The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-11-03
John z. 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 K. 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 & Ohio
railroad on special trains.
If Mr.. Cowen did not intend 10 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 offer
or promise thereof, or otherwise unlawfully
either directly or indirectly, inhnen ce or at
tempt TO influence any voter in giving his
vote; every such person shall, upon conyic-
ton thereof, be punished by Imprisonment in
Jail or in the penitentisry for not less than six
months nor more than Eve years-Ldits OF
Maryland.
The contract was made some time ago-in
September If the officers of the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad Company needs the cars the
contract will not be cancelled. If they don't
need them, then the making of the contract
was "A shameful waste of the earnings of the
railroad.
But Mr.. Cowen has not frightened IA single
mechanic. On the contrary some Republic
cans among them will vote for Bryan in re-
sentiment of this attempt to coerce them. Mr..
Cowen has too low conception of the intel
ligence of the plain people. They read, rea-
son and discuss public questions as we'll as the
plutocrais and they reach more just and fair
conclusions, because they reason from the
standpoint of liberty and human rights. The
plutocrais reason from belief in favored
classes, with the mass of the people mere
working machines and slaves.
In regard to Mr.. Governs threat, Hon.
James X. Jones, Chairman of the National
Democratic Committee, had this to say:
CHICAGO, October 26.-Editors The Sun,
Baltimore With regard to Mr.. Governs
ntterances at Music Hall Thursday night |
would say
Political coercion in any form is destrnc-
tive Of free government. Every ballot cast
should express the free and honest Judgment
of the voter. Any attempt to prevent this,
whether by the offer of employment or the
threat of loss of employment, is just as nfn
nous as an offer to do so by the direct cor
rupt use of money. Nor is an offer TO do this
one whit more respectable than ballot-box
stuffing and fraudulent counting. Every man
who resorts to such methods to prevent hon
est elections commits a crime.
The country must be saved from the party
and the men who resort to these criminal
practices for controlling elections.
All honest men should unite TO preserve u
free ballot. A more solemn duty cannot de-
volve upon an American citizen.
JAMES K. JONES.
Mr.. Cowen will have to try some other
means to elect Hanna and Mckinley. The
contract cancellation is too absurd 10 deceive
any one. Aud then, too, the people of Mary
land have witnessed Mr.. Cowen in so many
political attitudes aud positions there are few
indeed who pay any heed to him. He is a
stale performer, and long since discredited.