People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1896 — APPEAL TO VOTERS. [ARTICLE]

APPEAL TO VOTERS.

TO ASSERT THEIR RIGHTS AT THE BALLOT BOX. The Full Power of Every Democratic Orgaaisation Pledged to Protect Voters aad Punish the Scoundrels Who Attempt to Intimidate Them. Chicago, Oct 22. —[Special.]—Senator Jones, chairman Democratic national committee, has given out the following: To the American People: "In view of the fact that the great corporations, with scarcely an exception, and many of the large employers of labor in the United States, are engaged in a concerted effort to coerce their employes into voting at the approaching election against their own convictions, I deem it iny duty to call upon all those who believe in the supremacy of the law and the untrammeled freedom of the Individual in the right of exercising the ballot to use their utmost effort to prevent the success o fthis most flagrant act of lawlessness; for if this conspiracy succeeds government by corporation will have superseded government by the people. “Corporations have no powers—except those conferred specifically in the laws creating them. The right to coerce voters or to interfere with American citizens in the exercise of their rights at the ballot box are not named in any of these acts of incorporation, and when corporations undertake to exercise such powers they become lawbreakers and the good of society demands that they be rebuked and punished. During the present contest, which involves questions of the utmost moment to the American people, thousands of men have been compelled, by fear of losing their places, to join clubs and march in processions in behalf of a cause they detest Requests from corporation bosses to vote the Republican ticket which are perfectly understood to convey a threat of discharge in case of refusal, are made every day to men who dare not resent the insult “THE CORPORATIONS WHICH THUS APPEAL TO FORCE AND FRAUD STRIKE AT THE VERY FOUNDATION OF REPUBLICAN. GOVERNMENT, and the lovers OF FREE INSTITUTIONS MUST AROUSE THEMSELVES TO SAVE THE COUNTRY FROM ITS GREATEST PERIL. ' “Especially should the workingmen assert their manhood rights. If they vote their con victions and in accordance with their interests, the Democratic ticket is certain of election, and in that case the employing corporations Will have no desire to embark upon a policy of punishment On the contrary, they will be eager to conciliate employes who will have behind the assertion of their rights the vast powers of a federal administration in sympathy with those who toil. But should they submit to coercion and elect an administration that will be the creature of the corporations and moneyed interests of the country those workingmen whose entire submissiveness is regarded with suspicion will find themselves replaced by men who can be depended upon to vote as they are told. In the contest that is raging the salvation of the workingman lies in the assertion at the polls of his rights as a free and independent American citizen. “THE STATE LAWS PROVIDING FOR THE AUSTRALIAN BALLOT, IF ENFORCED, ARE AMPLE TO PROTECT EVERY CITIZEN IN THE SECRECY OF THE BALLOT, AND THE CORPORATE ANARCHISTS MUST BE COMPELLED TO OBEY THESE LAWS, WHETHER THEY ARE WILLING OR NOT. “The per pet rat'on of this attempted outrage upon free suffrage will work its own cure. / a indignant people, jealous of their rights, will demand that Jhe legislatures, state and national, shall I proceed at once by rigorous measures to prevent the possibility of a repetition of such attempts hereafter. “While the metropolitan press, with a few honorable exceptions, is under the domination of these incorporated conspirators and is basely subservient to their wishes, the country newspapers as a rule remain undebauched and are still in sympathy with the principles of governmen- established by Washington and Jefferson, and illustrated and maintained by Jackson and Lincoln. They will “cry out and spare not” until legislation is had that will prevent another such shameful attempt at abuse of power. “In the meantime the success of the present conspiracy must be prevented. The pending contest is already won by an overwhelming majority, if the honest sentiments of the people are permitted to find free expression at the polls—and this the people are ready to have at any cost. "The national committee appreciates the need of vigilance. It has taken steps to Impress upon the people, and especially upon every Democratic election officer, the great Importance of scrutinizing the marks upon every ballot and of carefully watching every act at or Aout the polls to make sure that no judge or clerk of election shall have an opportunity to betray the secrets of : the ballot, if he would. "AND THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE, BACKED BY THE FULL POWER OF THE DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZATION IN EVERY STATE IN THE UNION, PLEDGES ITSELF THAT EVERY SCOUNDREL, WHETHER PUBLIC OFFICER OR PRIVATE CITIZEN, WHO IS DETECTED IN ANY , VIOLATION OF THE LAW, SHALL BE VIGOROUSLY PROSECUTED