The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-08-31
Gull Traps.

Gull Traps.
1t certainly evinces very little respect towards
our fellow-citizens to attempt bold deception
of them by the use of party shibboleths or war
cries Of simple or unmeaning character
There was time in the past, before men were
generally wel-postcd in politics, when leaders
flung to the breeze some flag motto that was de-
signed to move that portion of the masses who
could be induced to act in no other way
1--WE stoop to conquer" was the emblazoning
of the ''slk stockings" in 1910, and the stoop.
ing consisted in raising log cabins,s catching
coons and dandlng them on high poles, baking
corn bread, drinking hard cider, and in all pos.
sible ways "getting do,cn," as they expressed it,
TO the plainest style of western frontier life for
the purpose of effecting diversion Of public
discrimination from the Bankrupt law and High
Tariff designs, which they were anticipating the
realization Of in case success crowned their ef-
lorts. These things had their day and were eff.
before Railroads or Telegraphs were of general
use among Id, and before political information
was so universally diffused as at present. At
tina: time large numbers of people read so little
that it was almost pardonable to influence them
in any way that would rouse them to action
but now, when any boy of fifteen reads. and is
interested in the phases of European as well as
Of American affairs, when newspapers literally
cover our country with intelligence, and you
rarely find any one who cannot converse intel.
lightly on any subject of State or National pol
icy either foreign or domestic, it is almost dis
gushing to see talent belittle itself by such child
ish efforts to control those whom it Aatteri ngly
styles "the intelligent ycomanry."
These thoughts were uppermost with US a
day or two since when, on opening our southern
Republican exchanges, we saw Mr.. KIRKwooD
called by the wonderful title of the "plow- han
die" candidate. True, it is assumed that some
dreadful Locofoco" wretch called Mr.. X. Q
''plow handle candidate, and the persistent rep
clifton of the expression by our opponents is to
fasten upon our side the odium Of having ridi
culed all who handle the plow. But it is known
to all who use this clap-trap term, that no Dem
ocrst in the State is soft enough to ''make fun
Of a man on account of his avocatiou in life
and It is also known that Mr.. X. has about al
much to do with farming as the editors who uf
lis wonderful talents as an .igrieulturalist
We have 10 more respect for men who handle
agricultural or mechanical implements than w
have for those who use the pen, run the train
practice law or medicine, teach school or com
mand a canal boat. Every honorable business
entities its follower if attentive to it, to the re
spect Of community, and he shall have 1t from
US whether he raises 10000 bushels Of wheat
year or bosses an applc-stand. We would vot'
for . farmer for Governor, Judge or Represent
alive no sooner than we would for any othe
sort Of man. and the idea attempted to be es
tablished that farmers carry all the virtue,
not oil the capacity of society, is too Transporter
gull-trap for that class Of men to be caush
In. We believe farmer is as good as any ma
mot bit better; no more honest than shoe
maker, no more conscientious than merchan
and when the case is legal one we are fog
enough TO think that lawyer is preferable
either. An acquaintance with farming alon
never qualified any man to administer upon a
fairs Of State, ami the man or the party tha
tries to catch votes by verbiagc Of this hypt
critical character ought to be hammered int
his senses With the fails of those whom b
would fstter simply to deceive.