davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31
DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION
THE OFFICIAL CALI.

The Democrats of the State of Illinois
and all other citizens dissatisfied with the
demoralizing political methods of the Re
publican party, and with the corrupt and
extravaganza system Of administration in
| state and national affairs inaugurated and
now practiced by that party, are requested
TO meet in State Convention at Peoria, on
"Wednesday, July I'd, 1884, at ~ O'Clock
noon. for the following purposes:
|. To appoint state delegation 70 the
National Democratic Convention, con
vened at Chicago, Tuesday, July 8,
1884, said delegation TO consist of four
delegates from the state at large, and
their alternates, and two delegates from
each of the twenty congressional districts
of the state, and their alternates.
. The nomination of a presidential
electoral ticket, 10 consist Of two candidates
for presidential elector from the state at
large, and one candidate for presidential
elector from eaC h of the congressional dis
trcts of the state
3. The nomination of candidates for
each of the following state Offices;
Governor.
Lieutenant Governor.
Secretary of State
State Treasurer.
Auditor of Public Accounts.
Attorney General
/. The appointment of State Central
Committees and the transaction of any
other business that may he presented Tor
consideration.
The delegation of each county shall an
nounce it, vote by its chairman, whenever,
during the proceedings OF the convention,
"A vote is taken by counties; except that
when the county of Cook is called the dele
gates from each of the four congressional
districts within the limits of said county
shall announce their vote by chairman
chosen by themselves
The delegates from each county, except
ing Cook county, and from each congress
sional district of Cook county shall, previ-
Gus To the meeting of the convention, de
termine for themselves whether the vote
of the county ar of the congressional dis
trict they represent shall be cast in a unit
or otherwise, and upon making this deter
mination. the chairman of each delegation
shall report its determination 10 the Secre
tarv of the State Central Committee. If
anv delegation fail to thus determine and
report the method of casting its vote, the
secretary of the convention shall record
the vote of said delegation as announced
hy its chairman.
BY order of the committee,
john II. OBERLY, Chairman
". J. MIZE, Secretary.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31
1904.
The Free Trader,

The Free Trader,
During the ensuing political campaign,
will be the same RELIABLE, PRACTICAL,
USEFUL AND soLIDLY DEMOCRATIC paper
II has always been
II will as ever be Democratic only
journal representative of the party at the
county seat, where the conventions meet,
and where will he the headquarters for the
campaign.
II confidently relies upon not only Dem
Ocrats, bat all who desire TO be fully posted
on home matters, for continuance Of the
liberal support it has received in the past
Especially would it urge upon Demo
Gratis an increase of its circulation, to the
end that its influence upon the preSidcn-
tial canvass of the year may be the more
extended and greater
In accordance with our past custom dur
ing presidential campaigns we will send
the FREE TRADER to Nar Subscribers
from May lst 10 December Isl, or seven
months from any date beginning in May,
for - cents cash in advance
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

President Fish, of the Marie Bank, who
was SO largely and discreditabk connected
with the swindling operations II the firm
of Grant " Ward, makes, in sell defense a
statement which involves Gen Grant in a
painful manner He declares TINT he has
letters in his possession written TO him by
Gen, Grant in 1882 saying that me firm of
Grant IL Ward have valuoble government
contracts. The statement causes the great
est establishment, not ody because the rev,
Citations made since TIE Grant Il Wartl fail
ure show that there never were any such
contracts, but stillmore, because it was du.
ring Gen. Grants administration that the
law was changed 50 as to require all con
tracts TO be let to the lowest bidder after
thirty days advertisement. There. cannot
be any secrecy about the contracts for gov
ernment supplies, and there is no possible
way In which political or personal in
fluence could secure them. The President
himself could not control any matter Of The
kind without making himself liable to I'M.
parchment, and all contracts for lndiansup.
plies in which Ward represented tha he
was largely interested are let by the Bhrd
of Indian Commissioners, a body compSed
Of representatives of the several religious
denominations, who act with the Combs.
sioner of Indian Affairs and the AssiSnt
Attorney General for the Interior Dept.
ment If the statement of Fish ShouldSe
verified, it would leave a stain upon te
reputation of Gen. Grant that noting
could ever effaCe.
1t is due, however, to Gen, Grant, 10 81
that since the statement of Mr.. Fish VT
made public, the letters 10 him of Cd
Grant, to which allusion is supposed to
made, have been published and do nj
bear out the account Mr. Fish gives
them. They are, in fact, entirely inn
cent missiveS, do not indicate any know
edge of the pretended contracts and mai
no specific reference beyond the vague de
laration of an opinion that the business
Grant n Ward was safe one
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

