The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-08-21
RAILROADS FOR TAFT.
MANIFEsT HOSTILITY TOWARD
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
People Should Know Whether or
Not Railways
Party Adjunct.
BY WILLIS .. ABBOT.

Party Adjunct.
BY WILLIS .. ABBOT.
Separated by the brief space OH one
city block and both fronting on Chica-
go's finest street, Michigan boulevard,
are the headquarters of the two great
national parties. The Democrats this
year are in the Auditorium Annex,
where only few years ago the Repub-
licans were installed. The Republicans
are in the Harvester building, and cap
tfous critics are very much inclined to
say that it is characteristic or the party
of trusts and monopolies that it's ma
tional headquarters should be in the
building owned by the harvester trust.
the trust which more than all others
draws its substance and its profit from
the farmer. That may be an unfair
criticism. because it is hard to tell now
adays who owns a business block since
the methods of concealing actual own
ership by the organization of corpora
tions and subsidiary corporations has
become fine art.
So far as the Democratic national
committee Is concerned. its work began
early in August. So far as the Repub-
fcan committee is involved at the mo-
ment Of this writing, its work has
mot begun.
Railroads and Politics.
Perhaps it is not extraordinary that
the railroad managers Of the United
States should manifest In every petty
and plcayune way their hostility to the
Democratic party. That party stands
pledged to such methods Of railroad
regulation as will protect the shipper
and the traveller against the eItortions
OF overcapitalized corporations. And
yet, after all, it does seem strange that
the railroads should adopt so trivial a
method of reprlsal as denying to the
people who wished to attend the notif-
cation day ceremonies at Lincoln,
Neb., the benefits Of reduced rates.
Chairman Norman E. Mack kept In
constant communication with Mr.. E.
%. Mcleod. who Is chairman Of the
Western Passenger association, and as
q final result Mr.. Mcleod announced
that '.since local passenger fares in the
state OF Nebraska have been reduced
from 3 to 9 cents mile no reduction
tiierefrom has been made for any gath
ering in that state" This would have
been statement more important had
1t been true. Mr.. Mack promptly re-
.sponded by sending u clipping from &
Kansas City newspaper that this same
association was making rate OF l75
cents a mile to q Grand Army encamp-
ment. And Mr.. Mack further went on
TO point out that the reduced rates for
the Republican notification meeting'
while not made by that association,
still was enforced in nearly if not all
of the territory covered by the West
sern Passenger association.
This was u matter not Of financial
importance to many except compare
lively few citizens who desired to at
tend the notification ceremonies at Lin.
coin. but it Is of vital Importance to
the American citizen and to the Amer
lean voter to know whether 1t Is or is
not a fact that the railroads OF the
United States through such central
organization as the Western Passenger
association are Systematically and de-
liberately discriminating in favor of
eone political party as against the other.
1t is quite time that the voters OF this
land should know whether the rail-
roads are an adjunct to the Republic.
an party or not. l recall very well
that in the 1900 campaign, which was
before the days when by Democratic
votes in congress the law against the
Issuance of railroad passes was enact
ed, practically every man on the Dem
.ocratic national committee who went
from Chicago to attend the KansaE
City convention paid his fare. while
practically every Republican delegate
10 the Philadelphia convention found
the railroads most courteous in meet
Ing his needs without money and with
out price. Now that the anti-pass law
has been enacted and is being enforced
are the railroads going to evade the
real purpose Of it's enactment by re-
fusing to the Democratic party the
same concessions for reduced rates
that they readily are making for the
Republican party:
Coercion Again.
It hardly seemed credible that In this
campaign the coercive methods EN-
ployed by employers to their employees
In the campaign of 1886 would be re
Qeated. Personally don't believe they
will be. at least not effectively. But
already a rather small and obscure
firm in New York has sent out through
Its Chicago Office a notice to it's EN-
ployees that
Believing that the election Of Taft
and Sherman means safe and pro
gressive business administration, the
day following we shall start this plant
on full time and keep going"
Probably for the purpose Of advertis
Ing itself this firm has been offer
Ing printed posters carrying the above
announcement to all factories in the
United States. With a member Of the
Democratic national committee called
at its Chicago place, which occupies
81 small portion Of the second floor OF
q small building. The placard was on