The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-11-01

4. Webster since the beginning OF this cam
paign and have failed to find Il single solitary
reason why he should he voted for for Treas
urer OF this county save these:
, a. He is the nominee of the party, and the
safety Of the country depends on his election
that is, If he is defeated the "soid south"
will ruin the country.
CO. He has had the office long enough and
should "step aside and gioe another good ,ttHOac
a CHANCE"
Mr.. Webster's supporters do not pretend
that he is better man than his opponent;
they do not even claim with any certainty tina.
he is as good man as Mr.. Raymond. But he
is the nominee of the party, and if the party
is defeated IN this county the country is ruin.
ed! In 1915 Mr.. Raymond was elected treasur.
er and yet the country was saved for the re-
publicans carried everything in 1876. tits the
veriest bosh to say that this county election
this year Is any criterion for next year.
There is no principle at stake in the fight
except whether we shall have man in the
treasurer's office who has been tried by expert
ence and found not only faithful but the best
man IN the county for the place, or whether
we shall try an entirely new man Of whom
most of us never heard before his nomination
by the republican party. The chairman
even of that convention said he had never
before heard of him! But the republican
press and the Young Mems Republican Club
insist that having had the place for some years,
Mr.. Raymond should give way and let some
one else have the place. What are our public
offices? Are they as buttored and sugared
bread to be given to every party man who sue
ceeds in working up certain number Of ward
primaries and secures a certain number Of
convention delegates? What guarantee have
the people of this county that such man will
do his work well? What guarantee have we
thai Mr.. Webster knows how to do this work
would be foolish to displace a man who they
know has satisfied them in favor of a man
they know nothing of. What business man
changes his book-keeper or chief clerk every
year or two to make room for any applicant
that appears even with credentials? Every
honest man knows that no wise business man
would do So Why, then, should the republican
party or any other party, ask the people OF
this county to do what no business man would
do? VIII Mr.. Cullen or the president of the
Young Mems Republican Club insist that Mr.
Bull should turn over his numerous clients to
some young sprlg of a lawyer in the \. NJ. r.
Club because Mr. Bull has done business for
them long enough and ought to give some one
else chance? Or ought Mr.. Gillen's custom.
ers be asked to 90 to Mr.. Hull because they
have patronzed Gillen long enough, or Utsa
cersas The principle is an absurdity.
How are the people to obtain good and ELI
cient servants? Is it by changing them every
year or two? What right have the people to
ask good work If this is done? What right
have they to expect even honesty in such cir
cumstances? Do banks change their officers
every year or two? Do great railroad corpora
tions put green hands IN important offices
every few months because the salaries amount
to something? Is it not because they 40 not
that they are so well managed and so prosper
GUS Good men lament daily that our best
men will not 60 into politics. Why should
they? There is no guarantee that they will be
used for more than couple of years, or at the
most for four years How many men really
fit for public office are willing to spend even
four wears in an office that but barely pays
them living and leaves them nothing at the
end of their term? The people ask the best
linen" to take their offices; but they immedi-
ately erect barriers to keep them out by say
ling, lyon can only stay two or four years, then
you must carry an election or you must step
; out TO reward some fellow who has done some
work IN carrying an election for this or that
party"
This Is the only idea of the present campaign
advanced by the republican party for the cleo
ton of Mr.. Webster Every honest man
knows it Is vicious one-bad In theory, worse
lin practice. Private business is not conducted
; lon such plan nor should be the public, which
Involves not the interests of an individual but
of the entire body of individuals. MIR. Kay
mond Is man thoroughly TRAINED In his o.
Ifce. he knows more about his own and all the
lotber clerical offices of that court house than
the men who fill those offices. According 70
his opponents that is the only reason why he
i sbould de removed the better public officer
lean do his work the sooner must he be re-
movedl Because his experience enables him
to assist the hundreds of people who do bust
lness in the court house, therefore he must Be
removed to give place to man who, venture
to say, hasn't seen the inside Of the court house
lon an average three times year since he came
Ito the county, and who knows no more about
the business done there than any man Of or
ld,nary intelligence can pick up on the street,