Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-08-21

j MEssRs. EDITORS Since taking d
little part in the proceedings Of the
! District Grange, which meets in your
city, ! find by inuendo myself referred
to among those uneasy and restless
spirits that the COURIER is charging
with working up the Grange into q
political organization, This would
not merit reply from me, but for the
fact Of having been referred to upon
the sidewalk, In conversation with the
"redoubtable Colonel" and Mr.. j. M.
Peck (myselD "being once with us.
but now doubtful" Still could pass
all of this, but when you say .We
throw down the gauntlet gentlemen,
we ask no quarter, and we shall give
none" do you mean that our political
and personal friendship shall be sew
cred because | dared to stop and con-
verse upon the sidewalk with MEM
bers of the once Democratic party,
against the will of the COURIER office
Or If this is not the ofcnse, what is il
that makes you speak 80 harshly about
my being found by you, in company
with Col. Giilaspy and Mr.. Peck?. ]
am getting along in years, and have
been looking after politics somewhat
for some time, and was beginning to
presume a little upon my own judg-
ment as to what men and measures ]
ought to support. Indeed / had al
most come to the conclusion that the
free and unrestrained exercise of the
elective franchise was the basis of
republican form of government. Ii
these differences are correct, why was
I referred to at all in your columns on
that occasion? Why those seemingly
harsh threats of .sGive no quarter or
take none" And that You had been
down South and fought the rebels aud
that you could fight the same elements
up North. will say, without boast
ing however, that my son went
South also, and fought without an
office, ! do hope l have taught him
never to boast Of doing his duty, or to
fight those at home, years after he re-
turned, for differences Of opinion al
to the policy of the administration oil
the government. And again it IL
charged that the Changers, or at least
some of them, have violated thei,
oaths by discussing politics in thu
grange. am truly sorry that an or
gan like the COURIER has been, should
make such charges. Had 1t come
from less respectable source would
not deign to stop even on the side.
walk to refute It. One Of the objects
of the grange is to discover the mark
ets for farm products; and also the
best markets for the purchase of farm
supplies. In doing this the question
of cost of transportation becomes
necessarily involved in Its considera-
ton. This brings In the whole ques.
ton of transportation by the Rail-
roads. Whether these roads are
charging exorbitant rates, and If so.
how can remedy be applied. If 1t
be conceded that legislation is prop
er and efficient means, and indeed the |
only means in some instances 10 cor
rect what are deemed real abuses
and further, II 1t be found upon furth- |
er reflection and discussion, that there |
are other grievances, all In the same
category, that are oppressive to us as
iaborers, and producers such as
chu-ter-,a s.~ks~t.~-;...4 i..stso.,.,s-r-~-l
tective tariffs for certain favored class
es; that there are stealings of the |
public revenues that might be re-
dressed, that there were extravagant
salaries paid officials, all which direct
ly or indirectly was an onerous and
unnecessary burthen upon labor; and
stiii tui tAc', that CoPitai hoCs Aiot pay
its proportion of these taxes, would
it not seem surprisingly strange that
these patrons, these uneasy, restless
spirits" after coming to these conclu-
sions in the grange or out Of it, should
not be allowed The privilege of re-
dressing these evils, in a aew party
or out of it, if they deem it best, with
out having their motives censured
by individuals or presss
From an old friend who does not
want political differences of opinion to
sever personal friendship?
PETER KNOX.
p. ST. refer to the article in the
COURIER from memory. P. X.