Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-10-14

| - ~ eA6k We 0OtQlidin
attempt to elect or defeat men by the
machinery or connivance of a secret
political organization and not in a fair
field and by an open fight. If Col.
Cochrane's thirteen questions mean
anything, they mean to subject the
candidate to the ordeal of the secret
lodge room, and in some sections
| where the Grange is in the ascendant
his fate will be decided weeks before
the balance of the electors 90 to the
ballot-box. Here is the Grand Mas
ter of numerous and widely-scattered
secret society that seeks to put the
machinery and power of his Order in
to operation to obtain special legisla-
ton for the benefit of a special class
of citizens. He prepares the cate
chism for the candidates himself, di-
reefs all his lieutenants Of the subordi-
nate lodges throughout Wisconsin to
make "free use of it," and publish the
result, $50 that the Patrons can gov
ern themselves accordingly. Sup
pose the Masons, Odd Fellows, Good
Templers and other secret societies,
should endeavor to shape legislation
for their especial benefit, would it not
create an indignant protest from every
fair-minded citizen in the State ? Or
suppose the Catholic Archbishop
Henri, of Milwaukee, should prepare
a list of questions upon the Importance
| of the diversion of the common school
fund for the support of sectarian
schools, and recommend all the Cath
Ole priests in the State "to make free
use of it" before election day, would
not Col. John Cochrane and his
Granger friends send up one unani-
nous howl over the aggressive and
anti-Democratic tendencies of the
Romish Church? But Archbishop
Henri and his Catholic associates have
a far better right to seek to obtain
legislation, if they can, that will give
them control of portion of the school
fund than the Changers have to seek
to obtain legislative control over rail-
roads, because the former regularly
and annually pay their school tax,
whereas Mr.. John Cochrane and his
Granger friends pay no taxes for the
support of railroads, but, on the con-
trary, there is not Granger in Wis
consin whose burden of taxation is
not made annually lighter in conse-
quence of the immense amount of
taxes paid into the State Treasury by
these same railroad corporations.
We respectfully submit to the
Changers of Wisconsin whether their
Grand Master has taken step in a
direction that is safe for them to fol-
low. Is not his recent action a chdl-
lenge to the other great CONNIE rcial
manufacturing, financial and business
interests of the State to combine
against the Changers as a class, and
seek to Cypress them even as they are
now evidently seeking to use all the
springs of powerful secret organiza-
ton to benefit themselves The pub
lie has been assured also that the
Grange was in no sense political or
ganization- that it was body of men
and women united for social and in
tellectual improvement. Then why
does the Grand Master of Wisconsin
attempt to convert it into a secret pc.
Iitical machine? Why divert it from
its original purpose And why will
these honest and ell,meaning men
allow their officers to drag them into
a wrong position that is certain to ex-
cite prejudice against them, and which
will end at last in the complete de-
struction of their Order through their
own disgust?
Two other aspects of this subject
force themselves forward for discus
sion in this connection, but space for
bids anything except brief mention.
The first is the serious injury which
this agrarian Potter law has already
inflicted upon the business and credit
of Wisconsin at home and abroad,
and the second is the widespread
suspicion on the part of many leading
Republicans of the State that there is
very large cat hid away under COL
John Cochrane's little heap of meal
The present Democratic Reform can
didate for Governor, William r. Tay-
lor, is member of the Grange organ.
ization, and it is strongly suspected
that the address which tie Grand
Master has just put forth was publish
ed to aid Mr.. Taylor in his race for
the Chief Executive office. We send
forth two brief notes of warning to
the electors of our neighboring State
As citizens of Wisconsin it is your
duty to consider and carefully esti.
mate the effect which these railroad
acts will have and are now having
upon the future development and pros
perity of your State; and as members
of the great Republican party it is
your solemn duty not to be inveigled
into the support of William r. Taylor
upon false pretenses.