The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1874-09-25
Correspondence.
The Grange Ticket.

marks by saying am Granger and
Il Republican. l am also in favor of
the 'possum policy in the present
campaign by the Republican party.
For the aid number of Democrats |
promised us, in defeating the Demo
cratic State ticket, was willing to
conccde to the Democrats fair pro-
portion of the offices in the county. |
My friends frequently warned me
that Democratic politicians would
stock the cards on US; that that par
ty always came out first best i'll any
thing requiring manipulation, such
as the township and county conven-
tions did. To this | turned deaf
ear, believing that, even if the Dem
ocrats succeeded in getting majori-
ty in the convention (Which they did,
they would fulfill their promises. |
have often heard of Democratic
promises being made but to be bro
ken, and have been an eye witness OF
some of them. l have now been q
victim of another one, and for the
last time. / can see no reason why
another ticket can not be presented
for the suflrages of the people. |
have never been in the habit of vO-
ting a ticket straight unless it suited
me. Under the old regime of pOliti-
cal parties the people had n better
show than they have now. Now, if
Won don't vote the Mcdaniel ticket.
YOU can't vote any. Under the old
plan, if the Republican ticket was
the best. we would take one, and
where any man on it had q better
man opposed to him on the Demo
cratic ticket, we "scratched' him,
and placed his Democratic opponents
name thereon instead. | believe in
the heaven-born right OF scratch
ing" as did the Duke of Argyle; and
while bless the latter for atlOrding
the facilities, | hurl imprccations on
the Grange for dcpriving us OF the
exercise of that right with any show
of efiecting anything. If the Grange
brings about such state of things
that a nomination insures an election,
whether the nominee is competent or
not, then, in our county, politics are
being made worse instead of better.
Tie people want TO have q choice in
the selection of officers. II those
who are smart enough to get high
places in the Grange propose 10 ma
nipulate matters to their own Gdvan-
tagc, then |, for one, am opposed TO
it. Although n Granger myself. |
believe there ale as Elany dishonest
lucn in the Grange as out of II. The
simple fact that man has paid five
dollars and taken the Grange ohil%a-
ton, is not suilic qualification,
IN my mind, for his being elected to
office. This is equivalent TO saying
to everybody-farmcrs and aii-who
does not belong to the Grange, vow
are not honest or competent. That
is what the ticket nominated on the
18th implies. 1t is all very well for
v0u to be a farmer, my worthy friend
but if You are not Il Granger, youl
honesty is in question. In the con-
ventiOn on the 18th, no less than iivC
square contests between Gran@crs
and non-Gran%ers took place, result
ing in every instance in favor of tho
Granger by decided majorities. Now
who will say that Sccley is a moro
honest man than Edwards; or Me.
Daniel than Ford; or Rankin than
Brooks; or Brayton than Boohcr; OF
kirtley than Majors; or Alt%cld than
knickcrbacker: or Carter than Mcr.
Ger? There are few who will venture
such an assertion. But did not Mr.
McDanicl's speech, and the other
speeches, plainly convey the impres.
sion that honest men were to be SC
lectcd, and the primary sequence i:
that all who failed OF nomination
were, TO say the least, of doubtful
honesty? My private opinion is thai
a convention-ncw political party, Oh
old, | see no diilcrence-is q poOl
place to test a mans honesty or ca
pacity. The less man is known
the better his chances for q favorabl,
consideration by convention.