first and only ballot resulting in 393 votes
for Ben F, Butler, - for Jesse Harper,
for Allis and for David Davis, For Vice
Preside Il Gen, A. NJ. West. of Missouri
was nominated by reclamation.
A committee was appointed TO wait upon
and inform the candidates of their nomina
ton, and then the convention adjourned
There is some talk of bolt on Butler
there having been at least 100 negatives on
the motion TO make his nomination unani
nous Colorado bolts because Butler l.
opposed to the free coinage of silver and
Alabama, Tennessee and Florida will
probably bolt him on the ground of gen
eral cussedness"
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

There was a somewhat singular occur
renee in Henry Ward Beecher's church last
Sunday morning. Among the auditors of
the famous Brooklyn divine was Remen,
vi, the great Hungarian violinist At the
close of the services Beecher invited him
up to the stand and asked him to give "A
few specimens of his skill upon the violin,
Remenyi complied by playing the Hupga.
rian national church hymn and some other
sacred pieces. Beecher thanked him, and
said he hoped in his own country, to
which he was about to return, Remenyi
would have one thousandth part of the hap
piness his skill had caused in this country.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31
FOOL OR KNAVE2

! There il perhaps more charity IMAM Sc
we're and exact Justice in the general dis.
position to acquit Gen. Grant OF the very
serious charge made against him by Mr..
Fish of endorsing the government con
tracts Ward claimed to his dupcs To be
engaged in as real and genuine, The let
ters of Gen Grant in which this endorse
ment is claimed TO be made, on being pro
duced do certainly not, without some
,training, bear such "A construction. Fish
writes TO Grant and says in effect 81 have
endorsed and discounted paper for the
firm of Grant Il Ward to the amount Of
5000, 900, to be used in filling certain gov
eminent contracts, and as you and | are no
doubt general partners in the house Of
Grant Il Ward, and Ward is making free
use of the influence Of your name hadn't
we, aS older and wiser heads, better meet
and look over the affairs of the young men
and give them the benefit of our advice ="
Gen Grant replies and says, "Thank you
for that loan of 100000 Yes-we ought
to look into the affairs of our firm, and
will try to meet you at 3 o'clock to do So"
And then, in a subsequent note, written by
Ward but signed by Grant, he adds ~
think your investment is safe" and am
willing Ward shall make all he can for
the firm by the use of my name and in.
1uence"
But while this correspondence may be
charitably construed as failing to pin Grant
in black and white as cognizant of and en-
dorsing Wards claim for the firm of be
ing concerned, through Grants influence,
in large government contracts; yet, in view
of the claim of Grant and his two sons of
total ignorance of the whole business of
government contracts" in which Ward
claimed TO he engaged, in what sort of Il
plight does it leave them? Ward kept IA
book which he was wont 10 show TO his
dupes, in which he had list of twenty or
more government contracts entered which
he pretended the firm was engaged in, and
on which, month by month, he entered the
profits the firm was making, amounting toI
Il million or more in single year As
of the firm Grant and the boys
had access to this book Fish had seen it
and called Gen. Grants special attention 10
it, Yet neither Grant himself, or Fred or
Buck Grant ever knew anything about it
They devoted their entire time and atten.
ton to the affairs of the firm they put into
il their own entire fortunes and those of
their wives and fathers in. law and mothers
in law; and yet they knew nothing of the
firms operations! They were full partners
of the firm; they attended to its business
every day for four years; they drew on the
profits regularly and literally; yet not one
Of them knew anything Of the methods of
the firm, how its amazing liabilities of $l4,- |
100000 were piled up, or where its enor,
nous profits came from Was there ever
business idiocy more glazing than this, or,
il it was not idiocy, what other name is
there for it if nOt-rascaityy
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

