The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-03-10

aDdnOOneu Sucl respectable anu effect
i've mode of securing his promotion. In
the event of his nomination, the ''ignor-
ant and incompetent Irish" could not fail
to see the necessity and propriety of be-
coming wildly enthusiastic in support OF
candidate who stood upon the elevated
platform which you erected for him.
In your profound and enlightened study
of county politics, have you ever realized
to what an alarming extent the Irish have
taken possession of our best county off
ces? There are eight of those offices for
which there is always good deal of COM
petition, because of their importance and
the fees and salaries which their incum-
bents receive, namely: sheriff, register of
deeds, treasurer, clerk of the circuit court,
comfy clerk. superintendent of schools,
district attorney, and county Judge. The
legislative offices, although positions of
great importance and responsibility, are
sought mainly on account of the honor
which they confer and the opportunities
for public distinction which they afford,
rather than for the salaries thereto at
tached. The Office of county surveyor
requires, for the proper discharge of its
duties, that the incumbent shall possess
qualifications of no mean order, but there
is ordinarily little more competition for
the place than for the Office of coroner;
because the remuneration allowed by law
IS less than private surveyors usually
charge for like services, and private
surveyor of good ability can find almost
as much employment in his calling as
though he held the Office. Now, leaving
out of consideration the Offices of mem
bers of the legislature, county surveyor,
and coroner, how many Irishmen have
been chosen to fill any of the eight offices
first above named, from the time this
county was organized until the year 1S80l
Just two,-Jere. Crowley and myself.
The present sheriff is looked upon as a
representative of the prescribed race, al
though he is native born American cit
izen, and this latter circumstance, it is
said, reconciled you to his election; but
even if he were to be included in the
number, we should then have the stupen-
dous total of three Irishmen whom the
history of this county shows to have oc-
cnpied any of those eight offices. No
wonder that good citizens like yourself
feel their souls agitated, when they re-
fleet upon the tremendous power which
the Ignorant and incompetent Irish" of
this county have arrogated to themselves,
and their intolerable disposition to "kick'
their fellow-citizens of other nationalities.
ought to be inflicted on them because of
their ''kicking" propensities, it must be
consoling to you to remember that al
though, at different times. three of their
number received democratic nominations
for the Office of sheriff, no Ignorant and
incompetent" fellow of Irish birth has
yet been elected to that position. BY
wisely continuing a similar course of
treatment toward them in the future, and
by constantly reminding them through
your editorials that they are ignorant
and incompetent" the success of the DEM
ocratic party, which you desire above all
things else, will be assured.
It is generally understood that Ameri-
can citizenship confers upon all adult
male citizens the right to vote and to be
elected to Office; and we know that when
native Americans organized the famous
Know Nothing party, with view TO a.
bridging or abrogating that right, the par
ty was denounced by men Of broad and
liberal mind, and was speedily swept out
of existence. But the policy of proscrip-
ton which natives of this country tried
and failed to establish in their own land,
may perhaps be worked successfully in
this county by one who was himself an
alien, and who was admitted to citizen
ship by the grace of that law from whose
hal re hn nIof n Ind ~
And then, as you say, there is an Irish
and American ring here whose power
must be broken. Let us inquire how the
American segment of the circle is consti-
tuted. The only gentlemen of American
birth who in recent years have held i'm
portant county offices here, and have also
been prominent in democratic councils,
are Senator Rankin, Mr.. Walker, and Mr..
Pierce. They are men of conceded abil-
ity, and [ believe that each of them in
turn has received your support. 1t is a
question whether some of them were not
assisted by you in convention, even as
against Germans. l am aware that you
deny this, but some people are so IN
charitable as not to credit the denial.
They have been nominated and elected,
just as all other officers are in this county
largely by the votes of citizens Of Ger
man origin. Is it possible that the Ger
mans, yourself among the number, have
made political ring which you now think
it your highest d1ty to break2 Or are
those not the gentlemen whom you had
in your minds eye when you wrote on
the subjects If not, please give US the
names of the American ringsters, that we
may know whether or not they are parti
ally creatures OF your own creation. In
return for your impartiality and entire
absence of personal feeling, so far as 1 am
concerned, [ beg to convey to you, in this
connection, my most profound admiration
for the exceeding modesty and good taste
which you, foreigner by birth, display
in proposing to exclude from official posi-
ton in this the land of your adoption,
not only the Ignorant and incompetent
Irish, but the very natives of the country
themselves. How proud your own coun
trymen must feel at this exhibition OF
your modest stiffness and humility!
If you had proclaimed this policy OF
yours before the death of the original
Knownothing party. what an excellent is
sue you would have furnished, and the
decease OF the organization might have
been prevented. You can comfort your
self however with the reflection that you
are doing valiant service in behalf of the
republican party, and the high estimation
in which republicans have always held
you must be increased by your present
efforts.
Another objection which you urge
against me-and you do it, of course
without any feeling of prejudice-is thai
am the cleft bower" of ring. I infer
from your general remarks that you are
dissatisfied with the game at present, and
propose now to deal the cards yourself
determined that your next hand shall in
clude something higher than sevenspots
But who is the right bower of the ring
Is it some one whose influence has beer
sc clearly felt for several years in this
county; who has always claimed to owl
western town, and to control its delega
tons at his own sweet will and pleasure
who has set up and pulled down candi
dates for register Of deeds, and sheriff
and clerk of the court, and county clerk
and member of assembly. and superiC