Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-10-20
RETROSpECTIYE.


AT our Seneral elections in 1873
and 1874. ve had the spectacle III this
county Of Democratic .rangers. in
tcr-miNed with very few once Re-
publicans running side show for
the Democratic party. That is. we
found these parties maintaining that
they had attended the funeral of the
Democratic party. and that they were
ab"n' undertaking the project of
hnrying the Republican party: that
the latter party had become so cor
rupt that these few once Republicans
could no longer stay with their old
neighbors and in old'political associ-
ations. They had become convinced.
rs they said. that there was rotten
ness among their old associates. which
their probity OF character could no
longer withstand. and Straightwav
they went among their former polit-
ical enemies. the chastc. modest. pure
and patriotic Democrats of the coun-
try. in order that through them the
government might he purified. This
was their line Of reasoning. rs unmis
takablv evidenced by their acts. In
order that there mi CHIT not lac any
mistake about the result. q goodlv
number of these once Republicans
and gfangers. either sought nomina-
tons for office and were defeated or
succeeded. I'm the pursuit of reform
with the Democracy, they were espe-
cially anxious that the Democracy
should let them have the offices. As
our readers pernse this article. we
want them to call TO mind how very
anxious Democratic gran@ers were to
get Republican grangers to join them
in their raid on the Republican party
We also want our readers to recol-
lrct that at that time we said that
move was hut Il corrupt side-show to
the Democratic party. Let ms see now
how about this: Father Hcdrick
was an earnest. candid granger, asno
man will pretend 10 deny. True. he
did not go with the Anti Monops. vet
II" one will deny that he was faith
full and honorable granger. though he
he could not leave the Republican
ranks.
Now we would like TO know how
many of those old Democratic gran
gers now thoroughly and openly an
ncNed to the revived Democracy, vot-
ed for old Father Hcdrick? True.
the Republican platform spoke out
openly and plainly for legislative con-
troll over railroads. while the What
is il or Democratic platform had not
u word to say upon the subject. Yet
those cunning. Drawing Democratic
grangcrs. who would hoodwink Re-
publicans into the Democratic ranks.
did not find il convenient 10 vote for
their brother grangcrS. even though
the Democratic party totally ignored
their pet question. We now call 10
mind some few once Republicans who
were hoodwinked into these Demo-
cratic >idc-shows. who have now no
other place to go but the Democratic
party. unless they wholly rctracc their
steps and return to the Republican
fold. Most of those who were decciv-
ed. returned this year. hui the remain
in" ones are square in the Democratic
camp. and the majority of them are
the ones that originally went Off after
office. We call the attention of our
reader, to the full verilcation of our
prediction that all these sidc-shows
of Liberalism. Anti Monopis,n- haxa.
aseen aeat -. -,,saHs saares to enticc Re-
publicans square into the Democratic
fold. This year the mougrel compo-
sition made use of the liquor question
to win. hui signally failed, except
here and there in Il few counties.