Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-09-07
MONDAY EvENlEG, SEPT. 7, 1908.

WHEN there was recently 30 much
tslk about making public the names OF
the big concerns which have for years
and are again expected to make large
contributions to help buy the pfesiden-
tisl election for the tae republican party
many Of these corporations became
alarmed Then some of the republican
leaders suggested another plan and be-
sought them to put their plants In iuil
operation and tell their employees that
work would continue till election dSy
and afterwards if Taft were elected. AS
business is dull and The future outlook
too uncertain the operators baked at
this but devised a scheme which was 10
lat their mills remsio closed for the
present but to promise the wOrkmen to
star, them the day after Taft is elected.
To this end the prosperity placsrd"
announcing that con the day after the
election of Taft and Sherman this factory
will start up in full force" has been
posted Upon large number OF mills and
factories throughout the north, east sno
west. but sensible working men quickly
saw through the scheme aud at the polls
next November will resent this effort to
bride and blsckmsil them. Business
would be Just as good the day after
BRYAN and Kern should be elected IS
the dsy after Taft ard Sherman should
he elected. Mr.. KEN HIS called the St
tention of Mr.. Parry, laie president OF
the National Association of Mauutsctu'
rer,, to the placsrds, and Mr.. Perry has
rspudiated them. If the republican
managers have any sense they will sup-
press this method Of trying to brioe or
coeree the workingmen. Concerning
this "prosperitY placard' and with the
approval of Mr.. Bryan, P. @. Burns,
president of the American Electric Tele-
phone Company, and who is chief OF the
bureau cf manufacturers, at national
HEADQUARTERS in Chicago, has given out
this letter. which he has written In re-
NV TO a communication from the New
York Leather Betting Company;
s Gentlemen-We have your favor Of
the 2Sfd inst, asking us ID post In our
factory the following sign:
Relieving thOt the election OF Taft end
Sherman means a safe and progressive
busine,s admini.t ,siioD, the day follow
ing We shall start this plant on "iaii
time" and keep going.
We will not do this for several reasons
principally these:
We DO not believe it good policy for a
business firm to send out campaign liter
stnre. and we 10 not wish to post in our
factory a statement which would be c.
erciug our employees.
such statement on q poster would not
be the truth.
We cannot sGord 10 carry out the
promise any better after election than
was possible in any period of the past
year.
Business has been about as poor as
possible for upwards of year and
half. g.,
Which party haveyou to blame for it.
Your cry for business administrator
has got to be chestnut"
Every man is & business man.
Your ideal business men are no doub
those who can by questionable methods
get franchise or some special privilege
from the government, start the printing
presses on the lsrgest amount OF waterec
stock and bonds and sell them to the
"gidogs and Orphans" and then Try
and make the "abuses OF today become
the vested rights Of tomorrow.
Your system of intimidation to tbt
voter (your poster has got the old sys
tenn of stealing insurance and otbu
moneys to carry the election ''best
mile" Your cry of disaster every foul
wears if a certain ticket be not elected ]
doing great injury to the country. Can
we ever have a change of administration
without the "intertsts" cry of disaster
II not, you had better have Van Oleav
and the National Association Of Manu-
facturer appoint our presidents. Fail
ing 10 this, let ns have monarchy
It is the only way you can be consistent