Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-08-07
The Congressional Canvass.


pretty generally presented candidates
or Endorsed the candidates presented
by some one else, and each candi-
date by his supporters is eulogized
and declared to be the most fit man to
serve the people. -
One Republican paper praised all the
candidates, Republican and Democratic,
even spreading it on little thicker on
the latter than the former. It seemed
to be, good Lord good devil + OF
course l do not say the writer thought
so. | only say it seemed SO. With
some Of the men mentioned am quite
we'll acquainted and thought the state
ments as to their tact, ability, nobility,
&c., was just trif1e stretched. Then
I thought how much Of this praise
about those unknown to me personally
will the actual facts warrant, and [ con-
cluded not to swallow all that, even.
One of the Republican aspirants
is claimed by his supporters to be
the special champion Of cheap trans
portation and the improvement of the
Wisconsin and Fox rivers. That is
we'll. Both objects are very much to be
desired and are in fact very much de-
sired by majority of both parties in
this district. All the candidates mention
either party, [ am satisfied, would
champion both Of these objects.
It is mistaken notion that some men
who live on the Wisconsin river enter
tain, that the improvement of that
river is local matter in which those
who live On the immediate banks of
that stream are alone interested, and
that the man to advance that inter-
est must reside at Muscoda or Boscobel
or somewhere else on the river. The
people Of the State, and the people of
other States, both West and East Of
Wisconsin, are deeply interested in
that matter. The people of this State
have repeatedly, through their legisla-
ture, urged upon Congress the nation
al character Of that work and it's great
importance to the agricultural interests
of the West, and tie Reform legislature
of last winter was not behind hand in
the discharge Of it's duty in the mat
ter. Congress by its action has shown
that it considers the rivers mentioned
as the nations highway, and they are
now being rapidly improved. Is it
now necessary to elect a man for the
furth GRANGE Of that object specially, and
if so, is there only one man in this dis
trict fitted for the work?
Tie names Of men who are likely
to be candidates before the eonven-
tons of both the parties are quite nu-
merous. Among them are lawyers doc
tors, merchants, bankers, millers, far
mers, and Office seekers { members of
this class are also found ostensibly
connected with one or moro Of the
other classes mentioned
There are certainly classes enough
and names enough from which to select;
provided the people when assembled in
convention wis h to make their selec-
ton from the names and classes men
toned.
Some are willing, some are eager, and
some have sought for years, earnestly,
persistently, and perhaps with tears, to
serve tho people. 10 be willing is
praiseWorthy; to be eager may perhaps
show bad taste; to be earnestly seeking,
year after year, to serve the people is
reprehensible.
The saying "the Office should seek
the man and not the man the Office"
has become almost maxim. Whether
generally admitted to be true or not
decen t matter, certain it is that were it
more generally acted upon by the peo-
pie in the choice Of their servants, one
great step would be taken toward puri-
ty in politics. The people pretend to
act upon this principle. Will the Re-
publicans Of this district in the coming
fight adopt it as their motto?
Whether they do or do not, the
Republicans of Iowa County owe it
as duty to themselves, their county
and the whole district, to present to the
general convention the name of some
able man who has not sought, and does
not now seek, the office. The names
Of two such men have been mentioned
heretofore. I refer to L. w. Joiner
and Francis Little. They are we'll
known to the people of the county and
need no word Of praise from me and 1
am assured that their names were pre-
sented by gentlemen who had never
spoken with either Of the men named,
nor with any of their friends in relation
to the matter, and did not then, and do
not now, know whether either of the
gentlemen desire the Office, or wheth-
er they would even accept if nominated.
And can assure you, Mr.. Editor, that
| never mentioned the matter to either
of the gentlemen nor they to me, and
that I believe if either Of the men
were nominated and elected (and either
Of them stands better chance to be
elected than any lawyer in the whole
district) the Office would truly have
sought the man. A.
| am satisfied there are many other
men in the county and district equally
as worthy as the men mentioned. Let
the matter be agitated now, and when
we meet in county convention we can
decide whom we will present to the gen.
eral convention, Notwithstanding GEN
eral Order No. 1. from would-be-head-
quarters in Richland county, ruling GU t
Iowa county candidates.
In fact, the best way will be for Re-
publicans TO turn out generally, attend