Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-09-30
A Word to the Republican Changers
OF Wisconsin,.
From The Chicago Inter Ocean.

OTuoT, III WniCn ue DOI only CUmce
out squarely 10 favor of the Potter
law, but recommends that all candi-
dates for Office be required to pledge
themselves to insist upon that enact.
ment remaining upon the statute
book. 1t is feared on the part oil
many leading Republicans of the
State and the fear seems to be well
grounded that the Grand Masters
recent pronunciamento is designed to
assist in the reelection of William
r. Taylor, the Reform candidate as
Governor of Wisconsin, who is q
member of that order, and who has
acquired some little popularity with
extreme partizans by bis enforcement
of the cast iron laws against the
railroads. It was Governor Taylor
duty TO see that the laws were faith
fully executed, and his prosecution OF
the railroad companies that refused
to obey the Potter law was the only
course for him to pursue, and pre-
cisely the course that Mr.. Washburn
would have pursued if he had been
elected, as he ought to have been, in
Taylor's place. Governor Taylor
could not shirk that duty if be
would, and to attempt to manufac-
turo capital out of it for him in the
present campaign is an attempt to
hood the honest Republican
grangers of the state that ought TO be
exposed and denounced in the press
and on the stump.
But We have been toll all along
tnat the Grange was not political
organization, and that this principle,
or rule OF excluding All subjects OF a
political character from their discus
sions in the lodge room was carrie |
ont so fully that an examination into
the qualification of candidates for
Office has been held to be improper
under their regulations; and as the
society is quite proper that the rule
ing good fellowship, and for the pur-
pose of preServlng the harmony of
the BIO ~. This is as it should b.;
and no dlcta'ion of the State subor-
dnnte lodge in regard to NAM
bers action at the ballot-b ought
TO b. 4ier4ted tor ore momont, to-
The most serious aud obvi)ns
reason that any secret political society
in this county is lnlmical to the
spirit, genius and permanoucy of our
free institutions. And we may add,
that no action of the prominent mon Of
Tho order 10 any unofficial manner, no
matter whether he be Governor or
Grand Master, ought to influence the
Independent embers of the organi-
Zatioa Ehen they are called upon to
exercise the sacred riget of suffrage.
We earnestly appeal to the Repub.
lican oranges of Wisconsin not to be
drawn to the support of Taylor un-
der the lead of anybody, or under
the pretext that be is the special
friend of the farmer and the particu-
lar representative of the laboring
classes Harrison Ludington, the
Republican candidate, Is not only a
self-made man of vastly superior
capacity as compared with Taylor,
but he stands to-day the peer of the
foremost OF his fellow-citi in
wealth, influence, and well-eatned
popularity.
But apart from any political con-
sheraton, we very much doubt the
wisdom Of Colonel Cochran's course
in recommending an adherance to
the railroad legislation as it now
stands. If he possesses the neces-
sary intelligence that fits him for the
high position he now occupies, he
must see and admit tho baneful
effects that chose laws have had
upon the commercial and financial
prosperity of his State He sees
that there is not rod of new rail.
road being built in Wisconsin the
present year, while the stock and
bonds of the old roads have not only
deprecated in value many millions
of dollars, but they cease TO be re-
garded as safe collaterals upon which
to borrow money in every money
centre in the world He sees, al5o,
if he has not willfully shut his eyes
to the fact, that the credit of his
State has greatly suffered in the esti-
nation Of foreign capitalists in con-
sequence of those acts, and that
they are pernicious in theory and
injurious in practice. There is
another fact that Is necessary to the
proper understanding of this ques-
ton as it is now presented, and it is
this: The Potter law was not asked
FIR by the Changers, either individu-
ally or collectively. If our recol-
lection is correct. neither the Senate
nor Assembly journals Of the session
of 1874 show that the farmers petit
toned for the passage of any such
law; bat it was the work of a few
uneasy demagogues in the Legisla>
ture on both sides, who were willing
to sacrifice great commercial and
business interests for temporary po-
litical success. The Changers and
OlueIc may bARo lOCitlObUd lOi IhO
passage of a pro rata law, but the
Potter act went to an extreme that
they never contemplated nor desired
And the recommendation of their
Grand Master to uphold and sustain
it at this time and under the existing
circumstances does not inspire respect
for bis wisdom or confidence 10 his
political honesty Let the Republi-
can Changers of Wisconsin be on
their guard The success of their
own parry, with Ludngton at its
head, will secure to the people of the
state at large, and to all its varied
interest and enterprises such wise
and benefcent legislation as will
best develop their mighty resources,
complete their internal improve
ments, and sustain and uphold the
credit of her people at home and
abroad.
40 An Eno,liuh rnan vaa latalu