The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-10-07
sHuErLINa AND pICKERING.

SHUFFLING AMI UlChEnlNu'
Politicians hereabouts both OF the Dem
ocratic and Republican persuasion, are
doubtless pretty well satisfied by this time
that IN figuring out election results, ifthey
are to look to the local German press Ter
guidance, the German vote IN their calcu-
latlons must be regarded as an exceedingly
uncertain quantity. Naturally, as the only
live question at Issue in our state ana
county elections this year is that of prohi-
bition, the Germans, who almost to man
are anti.prohib should side with
the Democrats, who are equally decided
and outspoken on that question. But
while the agreement between the Dem
ocrats and Germans is sufficiently plain
and definite in principle, experience shows
that no principle, however important or
sacred, is strong enough to overcome the
promptings of personal pique, spite, am
bihon or greed, AT least so far as their
press of this county is to be relied upon
alliance of the Germans with either Dem
ocrats or Republicans seems to be SIN
gularly vagrant and capricious. We judge
SO OF course from the tone of their papers,
laying claim TO no other or more definite
knowledge. The Germans Of the county
have two organs-the lV0cheH6ldH and the
Herold, both published in Ottawa-and
while few pipes IN the respective organs
give forth different sounds, in the main
they play III unison.
To begin with the HerOld. 1t places at
the head of its editorial columns the whole
Democratic ticket, from Governor down,
claims to be democratic sheet outand-
out, and to support the nominees Of the
party. In hosting the county ticket it
takes pains to commend most of the can
didates by name, and is especially hyfalu
tin IN its laudation of Mr.. Raymond,
"whose name" 1t says, 'resounds IN the
ears of the people of La Sale county full
and clear like the tones Of an immaculate
bell, that roll on and on in tremulous
waves &c. 1t makes one important ex-
reasons, of the nature of which no inllma-
ton is gwen, the editor is constrained to
support Thomas Clark, the republican
nominee for sheriff, in preference to vii.
liam r. Milllgan, the Democratic nomi-
nee. Mr.. Milligan is admitted to be first
class man-honest, capable, and all that,
mt ~ .styn IN
our friend Thomas Clark" As both MIL
ligan and Clark are American born and
raised, of course nationality can exercise
no influence IN the case Unexplained, the
rejection OF Mllligan alone In the entire
Democratic list of nominees, and the pref
erence shown for man like Clark, looks
like an inexplicable and grotesque bit of
caprice.
Then comes the IV0shenbldh. This ed
itor prints both the Republican and Dem
ocratic tickets at his editorial head IN par
allel columns, but IN his comments con-
cedes that every impartial mind, III con.
templatlng the two tickets, must reach the
conclusion that the Democratic ticket con-
tains more names OF men well-known for
their liberal views than the Republican
in short, that the leanings of the latter are
decidedly in favor of the hateful temper
ance fanatics, and "our conclusion is there.
fore unavoidable that the Democratic tick.
et--at least the greater part of twill re
ceive the support of the body of the Ger.
man voters of the county" The editor,
however, thinks that at least three of the
Republican candidates are untainted by
the temperance poison, to-wit: John c.
Smith, candidate for state auditor, Anton
Birkenbuel, candidate for county treasurer,
and Thomas Clark, candidate for sheriff,
and these alone the editor concludes of all
the republican NOMINEES to support
The disagreement of these editors in re.
gard to John G. Smith and Mr.. Raymond
is no less remarkable than their agreement
IN regard to Mr.. Clark. AS to the Herold
man his opposition to Milligan is at least
capable of exploitation. For weighty rea-
sons to the editor, it is understood he de.
sired of Mr. Milligan in advance of his
election, a pledge to make certain ap.
pointment, and Mr.. Millgan refused to
give the pledge. Mr. Clark may have
been more complacent But has Mr.
Clark agreed TO grind the same kind of an
axe for the IVOehenblau?
But looking at this whole business from
sensible standpoint, is it not an exhibi.
ton exceedingly bizarre and ridiculous?
Here are two little whipper-snapper ed
itors, neither of whom is the equal IN
brains of 95 of hundred of the German
voters Of the county, assuming to swap of,
sell out and dispose of the German vote of
the county as if they carried it IN their
breeches pockets, while two-thirds OF these
same German voters may hardly be con.
scious of their existence. As rule, the
Germans of this county are people of ed.
ucation, and the idea that couple OF LIT.
tie Ottawa quill-drivers, backed by local
clique of ring managers, can buy, sell and
trade of that vote at will escapes being an
unpasdpnsble insult only on account OF its
excessive absurdity.