The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-09-02
COUNTY CONVENTION.

The Democratic County Convention at
Z Ottawa on Thursday was not very largely
attended, ten or eleven towns being un.
represented, the reason being, no doubt,
that there was no other business to attend
to than to appoint delegates to the State
Convention at Springfield on the It'll, in re.
gard TO which the county feels no special
interest," having no favorlte candidates to
urge in that body
The only name mentioned in the conven.
tion with reference to state nomination
was that of Frank Hall for Superintendent
of Public Instruction. There is a feeling
no doubt largely prevalent among demo.
Gratis that little regard should be had to
politics In the selection of that officer, so
that II otherwise his qualifications are of
the highest order, no serious objection
would be made to Mr.. Hall because he hap.
pens to have been nominated by the green.
packers. Yet the members of the conven.
lion knew SO little about him that they were
not ready to adopt resolution in his favor,
though the delegates appointed to go to
Springfield are understood to feel friendly
enough towards him to favor his nomlna.
ton If upon further inquiry they find him
all right. While the greenback party is
probably on its last pins, 1t may be of
some interest, when the dissolution takes
place, to know on which side of the fence
the democratic or republlcan-Mr. Hail is
likely to land.
There were delegates in the convention
on Thursday from portions of the county
sufficiently scattered to enable one to gath.
er from all a pretty definite idea of the gen.
eral feeling and outlook of the party in the
county. So far as the contest this fall is
concerned, it Is almost needless to say, the
confidence of the delegates was positive
and unanimous that the democrats can car.
~ this county by handsome majority If
they will use common sense IN the selec-
tlon OF their candidates. 1t would be folly
to overlook the fact, that while democrats
always prefer to vote for men of their own
Xix, party feeling with them, as with many
honest republicans, is not so strong but
they will vote for an eminently eligible and
competent candidate of the opposite party
rather than for a poorly qualified and un-
desirable candidate Of their own. The only
sure way to achieve the victory in this
county this fall within our easy reach, then,
Is to exercise the utmost care, and make
every sacrifice of personal feeling and pre-.
objection, to make sure OF having the best
ticket In the field. Any three sensible men,
laying aside all prejudice, all prediction,
all friendship or personal obligation, can
sat down and pick out ticket that they
kno0 the democrats of this county next fall
can elect. Now cannot the 100 or more
men who will constitute the democratic
nominating convention on the Goth inst /
exercise the same amount of common
sensei The democrats Of this county have
70 often been beaten heretofore by their
foolish nominations that this kind of talk
N advance of the coming convention is
The action of every member of
hat body will be watched, and the chronic
If he fe-appears there, will not
,scape detection and excoriation for what
'ver mischief that may be found chargeable
o his account