The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-08-31
1sRo WING OFF THE MASK.

For some years 1t has been noticeable
that many Of the larger corporations of
the country have been endeavoring to
coerce their employees, politically.
Prominent among the corporations
adopting this policy has been the Penn
sylvania company, which has en-
deavored as far as possible to control
its employees in the interest of the
Republican party, without makins
direct statement to this effect. Re-
Gently, however. at the c. C p. Veterans
Association meeting, in Cleveland, the
mask was thrown entirely off, and
Superintendent Scriven in a speech at
the Hollenden hotel, to the veteran
employees, told them how they should
vote this fall. The Cleveland papers
quoted Mr.. Scriven as saying:
vote for Mckinley and you will be
doing what your employers, the c. Il
p. Railroad company sincerely want
YOU to do. If you desire to hold your
positions vote for the reelection Of
President Mckinley. If you do not, and
he should be defeated, the consequence
will be upon your own heads"
Mr.. Scriven Is quoted as having
proceeded with a rank political speech,
the tenor of the remarks being to the
effect that every eUploye was expected
to support Mckinley.
It is not out Of place at this time
to state that the imperialistic policy
advocated by the Republican party
necessitates this course Of action by the
large employers Of labor. The Repubh-
can party is endeavoring to hold a
threat of starvation over the heads VI
the poorer classes. 1t may not be out Oh
place at this time to call attention to
another small but important matter, as
indicating the Pennsylvania Railroad
eompany's growing adherence to Euro
pean ideas. Some years ago both
.ladies" and gentlemen" Travelled in
the day coaches Of the Pennsylvania
company, but If anyone wishes to travel
nowadays where ladies and
travel, according to
the Pennsylvania companys idea,
he will have to go into the
Pullman cars, for the words, ladies'
and gentlemen" have been eliminated
from the signs in the day coaches, and
the words, "men" and women" substi-
tuted. Not only has this been done on
the cars, but also at the depots along
the route. This action started on the
Philadelphia & Reading railroad, at the
request of foreign stockholders. who
objected to the "ladies" and gentle
men" being applied to the common herd
who used the day coaches. The Penn
sylvania company has gone further in
its Anglo mania by opening what is
characterized booking Office" in New
York. All railroad ticket offices In
England are called booking offices.
The people of this country must real
lie, anu the sooHef the oettSi' e"oe
whenever employees of labor endeavor to
control the franchise Of the ballot of
their employees, liberty is endangered
and our government will becon a
plutocracy il the movement be not
checked. The implied threat back OF
the statements made by large corpora
tions is that IL their. plan Of government.
which looks toward the uplifting Of the
classes at the expense Of the masses. IL
interfered with, they will pull theiI
money out and produce a panic that
labor may starve itself into subjugation
What is needed with these people is 9
strong hand like Bryan's. to teach Their