Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-08-29
Who are the Mud-SIingers!

We find the following choice bit
of literature in the Mineral Point
Tribune of this week:
"Since The advent Of A. G. Parkin-
son to the chalr-edilorial Of the Madi-
son Democrat, that sheet has rapidly
degeneraled in its dignity Of clIalnc-
ter. From II respectable and respected
paper, discussing pubic questions and
advocating political principles in Il
manner and with u power that com
manded the consideration Of readers
OF all parties, it has become II nero
mud-slinger. It's spatterings of late
have been directed toward the State
carpenter shop. in which IL charges
the people are being robbed, ROBBED,
ROBBED by the manufacturers Of
clothes-horses, for employees about the
Capitol. Which chnrge seems To have
no other foundation than that some
clerk had u clothes-horse repaired ut
u cost to the State Of perhaps three
cents for glue. TO defeat the Repub-
leans this Fall, however, the opposi-
tion must be united by something
more adhesive than II pot of glue"
The Tribune does not deem il
the duty Of u respectable paper to
expose fraud wherever found. Tho
manner in which il treats the seri-
Gus charge made by the Madison
Democrat, that the State carpcn-
ters have beer engaged in doing
work for private individuals whilc
drawing regular pay from the State,
shows how far tho Tribune has
degenoratcd in character, That our
readers may understand the nature
of these charges we give the follow
ing series of questions propoundcd
by u correspondent in the Madison
Democrat:
FirSt-lf two of the clerks in the
Capitol, one In the Treasurcr's office
and the other IN the Land office, did
not have made by the state earpcn-
ters two clothcs-horses ror their own
private use ut the public expense
Second Did not u prominct Official
have by made the State carpenter, ut
the public expense, an elegant and
costly wardrobe, for his own private
use
Third not a gentleman who
lives in the Second ward in This city,
have made by tho state carpenter, ut
the publ Q expense, two screen doors
FOR his own private use?
Fourth Did not the state earprn-
Ter and his assistant manufacture at
the public expense for private mdi-
yiduals several fancy bird cages?
Fifth Has NOT tine State carpenter
manufactured for the last three years
so called legislative boxes IL the
public expense, by which he made u
snug little haul annually?
My authority for making the above
charges Is based solely upon informal
ton had and received from Republic
can officials now in the service of the
state ut the Capitol. When rogncS
fall out, honest men get their dues"
The fact is, that the state is being
robbed of thousands of dollars am
nually, and the Madison Democrat
has begun the discussion of u pub
lie question in which every voter
and every taxpayer in the state is
deeply Interested. Will the Tribune
deny that the expenses of running
the State government have in
creased year by year, VIII il deny
that men in the employ ofthe state,
III very many instances, are paid
double wages for their services !?
Will il deny that the men who are
the most anxious to cover up the
abuses that are being exposed by
such papers as the Madison Demo-
crat are men who are reaping the
benefit Of similar abuses, and
whose highest idea Of political
duty is to get Office and live at the