Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 October 1884 — LABOR’S VOICE [ARTICLE]

LABOR’S VOICE

It Is Raised in Thunder Tones for the Democratic Standard Bearers. Enormous Demonstra’ion of Chicago Wage-Workers in Honor of Gov. Hendricks. Besolntions Denonncing Blaine as the Enemy of Labor Unanimously Adopted. Addresses by the Indiana Statesman and Others—lmmense Torchlight , Parade. [From the Chicago Daily News.] The electric lights in Battery D Armory glared last evening on a dense mass of people who had wedged themselves into the hall to see and hear Thomas A. Hendricks, who had men invited to speak there under the auspices of the Central Labor Club of Chicago As many people were present as could crowd themselves through the doorway—probably eight thousand or more. MLhlgan avenue was also thronged with many hundreds of people who waited to catch a g impse of Gov. Hendricks as he went into the hall. The Democratic candidate or Vice President reached Chicago from Pullman at 5-3# o clock yesterday aitem on. He was met by a committee from the labor organization and escorted to the Palm r House, where he remained until time to go to the meeting. Mark L. Crawford, chairman of the assemble e, rapped for order at 8 o’clock. He made a short speech, in which he said: "This meeting is held under the auspices of the Central Labor Club of Chicago. Two men Irom Tooley street have gone forth saying to the people that the laboring classes are not going to vote for the Democratic candidates for President and Vice President. We have thought it well under the clrcum-tanoes to call a meeting to see whether or notthe workingmen would support Grover Cleveland and Thomas A. Hendricks. One James G. Blaine claimed to be the true friend of the workingmen. If any on ■ will show me more than one action that he has performed in their behalf I am w Hing to support him. Isn’t that a fair offer? He voted for the antl-Chinese bill, put let me ask you wlo is responsible for the Chinese being in this country?” Secretary Daniel O’Connell then read the names of the Vice Presidents of the meeting, all of whom. Chairman Crawford said, “earn their bread by the sweat of their brows.” M. J. Flood, C. McAuliff, W. T. Henderson, Martin Knowles, and Frederick Cook were appointed members of a Committee on i.esolutions.

M hen Gov. Hendricks came forward to speak the audience rose again and did some m< re cheering. During Lis address, which occupied an hour in its delivery, he was frequently interrupted by very' Hearty applause. He said in begin ing that civil service forbade the neglect of public duty for partisan or political service and the use of a public position for priv ate gain. Continuing, he said: "Was not Oh o til’ed before the last election with Federal office-holders, many of them not from Ohio at all? Will cot the peoi le grow tired of this Republican party when they barn ihat the.r public offivesare deserted pending eleo tions? Not long ago this party ] retended to desire reforms in the public offices, but now it authorizes this pro titution of the public service. During the election at < incinnati that city was quiet, but still it was filled with armed Republican Marshals appointed by a Federal office-holder. The request of many respectable people that th s force should be non-partisan was refused. Th s refusal showed that the force was selected to do partisan work. The Marshals went armed to their work. In consequence, the election w; s accompanied with scenes of horror and fright. Under cover of these Marshals the work of repeating went on until the total vote exceeded by 7.0 o the poll of the year before. The acts of the R esident have been so uniformly wise and impartial that when he comes to consid r the work of Federal officers in Ohio he will be observed with the greatest interest." Gov. Hendricks enumerated the various faults in the tariff system which the Republicans in their platform promised to reform. He asked why they had not corrected th-se faults long ago. He wanted to know whether any one in the audience had ever seen a Democrat who was in favor of free trade. Many Democr. ts, he said, were in favor of enlarging the free list, but the speaker did not know of one who wished to abolish the tariff entirely. Gov. Hendricks read the statement of President Arthur that the amount of taxation required for an honest and economical government had been far exceeded. The yearly excess of taxation was $85,000,000 a year. The speaker said: “Nineteen years the Republicans have had the power to change this matter of overtaxation. They do well now to promise to reform it. But a party that arms marshals to kill voters at the polls in order to remain in power ought to explain why it has not re.ormed this evil long ago.”

Gov. Hendricks alluded with withering sarcasm to the plank in the Republican platform ’demanding" the “ristoration of our navy," 'which had disappeared under Republican rule, and particularly inquired what had become of the $400,0( 0,00 which had been appropriated between 1868 and 1883 for the purpose of building up the navy. The distinguished speaker went on to say that the country was not prosperous under Republican rule and that the remedy for the evil was a change. Wheat in Chicago was now lower than it had been before for very many years. After the Ohio elec.ion wheat fell 8 cents and corn about 7 cents. Another election or two, giving hopes of Republican success, would send corn and wheat the speaker knew not where. In closing, Gov. Hendricks urged his hearers to try and secure an honest election. The coming elect on. voicing the American s ntiment, if an honest one, the speaker said, was "more powerful than the voice of courts or the voice of cannon.”

M. J. Flood, of 1 he Committee on Resolutions, then read a series of resolutions denouncing Blaine's actions in legislation concerning measures in the interest of labor and extolling Cleveland as the irlend of the workingman, 'i he resolutions state furthe that mon po y's reprslentatives are in favor of Blain?, while the staunch business men indorse C.eveland; that the Republicans of ILinois h d refused to listen to the reasonable demands of tne wage-workers, while the 1 eurocrats had willingly embodied these demands in their platform The resolutions end with the assertion that it is the emphatic •duty of every workingman to suppo t not only the national but ihe gubernatorial ticket of the Democrats. The resolutions were unanimously adopted. Henry Watterson, who was introduced to the audience, said he was a workingman who earned his bread by the sweat of his i row, and did not cut it off of coupons. He said that if he had time he would te 1 the people that taxing a man did not make him any richer, but the real question of the campaign was, does the country belong to the officeholders or the taxpayers? He said that und t the R publican rule 60 per cent, of the industrial classes was unemployed. Continuing, he said: Once the Republicans stole the Presidency and once they bought it Now the question is, wh ther or not they shall take it from you this time by force of arms. I don’t sav that it may not be better to install Mr. Gould's attornev in the White House, but I say that if you are going to save the Government you’d better do it now. The Republicans have dared to putup a ticket which is a menace, and which it elected will be a nat onal disgrace. lam talking as a philosopher and a historian. Ido not want an office. I’m not sure that it isn't better for J. Gould and Vanderbilt and all the damned rascals to have the Government. If you can stand it, God knows I can. Their candidate is a public robber and thief, who never did an honst day’s work in his life, who preaches a falsehood from his 1 ps and a blacker one from his heart, which is depraved by nature. Gov. Hendricks was driven to the Iroquois Club after the meeting broke up. The streets in front of the c ub and for a block, on each side were crowded full of people, ently battled with the stiff breeze that cont nued all the evening. When Gov. Hendricks arrived the crowd went wild with excitement. Hundreds of people attempted to climb into his carriage, and a dozen policemen were haruly able to keep back the thiong. He finally escaped from the friendly but enthusiastic mass, and when he appeared on the balcony was greeted with tremendous cheers. At 10 o clock the torchlight procession made its appearance on Monroe street and passed the Iroquois Club House, where it was reviewed by Gov. Hendricks. It was the largest demonstration that has been seen in Chicago this year. From eight thousand to ten thousand men were in line. The stalwart torchbearers were cheered lustily by the immense throngs upon the streets

“Gov. Cleveland is an able, thoughtful man, and the excitements of tho Presidential contests have not drawn him away from his duties at the state capital He his a strong hold upon the confidence of the public." —Horatio Seymour.