Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-02-06

that was that he ratified from the
bottom of his heart everything that
had been done that day That is
just the sort of man Reyes is. There
is no bolt, no sore head, no whine
about him. Two of the candidates
had to be defeated, anu it turned out
that he was one eff them. Reyes will
be heard from yet.
The election of Matt. Carpenter and
John A. Logan to the Z. S. Ssnate
shows that the eyes of the people have
been opened in regard to tAe regard
to the ridiculous excitement caused by
the passage of what is known as the
black pay bill" There nevsr was
bigger humbug cry about ''reform"
than that, Fog a time it shelved
nearly all those who voted for it, and
it helped to defeat them for reelection,
four years ago, as they justified the act
in manly way. Unjust prejudices
soon disappear Chirpe,oa Herald.
Hon. John Potter, member of as
sembly from Winnebago county, died
Of pneumonia, at ten o'clock on We'd
nesday last. at the Capital House in
Madison. He had not been we'll dur
ing the session, but had not been con,
sidered dangerously i'll. So sudden
was his taking off that before his wife
could reach him he was gone forever.
State Register.
We have seen the above in a dozen
papers, at least, but net one Of them
has said a word in reference to the
primary cause of Mr. Potter's illness.
A gentleman who was at Madison dur
ing the Senatorial contest told US on
the cars last Friday. that Mr.. Potter's
death was hastened by continual drunk
enness, he having beer under the in
fuence of intoxicants from the open
ing of the session, without hardly a
lucid interval to the time of his de-
cease. 1t is sad, if true, and we have
no reason for doubling the veracity of
our authority. Why should the curse
of his taking off be withheld from the
public
Congressman Bragg's speech has
warmed up the Democratic press won
derfully. An utterance so forcible and
so just, one so absolutely at variance
with democratic doctrines, has stag
gercd the democratic rank and file to
such an extent that it is hardly able to
keep step to the music of---tisspe
ballots, shot gun arguments and gen
eral steals by their brothers Of the
south. Bragg has made manly stand
that will bring him scores Of friends
among tina loyal men both north and
south. Had his little speech been
made by republican, the democracy
would have hewled ''blood yshirt' and
"a revival Of sectional issues to an
extent that the echo would not have
died away before the next presidential
election. Asst is, however. the dem
ocracy IS in a quandry. Bragg is a
good democrat, but he has put his
foot in it in the estimation of the
average democrat, and what is to be
done is something to be determined
In the meantime, a little more grape,
Captain Bragg.
The Pension bill which has recently
passed both houses of congress, and
received the Presidents signature is
severely commented upon by many
journals Of both parties. The amount
estimated to meet the demands upon
the treasury by the passage Of this
bill is put at $50 millions to 500 mil
lions. Without doubt there is a good
deal of guess work in making these
estimates. A difference Of $4,000,
900 is too large figure to be arrived
at upon close figuring by experts who
are supposed to know the number of
pensioners to be benefited by this bill.
AS to its true merit, there can be but
one decision in the minds of the loyal
people. If the loyal army of the re-
bcllion have yet anything due it, it
should be paid though it take the last
copper in the treasury to cancel the
debt if it has received just pawn en-
upon an equitable basis, not another
dollar should be paid. We are not one
of those who believe the bill was insti-
gated by the claim agents of Washing
ton in order to fill their depleted
pockets from the public treasury. We
rather believe that the loyal people of
the north are satisfied that a just pay
ment has not bee nmade to the defend
ers Of the government, and a debt is
yet due which should be promptly
paid, that ne blemish may rest upon
the integrity of 2 people whose coun-
try has been saved by the unselfsh
patriotism of her children. All claims
oon he coIIantad throuph tha Coppoic