Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1882-09-20

1NAsMUcH as Edwin French was dis
pleased with our insertion of comment
on his political career in the reporters &C.
count of the Alliance meeting, we pro-
pose this week to meet his idea of news
paper article by raising him to the digni-
ty of a subject for an editorial. Last
week we called Mr.. Edwin French, of
Window, an acrobatic topper from one
party to another, and accused him of
working with the Greenbackers in this
county. This Mr.. French positively de-
MES, as may be seen by today's report of
the last Alliance meeting, and he charges
our reporter with writing lies for pay.
MIR. French either has an imperfect mem
DRY, or he has changed parties so often
that nothing but set of double entry
books can keep him informed of his past
action, for he was foolish enough to chal-
lenge us, or any one else, to prove that
he ever took part in Gpenback conven-
ton. Now, we not only repeat our accu-
sations of last week, but we proceed to
prove them. And we hope Mr.. French
will thank us for this bit of his history;
for it will secure him the Greenback vote
this fall, if he succeeds in becoming the
nominee of the Alliance for County Aud
itor-a position which we are told he is
earnestly but covertly seeking.
At Dexter, Oct. 9th, 1877, convention
was called to order by Maj. Hotchkiss,
the Greenback leader, in these words:
"As the people are without organization,
somebody has got to call this convention
to order, and as have heard to-day that
this is old Hotchkiss' convention I
ought to do it," And he did. The plat
form adopted that day began as follows:
"The independent voters of Mower coun-
ty, in convention assembled, declare the
following principles" In this conven-
ton, which was known as a Greenback,
anti-bond, anti-Republican convention,
Mr.. French was present as delegate,
and received Al votes as nominee
for the office of Clerk of the District
Court. This also established beyond a
doubt that Mr.. French has not always
been Republican, nor worked constant
~ with the party, as he declares.
Oct "a, 1878, THE National Greenback
Labor Party" under the leadership of
Hotchkiss, the publisher of Greenback
organ at the time, held its convention in
this city. Mr.. French was elected Secre.
tary, and 50 served. The Democrats met
the same day. The two parties fused,
each naming its share of the candidates.
The ticket was made for the avowed pur-
pose of defeating the recognized Repub-
lican party. This not only proves Mr..
French's treachery to the Republican par
ty, but it proves that he has worked in
Greenback convention, and that che has
trained with that crowd" a thing which
he asserts he did not do.
Another Greenback convention was
held at Dexter, Aug 26th, 1879, in which
Mr.. French figured as a delegate from
Window, and in which he nominated E..
Bigelow. for County Supt. of Schools. If
this was not a Greenback convention why
was it so called? Why did it fuse with
the Democrats7 Why did Hotchkiss lead
it, Why was Mr.. Bigelow asked if he
were Greenbacker, before the delegates
would vote for him7 This was a Green
back convention, and Hotchkiss would
Indignantly spurn any other name for it.
Will Mr.: French deny the record?
Must we produce more of the proof in
our possessien1 What is he doing now2
Laboring for the nomination of ticket
to beat the Republicans. He is for any
good farmer, be he Republican, Demo
crat OF Greenbacker. And he says that
there are so many points in the Green
hackers creed in harmony with his views,
that he will not now say that he will new
er.be a member of that party in the fu-
ture. Mr.. French may be Republican,
but ':he has not worked much at it" since
he has basked in the effulgent glory of
Page and Hotchkiss. He means to do
right, but he has gone wrongly so long,
that wrong now seems right to him. He
is an unsafe man for political work, for
he cannot keep track of his own history,
and has always been on the losing side.
It is easier to tell what he isn't than what
he is, for he works in all sorts of convex
tions, fuses with all kinds Of parties, and
as systematically absndons them all, and
denies them as Peter did his Lord. Now.
II ia a fart that Edxuin Eronch 10.