Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-07-03
IDAITo CORREsPONDENoE.
TpAHo Cry, IDAuo TERRIToRY,
.June Goth. 1873.

EDS. GOURIER ~ uuSC INV UcCu ~
subscriber TO the COURIER for two
years and never having seen anything
in 1t relating to this far away region,
have concluded to ventillate it, for the
instruction of the many readers of
your admirable paper.
A little more than ten years ago, the
organization Of Boise county was efiec-
ted under circumstances as favorable
as could be desired. IL had, at that
time, population Of between eight
and twelve thousand men, all in con-
dition of unusual prosperity a vast
extent OF surface or placer mines,
which daily yielded in return for labor
done almost fabulous sums of gold; a
large unprospected territory, which
has since proved rich in the precious
metals; thousands Of acres of land, not
excelled in point of fertility by any,
and which has since been subjected to
to the plow, and thereby made to con-
tribute to the general wealth and pros
perity forests of timber, which seems
inexhaustible skirt all her valleys and
overspread her hills. Numerous
quartz leads have been discovered from
time to time within her borders, as
rich as any on the coast, and yet hav-
ing all these varied advantages, and
owing no man on earth dollar, she
has not prospered--has not progressed,
but has actually become and is at this
time enormously involved in debt
and why? Because she had, and has
continued to have from the first, set
of officials who have ABUSED her conf
dence and wasted her wealth. Repub-
licans at first. Those she turned away
giving their places to Democrats
These in turn were found badly want
ing. But they have succeeded up to
this time in maintaining themselves in
Office in spite Of the overwhelming de-
sire Of the people to get rid of them
By the organization Of q ring composed
of the leading corraptionists of both
political parties; by controlling con-
ventions, bringing TO their aid for that
purpose all the social blackguards,
political and partisan DULLES, and 9TH
err disreputable characters with which
rich frontier mining camps are sure
to be infested; by inaugurating and
keeping up system of drunken and
riotons electioneering, disgraceful to
civilized people, by the shameless prac-
tice of trafficing in conventions. in
vogue all over the country, but which
they have carried to greater excess
perhaps than have any other politicians
except those of New York City. They
have literally bought up such mercen-
airy members of conventions as the
people have been SO unfortunate as to
elect, by this means increasing the nu-
mericial strength of their own debauch-
ed, and whiskey-soddcn tools, and
have used the power thus shamelessly
obtained to compel honest men to SUBJ
init TO the successive nominations of
themselves to all places of trust and
profit in the county, and then have
dared to assert the impious lie that
they were the "choice Of the people, =
well knowing themselves to be as OBJ
noxious to the general public as they
are certainly ignorant or careless of
the public good.
They have outraged Justice and de-
cency in every possible way.
They have voted themselves princely
salaries, and have squandered the money
thus wrung from the people in "fast"
and luxurious living.
They have by the most unjust and
foolish legislation, not only deferred
capitalists from coming here from
abroad to invest their surplus wealth
in the development of our marvellous
resources, but have driven our own
capital 10 seek investment elsewhere.
They have given the substance of
the country to their favorites in hum
dreds Of fraudulent "relief bills" which
they have log-rolled through corrupt
and servile legislatures thereby ma
terially retarding its growth and pros
perity, and if they have not conniyed
at the robbery of the public treasury,
they have at least made no effort to
capture and bring to justice the thieves
who have repeatedly plundered it OF
its contents.
They have, In short, by every con.
ceivable dereliction Of duty, and by
every nameable outrage proven them
selves villains unworthy Of an abode
in civilization. But this state Of things
can't last always, add the next election
here will sweep the whole corrupt
crew into an oblivian so profound that
they will never be heard of again, and
then Idaho Territory will start on g
career ofprosperity which will endure
She is rich in all the precious metals
and rich in the matchiess fertility oil
her soil, rich in the vast extent of hel
unequaled pasturage, and in the in
creditable salubrity of her climate
and must be prosperous as soon as hel
government is put into the hands o.
honest and competent men.
The summer here has been unusually
cold, which has had the effect Of caus,
ing the snow to lie ON the mountains
longer than il generally does, and thu
mining season has been corresponding
~ heightened, and very large yield
of gold is confidently looked for.
Both the orchards and fields arr
looking splendidly, aud the strawber
ry, raspberry, blackberry, current
plumb, pear, peach and apple CROP
will be larger than ever before. tn,
L Of