The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-11-03
John K. Governs Threat.

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company
has contracted for 5000 freight cars, but at
the meeting of the Money League at Music
Hall, Baltimore, on Thursday night of last
week, Mr.. John X. Cowen, President OF the
Company said the order would be cancelled
if BRYAN was elected The hall was filed
with Baltimore & Ohio employees, employees
of the South Baltimore Car Work. hundreds
of workmen from Sparrows Point and other
points, carried free By the Baltimore 1t ono
railroad on special trains.
If Mr.. Coweu did not intend to brighten
mechanics by that threat of cancelling the
contract into voting for Mckinley, why did
he make it? And in making it he not only
uttered what he knew to be untrue, but he
violated the law in doing so. Here Is the law
on the subject
If any person shall by force, threat, me
mace, intimidation, bribery or reward, or oher
ar propise thereof, or otherwise unlawtully
either directly or indirectly, influence or A.
tempt TO influence. any voter in giving his
vote; every such person shall, upon convlc-
ton thereof, be punished by Imprisonment Ia
iail or in the penitentiary for not less than SIX
months nor more thaa five years-LdtrS q
MdryleRd.
The contract was made some time ago IA
September. If the officers Of the Baltimore
4 Ohio Railroad Company needs the cars the
contract will not be cancelled If they don
need them, then the making Of the contract
was a shameful waste Of the earnings of the
railroad.
Bot Mr.. Cowan has not frightened saHgie
mechanic On the contrary some R"pabi'-
cans among them will vote for Bryan ~ re
sentiment of this attempt to coerce them. Mr.
Cuwen has too low a conception II the 'n'"'-
hgence Of the plain people They read, r'a-
son aud discuss public questions as well ~ the
plutocrts. aud they reach more Just aud ialr
conclusions. because they reason from the
standpoint OF liberty and human rights The
pin,ocrats reason from belief 10 favored
CLASSES, with the mass at the people mere
working machines aud slaves
10 regard TO Mr. Cosens threat, Hon.
James X. Jones, Chairman Of the Mammal
Democratic Committee. had this To say
CHIcAao. October 26.-Ediiors The SHu.
Raltimore: With regard la Mr.. toWcu s
ntieranees u, Music Hall Thursday night
would say
Political coercion IL any form Is des,rac-
tive OF free government. Every ballot cast
should express the free and honest JadgHrnt
OF the voter Aay attempt to prevent thls.
whether hy the offer OF employmcst 20 The
threat Of loss OF employment. Is Jast a. lnia-
nous A. nm offer 20 90 50 by the direct cor
rupi use Of money. Nor IS an oder 10 DO ih's
one whit more respectable than hsii"t-5'nN
s,uffne and fraudulent counting. Everl mas
who resorts to such methods 70 prevent h"u.
est elections commits a crime.
The country must be- saved iro5n the party
and the men who resort tn these criminal
practices for controlling elections
All honest men should uniie 90 preserve
free ballot more solemn dusy cannot De
volve upon M American citizen.
JAMES X. JONES
NJ. Cowen vii have to Try some other
means to cleo, Hanna and MoKinley. The
contract cancellation Is teo absurd 10 deceive
any one. Aud then, loo. the people q Asfy-
land have witnessed Mr. Cowen IN - many
political attitudes aud positions there arr few
indeed sho pay any heed To hin. He ls a
stale performer. and long since d.scredird.