The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-08-12
NUMBER 10.
4 Practical Joke on the Ohio Demo.

The nominations of Mr.. Bookwalter
for Governor by the Democf@ts Of Ohio
is gradually taking on the appearance
of practical JOKE. When he was nomi-
mated he was known only as a f9eelthy
monopolist and manufacturer of Spring
field, Ohio, who had political bee
buzzing in his bonnet and was willing
10 pay handsomely to have it out. He
had nothing but his money to recon-
mend him to Democrats. But that
was enough. The purchasesble Demo-
Gratis wanted nothing else, and they
made iiiiH tltAit candidate amid g great
enthusiasm.
The newspapers Immediately began
to look up Bookwalter's record. The
srst discovery they made was that he
was Extremely unpopular in his own
town. ThoHeh he had Sfnassed q large
fortune in Springfield, he had not the
reputation OF being a philosophical
citizen. His name was never con-
spicuous on the subscription lists, and
his acts Of private charity, if there were
any, were Kept SO ex. remedy close that
his iownsnnen were in total ignorance of
them. It was next learned that Book
walter, who WIS nominated ON an anti
mohobol3 platform, had made his en-
tire fortune through a monopoly, and
that, while he was put forward as the
representative of free-tradets, he is
himsel, an NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. in theory
and practice.
But the most laughable discovery was
vet to come. It was known when Book
walter was nominated that his Democ-
raUy was Of paratively recent origin,
but it was SUPPOSED TO date at least from
the Greeley schism of 1872. This idea
is now shown to be wholly erroneous.
1t appears from lie letters addressed by
Bookwalter himself to the Democratic
newspaper at Jerseyville, Ili.-the COitT-
| 5er-that be never voted Democratic
ticket il his life until last November,
when he vo' ed for Hlrcock. Though
he pretended in 1872 to be in sympathy
with the Greeley movement, we have
his own word for it that he voted for the
re election of Gen. Grant in that year.
As lately as September OF last year he
VS. masQuerading in Illinois as "a
wea't !y Ohio Republican who had
seen She error Of his ways. Moreover;
he says in q letter dated Sept 30, 1880 :
"I have yet to cast my Fl st Demo
cratic vote. I did not vote for Tilden
for reasons sufficient to myself.
The reasons Sufficient " to Bookwal-
ter for MOI voting for Tilden are pre-
sumed to lie that the latter was a Demo
cratic free-Iader. Gen. Hancock, on
the other hand, believed the tariff to be
ia local ISSUE" which came up once in
his native town in Pennsylvania, and
Bookwalter cordially subscribed to this
opinion.
These letters put the Democrats OF
Ohio in a most embarrassing position.
No Northern State, unless it be Indiana,
contains more moss-backed, dved-in-th
wool, never-say- de-" la,t-oitch Bour.
bon Democrats than the State of Ohio.
It is wounding these patriots in The
tendere3t spot, insulting their intelh
gence, and trampling on their dearesi
preiudices to ask them to support 8
Guberna torial candidate who voted the
stlaiGht Republican ticaet all his Ii
until IL November, ard only then cast
his fts6 Democratic vote, just nine
months ago.
The confession of Bookwalter is com.
plete and exhaustive. He said emphati-
cally 10 his published letter of Sept. 80,
1880: Z" [ have yet TO cast my first
Democratic vote" He was then il
Nebraska, and did not return 10 Ohio fol
TIE October election. His first Demo
cratic vote was, therefore, cast Nov. 2
1880, for Hancock and English. Unit
then he had never voted once for Dem
ocratic State, county, city or Congress
sional ticket. He did not vote Tor Til
den FOR President, for reasons, he says
best known to himself, or for he old vet
eran, Bill Allen, Or Uncle Dick Bishop
or Gen. Tom Ewiog fer Governor. Ht
has borne none Of the heat or burden O
the day; yet he expects the friends O
men he never supported to support an
make him Governor
The nomination OF Bookwalter is al
aff.ont to every Democrat in the State
It is public notice that fidelity to the
party, long and faithful service, and I'M
compromising belief in Democre K
principles do not constitute title to I'd
vancement in that party; that wher
the Democrats want candidate for 3
high Office they must go outside and
take an apootate Republican like Gen
Ewing or Bookwalter; and that the
party must continually apologize to it'
candidates for its past record Accord
ing to this theory The newer the CONVEX
the better, for the less extensive then il
his personal responsibility for the mis-
deeds of Democracy. But this is view
of the case that consistent Democrats
will not be likely to subscribe to. i
looks very much as If the nomination O
Bookwalter was farcica1 trick played
upon the verdant Democrats by a lot O
wags brought to the convention in spe
cial trains. Thousands Of Democrats
will reuse to vote Tor this fresh
young convert, who has not yet served
his probation. He will be withdrawn
either before the election or after it, anG
his political career will be as brief as i
has been iDglorious. Chicago Tribune