Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-10-01
ROWLING uREEN,s sELPIsHNHss.

| DONllHk OtNou htho Nt'ihAhyNh hH uhhSA |
want Of regard for either the interests or
rights Of the people Of the county. In no
instance has she regarded either the COM
mon rights OF the people or her specific
obligations TO them. She commenced by
deception and bribery, and she is conduct
ing the struggle by resort to falsehood,
plunder, bribery, and illegal voting. She
started out by Swindling the man who
was employed to advocate her cause in the
former contest out Of his pay, and then she
swindled the taxpayers out Of nearly $780,
600 BY failure to fulfill her obligation TO
erect the buildings at Bowling Green with
out asking aid from the county. These
were her first steps in connection with the
county seat contest, and II Is clear that she
deceived and swindled her friends from
the beginning of the struggle.
In the last stage Of the fight, when Per-
rysburg asked for another vote, Bowling
Green's selhshness and utter want of re-
gard for the interests and wishes Of the
people OF the county, became even more
manifest --or was manifested In
more obnoxious form than in the
first instance. When one-half Of the
voters Of the county asked the priv
ilege Of voting on the question OF removal,
the citizens of Bowling Green protested
against granting them that privilege, as
Suming that the people Of the county had
no right to regulate their local affairs in
any way not strictly in accordance with
the interests Of that village. They went
TO Columbus in force, and kepta large lobby
employed there for the purpose of prevent
ing the passage of an enabling act. They
were successful in defeating the bill in the
first instance, and the people renewed their
petitions and demanded the right TO say
where they would transact their county
business. Bowling Green again sent a
ntrong lobby to Columbus, with money
AMI n full determination TO defeat the
measure again by corrupting tho Legisla-
ture. She robbed the Center and Plain
township treasures and reported then
burglariEed, and then thrust her arm into
tho village treasury and robbed it of every
cent. She went further than this. Sh,
elected q village Council and TOWNSHIP
Trustees with special reference TO contract
ing Indebtedness borrowing money to b
used in defeating measure the sole objcC
Y ot which was to authorize the people G
. Wood county to locate their county seat I
suit themselves. They bribcd members O
the Legislature, hired prostitutes to lobb
lu with certain members, chartered hacks t
carry members to houses Of prostitution
chartered saloons to run in their interes
: hired members to absent themselves when
- vote was taken, and through these CORFU
'rg influences and criminal practices sougl
70 prevent the people OF Wood count
from saying where they prefer to have the
% county seat.
They came very near defeating Il
x measure on the second trial. EARL Mel
ny declared, on the day the vote was t
md ken, Immediately after the passage of Il
bill, that had he given GORDON anoth
5000, another vote could have been pu
10 chased and the bill could have been defeH
!. ed. CANARY said he wrote home for a
other 81 900, and had Bowling Green Sc
him the money, the bill could have be-
md defeated. Where member would drin
in they got him drunk and kept him in
see state of beastly intoxicntion for days
er." order that he might be kept away fro
- - l-A..-.- .-iAA., TIA Ynte waa take
from voting upon the question of changi
the location of their county seat. Tn
Ue efforts before the Legislature failed. 1
ia OIL was passed, and the struggle was trnl
NO ferred from Columbus to Wood count,
ler Once before the people of the county, I
he means resorted to at Columbus were
newed at home. They have practic
. corruption so long that they have becor
A0 bold and scarcely seek to conceal aC
AZ which should consign them TO the penite
As ilary. They approach men with propo
III tions to buy their votes and influence wi
IT. rs little ceremony as though they we
IN hogs or sheep. They write letters over Il
Ak state and send men out TO proclaim tn
ne they want men to come into the count
H. and vot" gainst removal, promising TO pn
X large wages during the few days they r.
Is- main in the county. They approach fa
mers and ask them how many men the
can use, or keep until after election. an
boldly assert that they propose to ca
ne enough votes to defeat the honest EXPIRE
m sion OF sentiment at the ballot-box.
>. Why all this corruption for the purpo,
oil preventing the removal of the count
- 'eat7 Why this expenditure of thousa nd
y OF dollars, the corruption of the people {
1t the county, and the overthrow and poll
sion OF the ballot-boxl Solely becau,
tho interests of the property holders
Bowling Green may be promoted. Isther
any other motive impclling these men I
3 their deeds OF villainy? Is it not purel
u SslhShnesss on their part, and utter wan
d OF even decent respect for the views. inter
II estS, and most sacred rights of the peopl
|. oil the county, Have they not forfeite,
all claim upon tho sympathy of the peo
pie OF the county by robbing them, b,
seeking to deprive them of the privilege O
Locating their county seat to suit them
selves, and by resorting to bribery and lille
gal voting to defeat the wishes of the citi
1enS OF the county, Do they not deserve
chaS''Sement at the hands Of the tax-pay.
crs whom they first rob and then insult
Bowling Green Is such a desirabI.
place Tor the county seat, why fear to trust
: the question OF location with the people,
Q II 1t is most convenient for the people 10
s transact their county business at Bowling
Green why not trust them to vote upon
that question, and why seek to control the
election by bribery and illernl r0.i.-. .