to eat for two years or
go, and not a few of them fear they will
lose their little homes if they do not get
employment very soon.
Mr.. Bryan may not know and be may
not care to know the condition OF Ameri-
can wage-earners, but they know, and
that is why they are putting questions to
him concerning what the future Will have
in store for them if he is elected. They
ere very restless under enforced idleness,
and Mr.. Bryan ought to be more consid-
crate OF their feelings than to tell them
that it is not necessary to discuss such
matters when they importune him for in
formation upon matter of such vital i'm
portance to them as opportunity to earn
wages is.
Workingmen know Mr.. Bryan held
while in Congress that protection to
American labor against destructive for
eign competition could not be justified,
but now that he is trayeling about the
country soliciting their votes they feel that
he should reopen that question and tell
them frankly whether or not he would, if
elected, use his influence to have the Will
son law repealed and something equally
as good as the Mckinley act put in its
place. The workingmen of the United
States Jared so we'll under the Mckinley
act and have Jared so badly since it was
repealed that Mr.. Bryan should not think
them impudent when they ask him TO de-
fine his position-to tell them what they
may expect if he is elected
Workingmen do not like to rattle the
skeletons in Mr.. Bryan's political closet,
but if they stumble over them and make
a noise in their haste to ascertain how
much friendship he has for them they
should not be blamed too much True,
Mr.. Bryan has told them that it is not
necessary to discuss their chances for
work; besides, he has other fish to fry,
and if worklngmen have lived through
hunger and disappointment for more than
two years they can stand it until he has
arranged matters that are of more conse.
quence to Mr.. Bryan than employment to
idle labor, but workingmen think other
wise. 1t is net of much consequences
however, whether Mr.. Bryan answers the
wage-earners or not. Practically, all of
them are now under the Mckinley BAN
ner and they know that victory for it
means plenty of work and good wages for
them. No, it is not necessary for Mr..
Bryan to discuss the tariff question. 1t
is too late.