Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-11-28
A CAMPAIGN LESSON.
WOrkmen Are Not to BE Prejudiced
by the Rabid Talk of
AEitatOrs

One of the facts that must have been
made plain to those political leaders
and others who did not, know it before,
or refused to acknowledge it. is that
the workingmen as a class cannot be
influenced to give their support to any
particular party, by means of special
and specious appeals to prejudice.
In the recent campaign efforts on
the part of the opponents of republic
anism to turn the workingmen against
the republican party and to attract
them to it's enemies were more con-
spicuous and persistent than in any
previous contest for party supremacy.
Chief among the agitators who
sought to excite the workingmen's
prejudices against the party in pow
er, and to enlist their aid for the party
that wanted to secure power. was Mr..
Bryan himself. Day after day he
talked to wage-earners with intent to
make them Disconnected with their con-
dition, to arouse in them jealousy of
all better situated than they. and to
fill their hearts with hatred of all men
who have money enough to conduct
large business enterprises and thus give
employment to thousands of their fell
low citizens The doctrine that the re-
publican party was the party of wealth,
and that wealth was an evil, was
preached by Mr.. Bryan continuously.
His argument was that every man not
possessed of wealth ought to join the
ranks of the Bryan democrats and make
relentless war against all invested cap
ital.
In this state, every possible attempt
was made to turn organized labor as
body against the republican, state can
didates. The trouble between the New
York Sun and the Typographical
union, which is purely business differ
ence, was dragged into the campaign
by the opponents of the republican
party, and misr presented as having
partisan significance The trust ques-
ton, which likewise has no relation to
partisan politics. was used as tirelessly
with intent to create amin osity against
state candidates as it was employed to
arouse hatred of the national repub-
ican body and its ticket. Letters from
labor leaders endorsing one or another
of the democratic candidates. or crit
iciZing or condemning republican nom
inees, were published in profusion. Es-
pecially in this county were such COM
munications employed in the hope of
drawing the support of wage-earners
to the democratic candidate for con-
gresham. In one of the assembly dis
tricts the democrats nominated
la Dor leader. expecting that he would
be abe to draw republican votes be-
cause of his prominent position in a
labor organization.
But, as the event proved, all these
efforts. and all similar ones that were
made throughout the country failed ut
terly to produce the intended effect.
The workingmen cannot be fooled more
easily than any other class of Amer
lean citizens. They know that when a
party tries to get their votes 1T wants
them for it's own benefit tits not seek
ing to promote their welfare. They rec
ognize the special arguments to work
ingmen as merely part of party S
campaign material. They cannot be
induced to support one candidate, and
oppose his rival simply because one
party tells them that the one is their
friend and the other their enemy 1t
the time ever comes when labor organ
izations nominate candidates for public
office, these workingmen may be eN-
pected to support such candidates re-
gardless of their previous party affilia-
tions. But the sentiment of the most
conservative and level7headed labor
leaders is so decidedly against political
action by organized labor that that
time is not likely to come. At any rate,
until it does, the workingmen, like
other citizens. will continue to divide
on party lines at elections, always how
ever using their own good Judgment,
| based on observation of causes and eff
fects. and conditions, to decide with
| which party it will be to their advan-
! tage to ally themselves. Fulsome praise
of certain candidates by partisan
| friends among labor leaders, attacks
upon certain other candidates by par
tisan enemies who are prominent in la
| Dor unions, fulminat ions against in
ing corporations, attempts to give po-
| litical significance to differences be.
tween employers and emptoyes-all
| these tricks and similar ones produce
no effect on the minds of the working
men. That has just been conclusively
proven.
The republican, party in the late cam
paign directed no special arguments at
the workingmen. 1t made to them the
same appeals which it made to all
| other citizens. Itasked them to vote for
the maintenance of prosperity, for the
permanence of a financial system on a
solid basis, for national expansion and
for the government against it's armed
foes. And SO the great majority of the
workingmen voted. Confidence in their
intelligence, their reason. their good
judgment and their conscience was well
founded Albany Journal.