The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-01-14
AN OPEN LETTER.
J. r. SOVEREIGN WRITES TO
PREsIDENT.ELECT M'KINLEY.
Wants TO Know what Has Become Of
the Promised Prosperity-some
Great Trutbs Set Forth by the
Great Labor Leader.

Sreht 1rutne set fortn Dy the
Great Labor Leader.
Sulphur Springs, Ark, January H.
Especial. )-General Master Workman ]
r. Sovereign, of the Knights Of LsboI
recently Issued letter to Mr.. Mckinley
of which the following is the oomplet
text:
Hon. William Mckinley, President-elect
Canton, Ohio:
Dear Sir-During the late campaign
made every hon orable effort within M
humble ability to defeat your election Z
the high office Of President Of the Unite,
States. was aotuated by SINGER
motives, believing that labor 10 thi
country could never prosper under
single gold standard. But in severa
speeches you made to delegations visiting
Canton you promised return Of conf
denoe, revival Of business and ampl
employment at good wages for labor /
the ticket which you headed was success
ful at the polls. Your campaign man
ayers, the press favorable to your election
and the associated banks promised u re
turn of prosperity for all working people
in this country Immediately, il you wer,
elected. Manufacturers 10 every part oI
this country called their employees
together and showed them large orders
for goods which were to be filed IL you
were elected and oounterinanded IL you
we're defeated. Sound money and pros.
peiity" composed the slogan Of your cam
paiRn. Those words we're displayed In
lsige letters everywhere, from the streets
of Canton to the cross roads of the most
remote rural districts Of the nation.
These promises together with other forces
and the great many million dollars your
national committee spent explaining the
tidal wave of prosperity that would sweep
over this country the very next day after
your election induced hundreds of thous-
ands Of anxious working people to vote
for you.
You were elected and the victory was
announced with searoblights, frewoik
and tin horns. The Republican press
congratulated the country on the fact
that legislation was not needed to bring
prosperity to labor, that we already live
under single gold standard, and oil the
country needed to make good times, was
the assurance that the blessed system
would not be disturbed by the election of
Bryan. Then it was announced that you
had pressed an electric button which
turned on the power to the machinery Of
a factory, and which was the signal to the
industrial world that prosperity had
actually come and there was great rejoic-
ing. The banks said they were ready to
pay gold to their creditors and Mr.
Hanna gave banquet 10 New York city,
where he WAS made the reci pient Of great
honor and at which he procl aimed to the
world the glad ti1ings that prc sperity
had returned.
1t is not with intention to criticise you
or your principles, or to express doubt,
that I remind you Of these promises and
events, but to emphasize my motive for
asking favor at your hands. Since it
was SO generally proclaimed by SO many
men of much money and signalized by
the electric button which you pressed,
that confidence and prosperity had re-
and that industry was again
beokoninR labor into the lap Of plenty,
have received scores Of letters from every
quarter of the country, from poor but
honest and deserving working people,
asking me to find them job. They are
not hobos nor tramps, but sober and
working people out of en-
ployment. Will you please inform me In
what section Of this great Union they can
ind work? I ask this little favor, for IL
inform them that l do not know where
hey can find employment, they Will be-
ZONE angry at my ignorance and ask me
4 have not yet heard Of the glorious
'sturn Of prosperity consequent upon
your election.
Sunday, November 22,I passed through
Cleveland, Ohio, the home Of Marons
urelius Hanna, and only two hours
ide on the cars form where you pressed
he prosperity button and started the
machinery that was to summon labor into |
'otivity and happiness.
The Cleveland morning papers came
IN the train, and one Of them contained |
! two column report Of the charitable |
ocieties Of that city, showing that de-
PENDENT families In Cleveland have in
,Ieased 30 per cent. since the same date
asst year. Then the report contained a
ong appeal to the city to provide work
or the unemployed. In Cleveland thers
8 a large District Assembly of the
Knights of Labor and many honorable
irades unions, and for them implors you
10 tell me In just what mill, shop, factory
,r mine the poor, starving unemployed
If Clevt land, can find work. Coming on
10 Chicago, the city in which, few
weeks before, W T. Lewis, who served
lnder you as Labor Commits sioner of
Ohio, managed labor campaign In your
interest, making promises Of immediate
1yment and good wages If you were
elected, found the relief societies strain
ng every possible resource to pr vide food
or the unemployed. Tell me, pray you,
where can those willing hands find an
opportunity to obey the Divine injunc-