Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-10-29
GRAND RAPIDS WIS., THURSDAY OCTOBER g. 1874.
An Appeal to Reasonable Men.

accept the truth, and intend to do
right for whether this be true or not,
and in the majority of cases per-
haps it's true. other assumption
would render argument nugatory. We
apply this 10 politics, and desire to
address few very candid and sincere
words to the voters of Wisconsin. We
have good reason to believe that many
of them have been deceived and at
the last gubernatorial election, With
the best intentions in the world. voted
adversely to the interests of this state
and the Union. Several things con-
spired to bring this about, chief among
which was the exposure of corruption
in the general government. There
is more or les. extravaganza and cor
ruption in the general governments i:
public affairs are never managed as
economically and honestly as private
business, because self-interests. the
great incentive to vigilance and thrift
in private affairs is lacking. 1t is ex-
clusively managed by servants whose
master is not one man, but millions !:
and what's everbody's business is no.
body's business. These corruptions
are seldom exposed; for the same rea-
son that what breeds them prevent their
exposure. Exposure, when coming from
the political party implicated, always
implies that there is substratum of
honesty, and that the party is attempt
ing to purge off its own corruption.
This is true of the Republican party
The revelations of corruption in GER
tain Republican officials were convers-
ely evidence of the general honesty of
that party and its vitality and recuper-
alive moral power. Had the same
things occurred during a wholly cor
rupt administration, such as We have
had more than once In this country.
they would never have been brought
to light. Had the party that now
aspire to power been in power, ten
times the amount of corruption might
have existed and never been known,
or even suspected by the people, be-
cause professional thieves are as cum
ming to hide as they are to steal, and
are not apt to peach. But the mass
of the people do not reason far enough
to unders land that these exposures
were attributable, in some sort, to the
inherent honesty of the Republican
party. and were in effect the strongest
possible assurance of its future integ-
rity
The Republican press. so far from
eondoning or covering up these pecul-
ations. as has been the rule with the
party press, opened such fusilade on
the corruptionists, and formed con-
illusions not warrented by the premises.
Official tricks that had been practiced
and winked at for generations were
constructed into evidence of universal
degeneracy and corruption. This was
very high-toned and noble ii TIE
press, but actually, By its novelty,
severed to mislead the people, who
were so used to being hoodwinked by
the partisan press that they wouldn't
bear downright honesty. and hence it
operated to the detriment of Republic
eanism by frightening many wcll-mean-
ing men from the party.
An idea went abroad that the old
parties were all utterly corrupt. and
that the times were ripe for the for-
nations of new cnes Everybody be-
lieved that forming new party was
as easy as starting new religious
sect The great Granger movement,
which was like a resurrection from the
dead, for the farmers seemed to have
been dead to their rights and interests.
occurred about this time. contributed
to bring about the political panic to
which We have referred. The Gran
gers. though not political organization
were naturally enough ready to Goa
lesce with any party that would help
them to their rights as against mid
dlemen, monopolis. and especially
railroad corporations. Here was an
opportunity for the unquiet ghost of
the Democratic party, which has been
fitting around Madison for a score of
years in vain attempts to get at the
state treasury. Aided by soreheads
and political hacks, and also by many
well-meaning but mistaken Republicans,
they dubbed themselves the Reform
party, and were as profuse in promises
as they had been scant in performance.
They thus caught great many young
birds who can be caught with chaff !;
the older and shrewder ones saw the
h's-head of Democracy srinning
through the thin disguise, and all see
it row and understand that 1t is that
same old csdaver galvanized and mas
querading in a new character.
We desire to say to all honest men
who have been caught by this speci-
GUS bait, that there is no new party in
Wisconsin there is none in the
United States Old parties cannot be
dissolved and new ones formed like the
changing scenes of a phantasmaSoria.
We may think the old parties have
fulfilled their mission, and make room
for new ones. but we might as we'll de-
termin that the time has come for the
present frame of things to be dissolved
and give place to that new heaven and
new earth that many enthusiast expect
In neither case will our desire or opin-
ions change the infexible course and
current of events. Parties, like men,
die when their time comes, and not be-