The standing joke in Washington is the
eagerness with which Pitt Kellogg, the
odorous member from Louisiana, Is begging
for committee 10 whitewash him He
recently escaped conviction on charge of
bribery in District court by admitting the
charge but pleading the statute of limita.
tons, and now wants a committee of Con.
gress to plaster over the huge blotch that
transaction has left upon his character. He
needsa committee headed by Mr. William
Walter Phelps, who did such a beautiful
job for Blaine when disfgured by the Mul
ligan letters pitch, and who recently gave
Kiefer quite calcimining.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31
Personal.

HEIREss.-To Mr.. and Mrs. A. Il. Grggs-s
daughter.
ANrmoNr--Mrs, II. NJ. Anthony has gone
East 10 spend the summer.
HoME.-J. f. Porter and 7. w. ID. Crane
have returned from their Nebraska trip
DEGEN Il. IL j, Dcgen have purchased the
vacant lot on the southwest corner Of Madison
and Clinton streets.
DgAD.-Joseph Brennan, uncle of assistant
marshal Brennan, died on Monday at the adj
vanced age Of so years.
CoRSHLL-Oliver Cornell contemplates re.
moving to Lincoln, Neb, as soon as he can
settle his affairs in Ottawa
HARRY Harry Baumgardner, a clerk in \
store at ulyssis, Nebraska, is home ON short
visit to his parents in South Ottawa
TARGET w. H. Gilman has opened a
shooting gallery in the stone block southeast
corner OF Main and Columbus streets.
RERD.-Miss Fannie Reed, who has of late
years given considerable time to the study of
elocution, has decided to continue her studies
next winter at Boston.
PHTERs.-Rcv. Madison c. Peters, of the
Presbyterian church, has rendered his resig.
nation as pastor, to take effect August LIST.
He has in view the pastorate of one of several
prominent churches in large cities
ERIg.-Mr. Geo. Michclbach, who is and
has been for twenty and odd years freight
agent of the New York IL Erie Railroad, with
headquarters at Burlington, n Y, is in the
city, visiting his siSter-in-law, Mrs. Doll, in
East Ottawa.
LA.-La Sale Democrat: "A. J. OConor.
Esq, left last Tuesday for Leadville, Col, on
professional business. The gentleman will be
gone about two weeks. r. Lucey has re
turned from business trip through Nebras-
ka. While out there he bought 1000 acres of
fine land in Held county"
BRIwsTER-T. ID, Brewster, one Of the
early settlers of Peru, this comfy, paid the
county seat visit this week. Mr.. b. is one
Of the few persons who are afflicted with
birthday anniversaries o. only once in four
years-Fcbruary 10Th, For one who has
reached nearly four score years Mr.. Brewster
is still hale and pleasant gentleman.
MASuMENT.-Ba Baldwin IL Priseer, of this
city, have just completed a handsome monu.
ment for the grave Of Louis Greener, Streator
one Of the victims of the Otter Creek disaster
They are also making another for the graves
of Mrs. Henderson and daughter, whose
deaths it will be remembered occurred at the
same time. This firm have good reason to be
proud of their success.
SUGAR-BowL.-J. Y. Gilmore, editor and
prietor Of the Louisiana Sugar Bout, published
at New Orleans, was the guest this week of
II. j. Logan and family, of the first ward
Twenty-Five years ago Mr.. Gilmore was
resident of the north, and printer in some
of the offices of the west. He likes the south
however and the frosty mornings of the past
week have caused many shiyering longings
for the sunny home.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

