The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-07-17
THAT CONSULTATION.

We give elsewhere a memorandum OF what
was said and done at consultation, invited
by the county central committee, Of leading
democrat and liberal republicans of this
county at Turner Hall in Ottawa last We'd
nesday There were at that meeting such
men as Hon. VIM. Reddick, Hon. Fawcett
Plumb, Hon G.. ". Armstrong, Hon. w.
Bushnell, W. r. Milligan, John s. Armstrong,
Chas. L. Hoffman, &c, DC. These are no
tyros in politics. They are as shrewd and
farseeing politicians AS we have in the state,
and their utterances are quite as significant
and important as those Of the Jefersonians
at Chicago, or Of any similar collection OF
politicians anywhere.
The upshot Of this consultation may be
stated in few words. 1t was agreed that the
political campaign in this county, senatorial
and congressional district had been well
managed last year, because it secured bril-
liant triumph at the polls; therefore in our
next campaign wisdom seemed TO dictate
that there should be as little departure as
possible from last years programme.
The wisdom Of such a conclusion can best
be judged Of by an understanding of what
the programme Of last year was. That pro
gramme, as we recolect IT, was that the
party took the ground generally ofopposltior
10 the present administration, its ine11iciency
corruptions, loose political morality, shame
ful southern encouragement, and strong
leanmgs to the side Of monopoly in its tariff
revenue and monetary system; but on the
question of party name-whether to be called
Liberal Reform, Liberal Democratic, Liberal
Republican, or plain Democratic; and on
the other great question of favoring paper
money initiation or an early return TO specie
payment, agreeing TO disagree
Such programme was proper enough last
year, and indeed unavoidable, from the fac,
that the opposition party was about equally
divided with the straight republican party on
the question Of paper ipfation or specie pay
ment, and neither party therefore, could gar
any decided advantage or accomplish any i'm
portant object by take ground, one way OF
the other, on that question; and in our loca
campaigns thls fall, as the same division o
sentiment in both parties on these question,
10 about the same extent may be supposed tC
continue the question may again be wisely
ignored in the same way.
But it would be folly 10 ignore one or TIVE
contingencies that must be inevitably en-
cOuntered in the next presidential campaign
The signs ofthe times indicate unmistakeabl
that the battle of 1876 Will De square on
between the Democratic and The Republican
parties. There may be some little side pal
ties, like the Cleveland Currency Re:ormer,
the Working Mems party, DC, Dut these vii
be crushed between the upper and nethe
mill stones OF the two great parties, Agar
neither OF these two great parties vi
be allowed 10 enter upon the PRESIDENT.
campaign occupying Il doubtful position o
the currency question; and furthermor
neither will have the courage, or rather q,
Gacity or lmpudence, TO place itself upon
soft money or ineatioa platform. Both pa
ties will doubtless declare for specie paymen
but one Of them will favor the national banF
and possibly the other may favor ueasur
notes 20 the exclusion Of national hank bill
In either case, these are matters whicl
though we may affect temporarily 10 ignol
them, are close al our doors and ii Is qui
IS well 10 get ready for them al once.