| Show ADDRESS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE coercion of voters to be prevented if possible chairman jones address urging the people to use their utmost endeavor to prevent this most flagrant act of lawlessness violators will bo prosecuted chicago oct 19 the following ap opeal and warning addressed to abo american people waa given to alie united associated presses tonight by chairman jones on babal of abe democratic national committee in view of the fact that greal corporations po rations with scarcely an exception and many of the large employers 0 labor in the united states ere engaged in a concerted effort to coerce their em aloyes into voting at the approaching election against their own convictions I 1 deem it my duty to call upon all those who believe in the supremacy of the law and the untrammeled freedom of the individual in the liht of exercising the ballot to use their utmost effort to prevent this most flagrant act of lawlessness for it this conspiracy succeeds government by corporations will have succeeded government by the people corporations have no powers except those conferred specifically in the laws creating them the riat to coerce voters or to interfere aith 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 lucli powers they become law breakers and abe good of society demands that they be rebuked and punished daring the present contest which involves questions of abe utmost moment to the american people thousands of people have been compelled by fear of losing their placer to join cleoe and march in processions in behalf of a cause they detest requests from cor portion bosses to vote the republican ticket which are perfectly understood to convey a threat of discharge in case refusal made every day to men who dare not resent the insult the corporations which thus appeal to force and fraud strike at the very foundations of republican government and abe lovers of free constitutions inget arouse themselves to save the country from its great peril the perpetration 0 this attempted outrage upon free euti raze will work its own cure an indignant people jealous of their rig lits will demand that abe state and national proceed at once by rigorous measures to prevent the possibility of a repetition of such attempt hereafter in the meantime the success of the present conspiracy buet be prevented 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 a violation of the law shall be vigorously prosecuted and sent to the penitentiary it possible signed JAMES K JONES chairman democratic national committee |
