Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-07-15
a GERMAN VOTE.

siderable 4 proportion VI Jul PoPoi"'oN
that it is important to inquire which
side they are likely to espouse IN the
present campaign. They are not like
of us, bound up with one party
whether right or wrong, but are pre-
eminently distinguished for an intell-
gent investigation of a subject before
committing themselves for or against 1t.
A leading trait of the German charac-
ter is thriftiness. While representa-
tiyes of other nations come among us
and. after a residence of many years
oftentimes, find themselves little better
off than when they first set foot on u
soil, the emigration from Germany, in
whatever portion of the country found,
Is industrious, pains-taking, economical
and prosperous. These people, as arule'
make their money honestly. pay their
taxes cheerfully, but demand in return
that the public finances be MANAGED
with like honesty and economy. For
these reasons and others, yet to be emu
merated, we predict that this great ele-
ment will, in the November national
election, give an almost united support
to the democratic party. Believing IN
economy as they do, they have yet
thought that something was due the
republican party because OF its being
more especially the wal party in the
unhappy years that are gone and right
faithfully nave they paid up his consc'-
ruvious obligation But the debt has
been more than cancelled by the reck-
less extravaganza and dishonesty Of the
men whom they elevated to office, and
now they nee more feel themselves
free to take bearings and shape their
course according to the new conditions.
What have they to attract them to the
republican party? Absolutely nothing.
On the contrary, as they look back
through the years since the war was
fought out and the rebels laid down their
arms, there is nothing more pleasing
than a succession of blunders, misman-
agements and thieveries. They have
seen enough money collected from the
people to pay off the national debt thir-
teen times over, and yet this incubus to
a peoples prosperity continues to press
us down. They have witnessed pecu-
lation, t~reachery and robbery on every
| side, from the pettiest county official to
the most intimate associate of our
chief magistrate himself. They forget
not the whisky rings, which, it is now
revealed, were set in motion to provide
funds for the last presidential campaign
the credit mobilier, which included in
its unholy alliance some of the highest
republican officials and many members
of congress-the numerous '''private
jobs" to further which congressman
were bought and reports were made a
marketable commodity by the commit
tees of either house. They forget not
a dishonest secretary of the treasury
or the profits sold out to personal friends
at a speculation" by a secretary OF the
navy. Schenck and the Emma mine are
before them, and recently a secretary of
war who plead equity" to the charge
of selling government sutlerships, and
keeping the money for his private uses.
Last, though not least, it has not passed
out of their minds that Mr.. Blame, in the
face of overwhelming evidence showing
him to be a s'bribe taker," and in spite
of it received almost votes enough, at the
Cincinnati convention, to make HIM the
op~Lii.~- -~-ail-.~ fH --
this when Bristow, a man of apparent
honesty, and one who commands the re-
spect of reformers in every portion OF
the country, was II of the contestants
And now, with this array of all that i!
evil in the past, what assurances, ask
these people, have they for the future
J Cincinnati has given them a platform
of platitudes and a platitudinous politi
clan for a candidate. A man who is un
fit for a leader even in the most easy
going times, but who, just now, whel
2 sterling qualities are indispensable
l when both brain and nerve are impera
, lively demanded, falls far, far below tn
requirements Of the country. Such
man. even it elected, would be absolutel
: powerless to inaugurate reform in tn
: republican party. When Grant, with hi
bulldog tenacity of purpose, has entirel
failed, what chance would there be fo
such a man as Hayes, though he mean
:, honestly, to succeed? He would be a
d wax IN the hands of those who have s
e long plundered the nation-a figure
head under which all that is corrul
would flourish yet more s%candulously
the future than in the past. 1t is NJ
), such an outlook that pleases the frug:
Germans. Honesty" is the polite;
watch-word with them. Give them hol
est men in office and they care little b
. what name you call the party that elect
them. 1t matters not whether they /
o republican or democrat.
Those who suppose that the German
are to be drawn like a flock Of sheep
n any n man, little appreciate the
le independence of character. /
we at first stated, they are pee
al liarly a thinking people, and act fro,
the result of their thoughts. 1t has be'
insinuated that Carl Schurz can contr
them. There never was a greater mistak
If Carl Schurz goes to suit them tn
- go with him, but when they think hi
=. wrong, they separate themselves FIRE
= him at once. This TACT was made plain
the last Observation-Disclosures, when c.
Schurz undertook to take them to Gre
n ley. He failed in his purpose then, n
OF will he be more successful in his etfo,
to take them to Hayes now. They We
y. honesty and see no promise OF amen
ment in that quarter. In this campale
III on the side of the democrats, they s
ny. many things to please them. TIL
,bt hear a cry for reform raised bythe pal
&C. in every state, and they see refol
cd in every plank of the St. Louis platfor
NJ. Furthermore, to show that that is not
&c. empty sound, a man pre-eminently d
oo- tinguished for reform has been select
itv as the democratic candidate for preside