Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-10-06
PRo AND CON
A ISIS Of HlstOry T0uchlng thc "Dem. .
Oceat,, and sCOuriOr.S
Ra,lroad Men, Especially, Read.
From the Ottumwa Democrat of Oct. 10, 1873.
Eliknriall


[From the ottumwa Democrat of Oct. 10, 1873.
The Radical party is the favorite of
these (Railroad) corporations, and so
far, all the efforts Of the corporations
have been dictated in securing Radio
al triumphs at the polls. A conspic-
uous instance is found in Wapello
county. AT the election last Tuesday,
the railroad brought in their hordes
Of irresponsible engine wipers, en-
ginccrs and conductors, who, without
paying dollar Of taxes to the coun-
ty, voted for the radical ticket, and
their votes counted just the same as
the votes of honest, Woodworking
taxpayers.
The railroads, proud in their pow
or, pnfIcd up and arrogant in their
riches, laugh at the hay-seed in the
farmers hair, and laugh to sec their
schemes carried out trinmphantly.
They believe that they can control
elections in their interest ON each oc-
casiOn.
The people have heretofore hcen
overawed by the presumptions of the
railroad officials, but they began to
learn their own power on last Tues
day. In Wapello county, the rail-
roads fought with all the desperation
of a bad cause to bolster up the fall
ing fortunes of the Radical party. They
did all they could to defeat Dixon
and the Anti-Monopoly ticket, but in
the case of Dixon they failed.
So far as THE DEMOCRAT is con-
cerncd, we desire to be counted in as
an humble and devoted warrior Oh
the side of the people. We owe the
railroads nothing, and ask no favors
from them."
We have quoted as freely as we
deemed our space would admit, from
a lengthy editorial in the Democrat of
the date named. We have i'm our files
of that paper, the number con-
tanning said editorial, and as we
its authenticity has been
denied, we invite the inspection of
these files by any doubling one.
The COURIER replied to that article,
and from our reply, appearing in the
WEEKLY Of October 23d, 1873, we
quote as follows, in order to show
the contrast between what may be
unfair and fair treatment:
From ottumwa Courler.l
An unwarranted attack has been
made in this county upon our rail-
road employees residing here. In the
main, these employees voted against the
Autobiography ticket. We say, in the
main they did, though scores Of them
did not do so. 1t seems to us that the
reason why they did this, is as plain
as the nose on mans face. Is it
to be expected that any portion of the
people of this county can band them
selves together, making wrongful
use OF secret organization to assist
them, and war against railroads in so
unfair manner, and not call ont the
almost united opposition Of railroad
and the men who labor
for them? The fact is. ii is Just as
natural I na i, fer railroad COMPANIES and
to such a party as it il for
water to run down hill. The railroad
therefore, exerted them
selves to give their employees a chance
to vote, which they did according to
their own judgment.
The political Grange fight upon rail-
roads necessarily drove railroad COM
panies and employees to the support
Of the Republican ticket, just as a SIM
liar war upon agriculturists would
draw the fire of the farmers. Any
man. then, is simply acting very fool
ish, and showing his ears hugely when
he charges upon railroad men that
they ''were voted" instead of voting.
All this talk is clap-trap, the language
of the demagoguc, and is paper
gun fired, that recoils and hurts only
the gunner at the breach
We will add now. that 1t is quite
likely that gun is rccoiling, and that
the candidates and the party whose
organ is thus permitted to abuse and
in the habit of abusing American cit
liens, whose regulations certainly
could not suffer in comparison with
that Of their maligner, will be remem-
bered. "Birds of feather flock to-
gether."