The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-23
HEARST AND THE LABOR VOTE.

The Hon. J. O. Henderson says the
Hearst boomers have reason 10 believe that
he Is strong with workingmen and If NOM
mated will receive the bulk of the labor
vote. 1t would be interesting to know Mr..
Henderson's reasons. or those of any other
person. for entertaining this view. The
Hearst newspapers make the assertion very
confidently and constantly. but that does
not signify anything They make many
ridiculous claims for him as to discredit
all.
II his boomers dared to tell the truth it
probably would appear that they claim he
is strong with workingmen because his pa
pers are all socialistic and more earnest in
promoting discomfort and class hatred than
they are in advocating any healthy political
doctrine. In fact. it is a popularity of the
Hearst papers that they do not discuss ma
tional questions nor advocate or oppose any
OF the established policies of either party.
They simply try to SOW the seeds of dis
content and class hatred. They are not
party papers nor political parers--they are
simply Hearst papers. They are not even
independent. because they subordinate ev-
erything to Hearstism.
The Hearst boomers pay a poor compli-
ment to the workingmen wher they assume
that a candidate for Office can make himself
solid with them by advocating socialstic
| doctrines and fomenting class hatred. True.
there is socialistic element in the labor
unions. but 1t is not numerous nor power
| full 1t lacks very much of being the con-
| trolling element. Time anG again it has
been outvoted on test questions or in at
| tempts 20 get control of labor organizations.
And If Socialists in a minority in labor
unions they scarcely constitute a percepti-
bic element in the great body CT working
| men and laoorers composed of nonunior
men. These vastly outnUinber the union
| men. and as they are fou1d mostly outside
| of large cities, they very little affected
| by socialistic ideas. Hearsts socialistic
| city element in labor unions bat they will
| meet with no favor among the great body
of workingmen and wage-earners
The theory of the Hearst boomers in
wolves another fallacy besides that Of
| thinking that the so-cailed labor vote can
be captured by preaching socialism. 1t as
| sumes that organized labor votes as unit
| and can be switched Off here and there
| and delivered to any candidate for a con-
sideration. This is great mistake. mas
far as the phrase labor vote implies such
| a condition it il misnomer. Properly
| speaking, there Is no such thing as a Ia
| bo- vote, any more than there is a lawyer
vote, a farmer vote or merchant vote.
/ All of these classes and all others in Amer
| lean society are composed of individuals,
| who do their own thinking and vote ac-
cording to their personal convictions. pref
| erences and tastes. The workingmen OF the
| country divide political lines just as
| the farmers and all other classes do. and
| 1t is misleading to speak of them if
| they voted in droves.
The man who speaks of the labor vote in
/ the sense of vote that can be swung here
/ and there as a mass. or hived like swarm
| of bees, shows very little appreciation of
American character. The prediction of the
| Hearst boomers that he will capture the
| labor vote by his advocacy of socialistic
| IDEAS will not he verified