The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-06-30
stion in this era of trusts.

Grafton in this country employ
3,547,o 900 wage earners, most Of
them being men and voters. This
great army of employers, figuring
on those with families, directly
represent $1,000, 600 p p e.
New trusts are being formed daily
and this immense army IS being
added to by thousands.
The campaign Of 1896 demon
strated that the trusts and corpora
tons we're ready to use every
means-f orcc if nccessary-to
compel their employees to vote as
they should dictate. BY this
means they carried the elections
Of three years ago and placed their
personal representative in the
White House at Washington. In
full view Of what was accomplished
in 1896 By threats, coercion and
the use Of money to dcbauch the
American voter, the average man
can gain some idea of the magni-
tude of the political conflict ahead
for next year. That the trusts
will follow the same course they
pursued in 1896 there is nc doubt.
And to make the result sure, what
is there to prevent these CONNER
cial monsters from doubling or
trebllng their present army of
three and a half million employees
for the sole purpose of voting
them? And with Marcus A.
Hanna, the labor crusher, direct
ing the course of the republican
forces again next year, IS there any
doubt as to which ticket these mil
lions will be forced to support?
Think of this matter a moment dear
readcr-candidly and periodically.
Everything now points to the re-
nomination Of Mckinley by the re-
publicans and Bryan by the reform
forces for the conflict next year.
In the light Of past events is there
a reader of The UNION, be he
democrat, populist or republican,
who thinks the corporations of this
country would throw the vote they
control to the support Of William
I. Bryan and the principles Of tho
Chicago platform? Would they
And if not, isn't it because thai
great commoner and the platform
upon,WhiCh he stands represents
the bestIinterests of the great mass.
cs of the people and demands ir
substance equality before the
law?" And if these organized ag.
g%regations of capital throw the
support of themselves and theil
employees to William Mckinley, is
it not because that official and the
principles of the platform on which
he stands are more favorable to the
interests of the organized moneyed
classes than they are to the mass.
es? Think of it. Are not the
trusts and corporations supporting
Mckinley and h e republican
party because republican policies
create, foster and protect them!
Are they not opposing Bryan and
the reform forces because he and
his followers threaten the interests
of the trusts and are striving to re-
store to the people the constitu.
tional rights Of which republican
class legislation has robbed them?
Think of these questions reasona-
bly, and candidly, dear reader.
And when on election dav the
trusts and corporations Of the
country line up their great army Of
three million or four million voters
las we all know they wll-in-
structed to support the republican
party and its platform, what then
shall become of our boosted free
ballot? What of the rights and
privileges of the American voter
under the constitution? And ulti-
mately, what of free government,