The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-01-15
CORPORATE INFLUENCE
IN OUR ELECTIONS.

to-day IL the corporate influence
that controls the party organization
For n quartea Of century the great
corporate interests OF this country
have dominated this land through
the Republican party and IN this
last campaign the largest single In.
fluence against us was the influence
of the great corporations. was
defeated, gentlemen, but might
have won had ] been willing to pur-
chase a victory as the Republican
party purchased a victory. / was
defeated by influences that no Re-
publican can refer to without blush
ing.
A few days after the election Mr..
Brown, an officer OF the New York
Central Railway--have any of you
ever heard Of him? Mr.. Brown, ac-
cordinR ID a newspaper, said that he
had just sent out hundred tele-
grams, placing orders for So. 600, 900
worth OF goods that had been held
up and were contingent on Mr..
Tnft's election. One man represent
Ing one company ordering s3l 900, :
600 worth Of purchases, contingent
upon the election of q Republican
candidate! Suppose that one man
had divided the orders among half a
dozen doubtful states, Il would
amount TO $5,OOO,OO0 In orders for
each doubtful State; and suppose he
had divided these orders among n
few large factories in each Of these
close states. Do you not suppose II
would exert n tremendous influence?
These corporations that had these
contingent orders, would not they
Immediately become Interested In
the election and would they not tell
employees how to vote? And were
not orders placed for the very pur-
pose Of coercing employesP Would
anyone doubt that this tremendous
power in the hands of one man
might turn the tide in this state?
In the State OF Missouri we lost
by less than 5000 votes. Consider
that 900 votes turned from one
side to the other would be sufficient
TO turn the electoral vote in our
favor. had an interview with
Republican there, In which he said
that he had heard speech from Mr..
Cannon down there and that Mr.
Cannon had said that II they would
show their influence by electing a
Republican Congressman from that
district, he would get them tariff
on zinc and that, Influenced by Mr..
Cannon's statement, they had helped
to carry Missouri for the Republican
ticket. A promise, by the speaker,
of thrift If they would carry the
district was so potent that II was
sufficient to elect Congressman,
and thereby turn the State.
II that can be done by speakers
promise, II IL may turn the vote of
people In district, what may be
done by men like Mr.. Brown, rep
resenting great corporations, who
places $3l 100000 worth In orders
contingent on Republican success
that he may coerce men into voting
the Republican ticket? And, II that
can be done by the New York Central,
what about the Pennsylvania? What
about the Erie? What about the
Baltimore and Ohio9 What about
the Wabash? What about the Santa
Fee and Rock Island, the Uulon Pa
ciiic and the Northern Pacific.
Why, my friends, you can take n
few of these men and count them on
the fingers OF your two hands, and
If they all act like Mr.. Brown they
can bring enough influence to bear
to coerce and change hundreds of
votes In those close states.
] say to you, my friends, In all
| would rather remain a
private citizen than be president
and be backed by an influence like
that which elected Mr.. Taft. am
told that more than one hundred
Republicans honor us by their
presence tonight. | want to say Il
word to these Republicans. | am
not soliciting their votes. | can
make my living. ! can leave my
all ] need to leave them. |
tell these Republicans that / am
lighting for their children when |
am trying to make this great coun-
Try peoples government / ask
these Republicans whether they |
lare stand before their God and |
boast of their part in the victory |
that throws the greater part Of the
wealth to one person and places the
letters more and more on the strug-
Cling masses Of this country? Do
hey think they have reason to be
proud of their party? am proud