Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-06-09
TOLEDO, May ls, 1888:

|
Der Of your paper, from which the follow
ing Is taken, to-wit:
ain 1869 Waggcner was the editor and
rcputed owner OF tie Toledo Commercial,
the only morning Republican daily paper
in Lucas county, and confessedly the organ
of the party. In that year Lucas county
gave Il. B. Hayes l,403 majority over
George II. Pendlelon. This predominance
OF the Republican party gradually faded
away under the baneful influence OF Wag-
goner, and in 1878 Lucas county gave the
Democratic candidate for Secretary of
State 227 majority,a change in the nine
years o; WaggoneI's management of 1880,
and from Republicanism to rank Demo-
cracy. :" The facts in regard TO
| Waggoner's management and influence, as
understood by his enemies in Toledo, have
undoubtedly been presented to President
| Arthur. Such men as John i. Kumler
and Capt. Bowling, who are now on deck
and cordially hate Waggoner, are not
apt to let this opportunity slip e. injure
him."
Assuming that you have been imposed
| upon az TO the facts concerning the matters
to which you here refer, will submit a
brief abatement, the truthfnlness of which
will he sustained by the record
became connected with the Toledo
press ut the ciuse OF the campaign of 1855,
| 4 a..
date rst named there was in Lucas county
u Democratic majority OF 227, and in Tole.
do like majority OF 664. The following
year, (1s57), the Republicans elected
portion Of their county ticket; and in 1858
their entire ticket. During the ls years
following, and until after my retirement
| from the editorial management, The Repub-
hcdns ncrer fdiled 10 carry The county. their
majority in 1876 having been ], 1857, against
the Democratic majority Of 221, 20 years
before. You 1t t., that from and after
1867, the majority of |, ,403 then given Gov (,
Hayes, 'grnduallv faded away under the
baneful influence" OF my course. Now, the
record shows, that three years later, in
1872, the Republican MINORITY was 2,l70,
and in 1876, as already shown, il was ,361
or jus, SO less than in 1869. The "bane
/
change must have been essentially moder-
| ate.
But you carry your test to 1873 when the
Democratic plurality in Lncas county was
227; and for this result you would hold me
responsible, although, Ms already shown, |
left the press two years before that time
with Republican preponderance of 367.
The story of the "Greenback craze" winch
broke ont in 1877, the year following my
retirement, fully accounts for the Republi-
can reverse here; and am sure no candid
man in possession OF the facts would hold
me responsible for the consequences OF that
disturbing mania, against which, so long
rs | controlled press, perslstently fought,
aud which WINS SO materially promoted III
this county by the sudden and complete
change in the position III the paper on that
question, upon my withdrawal, which was
followed in 1877 by vote which placed the
Republicans third in the returns You
will thus see that the entire structure OF
ynur arraignment of my "baneiul inAu
euce" here il made II rest on the wrong
assumption that was controlling "the
organ of the party" when the reverse o
1877 occurred. Right here allow me to say
that no paper under my directions ever
was "the organ" Of anybody but its pro-
prietors.
What statements IN this connection have
or have not been presented to the Presi
dent ;" have no means Of knowing. You
understanding on that point may or may
not be correct. But tile above statcmem
of ",he facts of the case" l think NJ
; prudent man will undertake to call il
question.
1t is very true that during the period q
my editorial work in Toledo the Republi
can party was not without divisions rs t
local candidate; and / have never had rea
, son tn regret that | was party to sncl
+ divisions, 30 far as positive and persisten
: resistance t. office-bartering clique'
and sclf--conslituted "bosses" made m
i, snch. Two prominent cases OF this kin'
y were connected wi b the election OF Con
4, sressmen-one arising in Justification to
, " ard j. NJ Ashley in which opposed
him; and the other the bolt on A. NJ
Prall's nomination over Sherwood in 1874
when supported Pratt. The compara
tive effect Of the two cases on the part.
vote ia indicated by the fact, that whei
q Ashley was finally defeated in 1868, tn
+ Republican majority in the county wa
=, l,7S6, aud tour years later, with .Ashle
). back in the Democratic party, it was 2,l1I
, whereas, in tie case OF the bolt by Sher
: wond and his personal adherehtS hSalhs
, Pratt and in the interest Of Frank Hurd ii
= 1874, the majority ON the State ticket wa
reduced to 262, against the 2,l7O only tw
!. years before. Z. WAGGONER.
= The following paragraph in the forego
= ing letter was omit ed in publishing it il
the Register, to-wit:
' AS also bearing on the question Of til
"innuence" ut my connection with the o
> ca press, il vii not be out of place for III
here to add, that when established I'll
Tribune at Milan, in 1913, the Democrat
T. party were in power in Erie couniy;that ih
e Wings were successful there the next year
, and after publishing that paper for nearl.
y eight years, and being co-publisher d
the Register for about five years, left Il,
comfy in 1856, in which year the Reput
llcans had a majority there OF sSl on Pre-
ident. c. W.
', G.. \. Il. Encnmpmcnt.