Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-26
The Evil Speaking Jefferson Banner.

1
tice, Truth, and Honesty, aiming al
ways to Instruct, inform, purify, and
elevate the popular mind, so that pub
lie business and the public welfare may
at all times be properly cared for and
prosper, in the hands of those who
have received charge of the same.
This view of journalism has probably
never dawned upon the small modicum
of intellect possessed by the unfortun-
| ate editor of the Jefferson Banner, if
we are to judge of the fact by the EVIL
dence afforded by the last few issues Of
that journal in reference to the Sena-
torial conduct Of Hon. J. B. Bennett,
Senator 23d District. Of course
We know the result of the last State
Senatorial election in this District.
was bitter and nanseous pill for the
oditor of the Banner to swallow
the election of Republican Senator in
spite of the J Jefferson Democratic Ring.
The Ring can never, no never,
forget or endure that fact; and if it
| was not for the disease called shallow
patedness with which the editor of
its mouthpiece is afflicted, that same
editor would have known that lying
about and slandering the Hon. Sena-
tor would never enable them to re.
gain their lost hold upon the 23d Sena-
atorial District. In support Of what
we have said we quote from the Jetfer-
son Banner of March 20, 1879, the
following article:
| A bill to reduce the rate of interest was
| pending at the last session of the legislat-
| ure It was framed directly in the interest
of the laboring and producing classes The
need Of Just such law has long been
| felt 1t has been demonstrated that no
| legitimate business in these hard times,
can afford to pay ten per cent. interest on
borrowed capital. This very much need
| ed bill reducing the rate of interest, was
defeated by the action of Senator Bennett
of this county. Not indeed by his vote
nor by his influence with other members
did he defeat it, but by very different
means. The bill had passed the Assem-
bly, and was pending in the Senate. The
hour had been fixed tor the final adjourn
n.ent, apparent that it would pass in the
Senate if allowed to come to vote. To
prevent vote being taken, Senator Ben
nett took the floor and spoke against the
bill until the hour of adjournment and
when that arrived the Senate was declar-
ed adjourned sine die, without taking
vote on the interest bill.
And now in refutation of the above
lying aud slanderous article we will
quote from the Senate Journal for
February 2Sth, 1879, pages 456 and
457. "Senator Bennett moved that
all rules interfering with the present
consideration Of No 7, A., bill to
regulate the rate of interest, be sus-
pended, and the bill put upon its pass
age" The aye, and noes being de-
manded, it was decided in the afirma
tive; ayes, 20; noes, 5; not voting 8.
The Bill was inde6nitly postpon ed, the
ayes and noes being demanded, it was
decided in the affirmative; ayes, Is;
noes, 8; not voting, 7. The vote was
as follows: Ayes--Senators Andrews,
Burrows, Bennett, Chapman, Dering
Grimmer, Hudd, Hyde, Kellogg,
Morgan, Paul, Rankin, Richmond
Scott, Swain, VanSchaick, VanSteen-
wyk and Wolf.-18. Noes-Senators
anderson, Campbell, HaJen, Hatha
way, Soper, McFetridge, Treat and
Welch.-8. Absent or not voting
Senators Bailey, Houghtoa, Price
Reynolds, Rice, Richardson and
Sacket-7."
We have marked Democratic Sena-
tors in italics. Upon an examination of
the vote We find that twelve republi
cans and six democrats voted against
the bill and six republicans and two
democrats voted for the bill. This
plain and authoritative statement
shows clearly what kind of an organ
the Jefferson Banner is, and forcibly
suggests the question "what sort O
people are they who read it as thei,
gospel? In what depth of Ignorance
they must be. When the 'blind
lead the blind they both fall into tn,
ditch" and how much more crimina
must it be when that blindness is tn,
result of aa evil spirit that takes de-