The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-10-07
HIRAM.
Cores sponCience


i circulated in this and adjoining towr
ships, bearing the startling and eA
pressive headlines, "The Democrat
q Itch for Mischief" "An Attack on tn
Portage Co. Agricultural Society" &t
S The circular in question contains
copy of another circular, addresse'
ITO the Tax-Payers of Portage Co i,
and purports to be a true transcript
from the Commissioners journal
wherein is the proof that the Commits
sioners appropriated $500 to the Por
: tage Co. Agricultural Society. Th'
circular from the Republican Demo
crat makes a low, vile, vulgar and con
temptible attack upon the Garrettsvillt
Journal, where the quoted circulal
was issued, upon Mr.. L.. ID. Brown, the
Democratic candidate for Commission.
er, upon the Democratic managers in
The county, and upon Mr.. F.. j.. Hat.
field, an honorable and high minded
lawyer, gentlemanYof undOnbted in
tegrity, and incapable OF wrong act,
all of whom are rs innocent of the or
igin of the quoted circular as the
ModOc who penned- the circular from
the Rep Dem. The circular which has
moved the aniable gentleman of the
| Rep Dem to such an exhibition of saw
age wrath, originated with Repuhli-
cans, whose names can be given If
necessary, and who will not bulge at
the crack of the ringsters' lash. These
! Republicans requested Democrat
who attended the Fair in Ravenna, to
procure a copy of the Commissioners
journal for them. That Democrat
having other business to attend to, but
being acquainted with Mra Hatfield,
aud personal friend, requested him
to'proeure the copy. Mr.. Hatfield, TO
accommodate his friend, complied
with, his request, just as any gentle
man would have done. That is the
history, in brief, of the terrible circu-
lar 49,. ,s. ,,f
T; That there is Indignation among the
people in certain localities in the
county, Regardless of politics, because
of the appropriation, is, a fact not to
be trified with, and the people will not
be thrown from the trail by the shouts
Of the leeches who 1.-Two from the pub
lie crib and from the widows pittance.
They have their reasons for such in
dignatiOn, whether those reasons are
true or false il matters not, they are
satisfactory to many, and the press
that attempts to abuse them for acting
from their honest convictions, or Will
fies and attacks, with meanness that
would disgrace Camanche, those who
render to them the common acts of
courtesy, will find a just retribution in
due season. The Portage County Ag-
ricultural Society is not above criti
cism. 1t is not as exalted, it is not as
benificent, it is not of all the people, as
claimed by the Rep-Dem. circular. If
it is, the people will sustain it by vol
untary donations, and they have a just
right to object to any taxation to sus-
tain it. Portage county, compared |
with other counties, as regards Fairs,
is an exception. In Portage there are
five Independent associations, besides
the County association. All the inde-
pendent associations are self-sIs aiming
and are maintained in good condition
without aid from State funds or county
tax. In adjoining counties there are
no independent associations, but the
associations are maintained
without the aid of u county tax, and
are in a PROSPEROUS and flourisiling
Why is this so? Let me
state some of the reasons that are cur
rent in some localities in. the county.
are true. L am ignorant of all things
that pertain to Fairs save and except
The humbug part.) I only state what
is in the public air regarding. the Por-
tage County Agricultural Association.
1t is said that ring in certain local
ity has had control of the Fair for a
great many years that the ring has
run the institution for it's own benefit
and contrary to- the interests of the
public; that by exactions and bad man
sgement, the people We're driven away
from it. 1t is claimed that it was
several years ago. An ex-
from this vicinity claims
that twelve years ago an appropriation
was asked for, and he defeated it, the
being at that time $1,000 in
debt. 1t is also argued that the people
outside of small locality have no in
terest i'm the association. Garrettsville
has an, association, SO has Palmyra,
Deertield and Randolph, all aof which
are eselfsustaining, and the people, or
some of them, claim that they sustain
their own Fairs, and that they have a
right to complain II they are taxed to
sustain one that is not self-sustaining.
1t is claimed that the County associa-
ton Is of no benefit to the county, for
if it was it would not be bankrupt
The people will sustain anything, at
all times, if it is of benefit.
I have stated some of the reasons
that are talked of, whether true or
false l know not, as before stated. 1
only give the rumors. do not say the
is not in a fiourishing con-
IlitiOn that it is not a benefit, as much
as any association of the kind, that it
is not OF as great benefit as claimed by
the pattern of etiquette who penned
the Rep-Dem. circular-but / do adj
here to the Democratic doctrine that
the people have IA right to call their
to account, that they have
right to vote tax or no tax, that they
have right to criticize, to object, to
protest, to discuss, without the lash
being applied or being spit or spewed
upon by the pampered hireling of a
ring, clique or party. 1t is not the
mount of tax that is complained of; it
is the principle. individuals in Mel
,on may be entitled, in premiums, to