The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1902-10-24
AN, OPEN LETTER.


AN OPEN LETTER.
I'd the Hon. James r. Sovereign:
HALEY, Oct. 4, 1902.
Sir: A labor leader, you come here
to enlighten your fellow men upon
the political issues affecting their i'm
terests. Believing the Democratic par
ty Is the true friend Of laboring men
adm women. you will ask them to vote
the Democratic ticket.
Holding q contrary opinion, having
been somewhat of a labor leader my
self and held a card Of honorary men,
bership in the International Typo
graphical union for over a third of
century that no act Of mine has ever
jeopardised. may be excused II /
take. the liberty Of addressing to you
few questions.
Is 1t not a fact, sir, that the Repub-
lican party came into power because.
Of the panic Of 1857. that resulted from
the Democratic doctrine of free trade?
Is It not fact that the Republican
party Immediately adopted as it's bas-
ic principle the doctrine Of protection
to home industries In order to enable
the payment of living wages to US
workingmen?
Is 1t not fact that, in order to de-
stroy its unfair competition with free
labor the Republican party abolished
slave labor?
IL it not q fact that It followed this
by enacting q national law making
eight hours legal days work?
IL 1t not fact that 1t strengthened
this law until 1t was enforced through
the length and breadth Of the United
States?
Is It not fact that the most ef1ec-
i've measures ever passed in favor of
the wOrkingman are the protective
tariff and homestead law?
II 1t not fact that this homestead
law gives ito every man and woman
q farm" and that the protective tariff
enables the working masses to earn
more than they would otherwise
earn?
Is It not fact that the Democratic
party has always endeavored to de-
stroy the Republican party and all its
benefcent work?
The partisan press is certainly rep
resentative Of Its party. A printer
and q newspaper man, you are posted
In the history of the craft. You there
fore know that the Democratic press.
while seeking to cajole workingmen
into voting its ticket, has always OPP
posed their interests: that the Demo-
cratic press has always been RAT"
You know what this term means. Ev-
cry union printer does.
| You consider this assertion rather
staggering, do you not? will prove
1t.
Organized in the early sos. the In
ternational Typographical union has
struggled for recognition during scores
of tedious years. In it's prolonged bat
tie 1t has had the unfaltering support
of the Republican press. the unceasing
opposition Of the Democratic press.
The New York World under Manton
Marble was. even more than 1t Is now,
the leading Democratic newspaper
published east OF the Alleghanies. It
was until recent years a RAT ONCE.
Not until Pulitzer made 1t an indepen-
dent Democratic newspaper did 1t be-
come q union Office.
The Chicago Times under Wilbur F..
Storey was certainly the leading DEM
ocratic newspaper of the central west.
Well, it, too, was always a RAT Of
Ace. 1t was one OF the vilest, its print
ers being required to set, for less than
the union price. bastard fonts, and ac-
cept pay az for legitimate fonts.
The st. Louis Republic under the
Knapps was certainly the leading DEM
ocratic newspaper Of the southwest.
Well. 1t also used bastard fonts and
was always RAT ofhce-until recent
years.
The San Francisco Examiner. under
Philip A. Roach, first American alcalde
Of Monterey. was certainly the lead
ing Democratic newspaper Of the Pa
ci6c coast and slope. Yet 1t was a
RAT ONCE until after the late Senator
Hearst bought 1t and Arthur New
en- became its managing editor.
The Democratic press therefore an
tagonized the rights of labor as long
as It dared. or until the Republican
party had secured the recognition of
those rights. Hence. the Democratic
party did likewise.
These being the facts, how can you,
sir. be Democrat?
Upon what reasonable grounds can
you ask fellow laborer to vote the
Democratic ticket?
Yours respectfully,
T. e. PICOTTE.