Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-05-31
Congressional.

The Republican Press Of tho 3rd
district is squaring itself for the
fight which seems impending over
the question Of successor to Gen.
Cobb. There is no scarcity of can
didates as quite number of gentle
men have expressed their Willingness
to serve their country in the capaci-
ty of legislators should tkey receive
their country's call to such position.
Among these are S. S. Wilkinson of
Sank, Bintliff of Green, Hazelton
and Barber of Grant, Allen Warden
Of Lafayette, and o. b. Thomas of
Crawford counties.
The Baraboo Republic declares for
Wilkinson, Green county has not yet
spoken, Hazelton is supported by
the Grant county Herald, Boscobel
journal and the Richland county Re
publican, Barber by the Grant county
" ltneSs; Lafyette county will sup
port Warden We expressed our
preferences some weeks since
but having little or no Repub-
lican majority to offer our candidate
we are compelled to be modest in
our claims. Either of these gentle
men would creditably represent the
people in this district in Congress.
and we have but little dessire to dis
cuss at this time their comparative
merits, or TO canvass The probable
chances of one over another. We
would to God shat the people could
for once have their choice without
the caucussing, wire-pulings, and
the secret manipulations Of poll
ticlans, who often so manage such
affairs that the will of the people is
as effectually tbwarted as it would
be under the rule of an absolute des-
pot; and the caucus system of this
country is fast bringing us TO des-
potism, soulless, cold and heartless
as polar iceberg
The only local question which can
have any weight on the choice of
candidate, is the ability Of such To-
cality to roll up good majority on
the day of election for its representa-
tive; and there may be other con-
siderations affecting the canvass out
side of this, which are entitled to far
greater weight. We know of no
local issues likely to be made in this
campaign which would constitute q
good reason why the nominee should
be chosen from one county more
than an another, but we do know of
a general issue which not only affects
this entire district, but which is of
vital Importance to the whole of the
Northwestern States, especially so
to every agriculturalist, and it is
scarcely less important to every
consumer of breadstutfs in the East.
We allude Of course to the Fox and
Wisconsin river Improvement, a
measure now demanded by the COM
mercial necessities of the country,
and which sooner or later must be
adopted. The practicability of this
needs no further demonstration and
all that is required is the united,
earnest action of western men in
Congress, and the Government will
lend its aid to work which shall at
comparatively trifiing expense do
for the States Of Wisconsin, Mime
sofa, Iowa and others what the Erie
canal has done for New York.
All other things being equal, COM
mon sense would dictate that the
Republicans of this district should
choose from among their number as
their representative in Congress, the
man who has the strongest personal
| interest in this measure. and
especially should this be the case, if
such one has the mental and moral
qualifications fitting him to do honor
to his constituency. At this time
we say no word in disparagement of
one Of the candidates but we do in
slst upon it that one should be Sc
lected who is sound to the core upon
this question, and who will devote
his time and energy in its behalf.
The candidates of Crawford Gran t
and Sank counties have this personal
interest and they have the ability to
make themselves felt in its advoca-
cy, others may not be hostile to this
measure, but those who have the
motive Of personal interest will be
far more likely to accomplish what
is so greatly desired by US. More
non.-Prdlrie du Chen Union.