Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-04
STRlKE BREAKERS 10 VOTE
NOnunion Men 0steuEibly Discharged Being
Sent to Country Precincts.
WILL ATTEMPT TO VOTE FOR MERCER
strikers win keep close Watch gu
"Scabs" and EndeaNor Co Defeat
Plans of Nonresident
candidate.

Another heavy slump in the population
Of the Union Pacific shops occurred yester-
day morning and strikers do not hesitate 10
say that a. has a political significance
They are convinced that these nonresident
strike breakers who arc being osteusihlS
discharged, in reality arc sent out to the
country precincts Of the Second cousres-
sional district, where attempts will b.
made 10 vote them for the nonresidenf
candidate today. It IS the firm belief
Of the strikers. those who have made 1t
their special charge to keep q watch on
these proceedings, that these nonresident
nonunion men will be scattered pretty we'll
over the district between this and the
closing Of the polls Tuesday.
Said one of the ioremost strikers yester-
day morning:
we have positive evidence OF the inten-
ton 10 vote as many Of these men as pos
sible, and since the Mereerites were foiicd
in their desperate attempts to get 3 large
number of the shopmen registered we are
convinced that they will exhaust their re-
sources in their endeavor to capture the
Illegal ballots OF this clique. There being
between 500 and 700 OF these men In the
Union Pacific shops now IL would be a tire
mendous thing II even half Of them could
be voted, and that fact is fully appreciated
by the Mercer machine. We would not be
surprised to see a great number OF these
strike breakers slipped out OF the shops
under cover tonight and stationed at tho
respective polling places where it Is the
intention OF voting them. We believe this
plan has been decided on so as not to BE-
forced to the alternative Of bringing them
out tomorrow in broad daylight, when they
would be sure TO attract attention.
strikers WIN BE Active.
Notwithstanding the bold and desperate
efforts that we believe will be made to vote
this army OF nonresidents for Mercer, we
have hopes Of thwarting this brazen at
tempt. We were reasonably successful in
stopping the wholesale registering OF these
men. although quite a good many were reg
istered. We have thoroughly organized our
forces and will work ceaselessly and syste-
matically to head OF these corporation
lsckies at the polls. We are inclined to
think il will 60 hard with those who are
found responsible for voting any OF these
men. known to be nonresidents Of the state
Of Nebraska"
The strikers have abandoned e%verythinR
for Tuesday but the election. They will
not even hold their morning meeting at
Labor Temple, which has been a daily
function ever since the strike began. Every
man will be on picket duty to vote and
work against Mercer and do everythipg
possible TO insure a clean ballot. AS Is
pretty well known, the animus in strike
and labor centers against the nonresident
congressman arises from his general hos
tility TO labor. and particularly are they
incensed over his arrogant disregard OF
labor in regulating his promise to "see
that union labor was represented on the
new fire and police board" When organ
/ lied labor men learned how basely this
pledge had been violated a tempest OF in
dignation arose and II has never subsidized
, Instead IL has gathered momentum as time
! passed until now, from the best information
obtainabie, the vast majority OF organized
labor men OF the Second district are ar
rayed against Mercer in one solid. impreg-
nable phalanx.s 1@ l-t r e
Many union labor men, there are who as.
sert that Mercer and his managers have
done everything imaginable to concfiiate
matters, but without avail. All such over.
lures have been met with scornful rejec.
tions and have only served to intensity the
feeling against the man who ehowed labor
that he had no use for it except at ths
polls.
. Picket Line is strengthened.
\ Yesterday the picket line OF strikers a
n the Union Pacific shops was larger thai
usual. This was done that every channel o
u operation may be closely watched, The in
creased force was relieved at night b!
n another enlarged picket line, which kept NJ
the watch during the night. and today tn,
same vigilance will be exercised.
Strikers are convinced that at the Uniol
n Pacific headquarters the powers that be al,
2 pursuing their plans and preparations wit
= untiring industry. Al evidence OF their de
n termination to be in readiness for the cleo
= tion today a large number OF sampl
n ballots have been taken 10 Union Pacih
n headquarters as well as to the Burlington
= Yesterday one OF the colored employe
a at the Burlington was seen TO enter III
building loaded down with sample ballots
n It is supposed that these are for the pur
n pose OF instructing employees in the use c
the Australian ballot system. 1ncidentall
N some kind and thoughtful suggestions ma
= be made as 10 what names the crosse
n should be placed opposite. II is also un
derEtood that the shopg have been sunDlfc