The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-04-04
THE UNION TICKET AND ITS OF.
PONENTS.


PONENTS.
The friends of the Union at respecta
bic meetings duly called, in which d
persons had fair show, have brough
out candidates for the city at large ant
for the various wards for the support o
the people at the election to-day. Honor
able men Of all parties have herstofor,
held themselves bound by participation
in such meetings not to oppose the nomi
nees, whom they we're unable to defeat il
convention. But it seems some sorehead.
whoee favorites were defeated at these
nominating conventions, have determined
il in their power, to disorganize the party
by the reputation of the implied pledges
of acquiescence which have heretofore
been regarded as sufficient to bind men
Nreputable character. And having thus
repudiated patty fealsy and fair dealing.
they have affiliated with some infamous
copperhead leaders in an effort to defeat
the Union nominees. And the pretence
under which they combine with Clsgett
L. Co. is the dread of railroad influence in
the City Council; pretence, the dis
honesty and inconsistency Of which is ex-
hibited In the fact that one of their nom-
nees is most worthy and efficient Rail-
road officer.
The truth is, various influences, mainly
of personal character, have operated
with the members Of the Union party who
head this opposition to the regular ticket,
while Clagett and his stripe naturally fall
into their schemes in order to disorganize
and defeat the friends of the Government.
The "old score," which certain defeated
members of the Council and of the Rail-
road Board seek to pay off in the defeat
of Cleghorn, Hiatt and others, dates back
to their defeat some months ago, in the
Council and the Railroad Board, upon a
question finally and permanently settled.
The question was simply this: whether
the Board should authorize the issue of
certain amount Of preferred stock to meet
the pressing liabilities against the road.
A large majority of the Board, comprising
our most experienced and reliable busi-
ness men and large properly holders in
the city, decided to make that arrange
ment, being induced to do so from the
fact that as matters stood, foreign bond
holders might at any time press their
claims, sell out the road, and thus utterly
"wipe out" the city stock, as well as tba,
of the original stockholders in the road
And at that time there was imminent
danger that those bondholders would re-
sort to that very measure, and had they
done SO, we would not only have lost our
home stock, city and private, but the en-
tire control of the road would also have
passed into foreign hands, uninfuencej
by the slightest interest in Keokuk, and
possibly hostile to her interests.
But under the policy adopted by ma
jority Of our most trustworthy business
men, sanctioned by Judge Miller and
Mayor Smyth, preferred stock was issued,
creditors we're satisfied, arrangements
were made for prosecuting the extension
of the road, and it will be completed TO
Pella this season and to Des Moines next
year. Aud the strong probability is that
it will reach Des Moines in advance of
any other road, and thus give us lasting
advantage over any other route from the
Mississippi River to the capital of the
State. And when thus completed, the
stock now held by the city, may be nego-
tia.ed to meet the liabilities OF the city
on her railroad bonds.
The Railroad Company is satisfied with
the action Of the City and asks nothing
more at her hands, but feels an interest,
of course, that utterly reckless and hostile
parties shall not come into the control OF
the city government to wreak the malice
eugendered by az old defeat, in further
efforts to embarrass the railroad move.
ments.
The Des Moiues Valley Railroad is the
right-arm of Keokuk; it is the vital artery
of her commercial position and prosperity,
and the enemies of the road are, unwit.
tingly it may be, the direst enemies Of
the city itself. Il is very easy, by mis-
representation and clsmor, to raise preju-
dices against the railroad, but our citizens
will remember that the railroad board is
composed of the best and most substan-
tial business men of the city, and that
their interest in the road is that of stock
holders, aud not of lessees or contractors.
As joint stockholders with the city, they
have managed the road for what they re-
garded to be the mutual interests OF the
railroad and city. and 50 far as We can