Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-08-26
A WORD OF INTEREST TO ALL.

The communication from "kirk," which we
published last week, has created no little sem
sation in town, and Mr.. VIM. Chappell, who
owns the building in which our office is located,
considering himself aggrieved by some person
al illusions in that letter, and by the tone of
the paper generally, has taken steps to eject us
from the premises. In regard to that letter,
we wish to say here that we consider the idea
which some seem to have that nKirk' meant
to say that man is worse, simply because he
is a Democrat, or better because he is Repub-
lican, to be an unjust one, as of course no one
of sense believes any such thirg. We would
also say that we ourselves did not approve of
the sweeping style with which all our city
officials were brought under censure alike,
when of course many of them have been, and
are sincerely devoted to the interests of the
place.
But we published that letter because there
was so much truth in it; and that portion of
it which we suppose offended Mr.. Chappell the
most, is the part which we published with the
greatest satisfaction. The circumstance to
which Kirk" ailudes in the latter part of his
letter, is most shameful and outrageous enc.
The idea that an honest, upright man, doing
business in our midst, should be prescribed and
tabooed because he is Republican or because
he is Democrat, is contemplate and villain
Gus beyond the power Of language to express.
When Mr.. Chappell took the course he did in
regard to the Gas Company, the injury he
sought to infict upon them, reacted with ten
fold force upon the city in which we live. In
saying that they should not be patronized be-
cause they were "a set of ID Republicans"
he committed an outrage upon the decency,
common sense and forbearance of long suf.
tering community. The structures passed upon
him by "Kirk" we regard as in no wise too
severe, and we endorse them in toto
We should say less if this was an isolated
case, but it is only Single instance of sys-
tenn of detraclion, calumny and viii fcaton
which has long been practiced to the detrment
of our city and citizens We sincerely believe
that the influence exerted in this respect by
Chappell and a few Others of that ilk, to have
been of incaeulable injury to our place.
Strangers coming here, almost invariably re-
ceive their first impressions of our community
from it, and we believe that it has been a
greater incubus upon our prosperity than has
our much lamented city debt As citizens of
Watertown, we take pride in our place and
anxiously desire its prosperity. It's natural
advantages are unsurpassed, and it has busy
and enterprising population. We do not be-
ieve there is another city in the west Of the
same size, that can show less idle or more busy
hands than can ours. It's inhabitants vote the
Democratic ticket it is true, but they do it hon
estly, and are upright, industrious and law
abiding citizens. But our growth in wealth
and numbers, though rapid, has been in spite
of this baleful influence of which we speak.
We have to combat and contend against it on
every side. We never go abroad but we feo
its effects; strangers speak to us of it wonder
ingly and capitalists do shun u. because of it.
We have spoken of this matter thus point
eddy, that attention may be drawn more direct
ly to it, that our citizens may appreciate more
fully its real effect upon our welfare, and that
public sentiment may be created on the sub
ject, which can no longer be outraged with i'm
punity. We have been personal, but from no
malice, to Mr.. Chappell-we have simply i'm
proved the opportunity to say what we have
long felt should be said. We hope he under
stands us; we are here to publish a newspaper
and we do not propose 20 be gagged nor ham
pered in the free expression of our opinion, by
threats or intimidation of any kind whatever
Let him go on with his ejectmcnt proceedings
if we cannot publish our paper in the office we
now occupy, we have our choice of several
Others already offered us. We are fixtures in
this city, its interests are our interests, and
whenever we discover an enemy to them he
will get our shot.