The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-02-01

Inc SprlEgneld MAss.) Repubtt.
can comments as follows on the
structures Of the Missouri Democrat
upon the blunderful letter OF Mr..
Samuel Rowles, which we republish-
ed few days ago:
.sThe Missouri est. Louis Demo
cydt takes somewhat Giscourteous
exception to y recent review Of Mis-
souri, politics and Sr. Lous journalism
in the Republican. This il very
natural, perhaps, as the Democrat is
q partisan in both matters, while the
Republican writer at least undertook
to speak as an impartial observer. 1t
may help, however, to settle the diff.
feronces between them aud give tho
public moro exact notion OF the
truth if the Democrat will snswer
these questions:
l. Does 1T think Genl. Grant the
strongest candidate for Missouri
that Republicans can nominate?
2. Does or does it not believe that
almost any other man whom the
party could possibly nominate would
get larger vote there than he, and
be absolutely certain of carrying the
State against any Democratic candi-
date I?
8. Docs it prefer that the Republi-
can party shall nominate GenI
Grant to any other man in its ranks?
4. What is it's own (the Demo.
crdt's) daily circulation 2"
Mr.. Bowles does injustice both to
ne and to himself when he speaks of
our exception as ''discourteous.
Anything but that. We have too
much respect for the Springfield Re
publican, which is decidedly one of
the best Of our country exchanges,
to entertain feeling Of discourtesy
toward it or, its editor. Our only re-
greet is that the vigorous intellect o
Bowles, which is great enough for
o boundless continent, should be re-
strictcd within the pent-up Utica Of
o New England town and that his
able editorials should, from the wide-
~ circumscribed influence of hisjourn.
al, be read exclusively through the
nose, and be local and endemic like
the yellow fever or the agne, instead
Of general and epidemic like the
smallpox or the cholera. There is
constant struggle between the
vastness of Bowles the philosopher
and the limitation of Bowles the ed
itor the former is wide and diar.
rhealc, the latter is, we regret to
'say, narrow and constipational-the
resuleof fosiaeics Nip . town whose
principal recommendation is the
refuge Of cheap living Il affords TO-
third class poets and brilliant bnt
iEpecunious literati.
However, We are willing to assist
Bowies in tho calculation of politi.
cal problems, and hence we watt to
him the following answers to his
quadarngular catechism
1. We do think General Grant the
strongest Republican candidate of
NJ isannri.
2. We do not believe that any
other man would be as strong a.
Grant as against the Democratic
party the any other-man business
has been on trial for year ami has
not developed single point.
3. We d. prefer the nomination
of Grant, as at present advised, b..
cause we believe him to be stronger
with the people than any other
candidate yet suggested or within
the realm OF present possibilities.
4. The circulation of the Missouri
Democrat is lai ger than than that of
any other paper published west Of
tho Mississippi river, and shows
steady increase which must be as
gratifying to its friends as it is dis
couraging to its enemies.
8. Has the Springfield Republican
any further questions to ask
6. If so, what are they?
Z. We shall take pleasure in an
swering them.
s. We have question to ask Mr.:
Bowles.
8. How is he pleased with bis ef-
forts to graft the gooseberry on the
persimmon tree?
10. What is his opinion OF the
'Possum Policy, and if 80, how much?
II. We trust he will answer these
questions with the frankness of an
independent and untrammeled editor
of q great but upcircnlated journal.
-Nissouri Democrat