90 to England and pay its tax, then 70
France and pay again, then to Germany
and make third payment, and then to t
ally and pay fourth tax-and the iWr
payments all put together would not ad''l'
it into the United States. They would r.
gregate about 27l5, while we charge 80 IN
lump. And yet of all people on the i'ce
of the wide earth, we have the least need
of any tariff at all. In the face of all tbs,
however, our tariff is not merely little, p''
manifold higher than that of any civilized
power-Russia alone excepted,
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

About every Republican State convention
to appoint delegates to the national conven-
ton passed resolution commenting Ar
thurs administration but winding up by
appointing delegates in favor of some
other man. In other words, the Republican
party, in list actian at Chicago, by rejecting
Arthur, will virtually lead him to the door
and pitch him down stairs with the re
mark: "You have made one of the best
Presidents the country has ever had-now
pit -
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

The United States tariff is the heaviest
in the civilized world. England on her az
gregate imports, collects about per cent,
duties; France, : OF = per cent; Germany
about the same; Italy about 0; Russia is
high above these-23l5 per cent The
United States towers above them all in her
tariff, with 30 per cent. on aggregate i'm
ports; 49, per cent. average on all taxed
commodities The first American tariff
only kept pace with others-sis per cent.
But We have improved. We excel our for
mer selves. fourfold. A mixed cargo could
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

The Democrats stole another seat in Con
gress yesterday, making no pretcnse of be
ing fair and honest Mckinley, one of the
Ohio delegation, was unseated by vote of
ljS To l0S, seven Democrats voting with
the Republicans against the resolution
Mckinley had in 1882 a majority of eight
votes This illustrates the danger of small
ma0rities. Democrats do not respect them,
and it will be necessary for the Republi
cans of Mckinlcy'S district to reflect him
by majority of at least lO0O-iater
Oc6dH.
The evidence before Congress showed
that Mckinley was allowed majority of s
votes by Republican returning board that
had thrown out a number of votes cast for
his Democratic opponent, Wallace, because
number of ballots for the latter were mis-
spelled, such as "Wallas," "Walloce,"
"Walloc," &c The marvel, however, is
how any Republican paper can have the
cheek to complain of Democrats stealing
seats in Congress- and having mo respect
for small maiorities.' The fact is, that
the Republicans in like cases during their
reign of twenty years in Congress neither
respected large or small majorities. From
the case of Gen. Shields, who in 1868 was
elected to Congress from Missouri by over
1900 majority but was unseated, down To
the Republican house.a year ago, there is
not Il case on record where in contest be
tween Democrat and Republican the
Republican was not seated, no matter what
the honest majority may have beenagainst
| him
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

"A platform was adopted claiming pro.
lection as the true policy of the United
States until other nations shall pay equally
high wages 10 workmen as we do"
The above refers to "A recent protectonis'
convention in Ohio, but is equally applica.
BILE TO about every republican or protection
Isl convention which is held. 1t ignores
one important fact, which is brought out
in an elaborate and interesting report pre-
pared by Sir John lIawkshaw recently for
the London Statistical Society we believe,
II shows by irrefragible figures that in real.
ity there is very little difference in the
cost of the result of labor the world over,
because, where wages are low, II is found
70 be uniformly necessary 10 hire more Ia
bOrers to get the same amount OF labor
done
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31
THE GREENBACKERS

The National Convention of the Green
back party met at indianapolis on Tuesday
and its proceedings were as earnest and
stormy as if its action really amounted to
something There were about 800 regular
delegates in attendance, with two or three
hundred alternateS and supernumeraries
Though Il large majority of the delegates
came instructed for Ben Butler, there was
the body that seemed intent on making
trouble. This was manifested from the
beginning in the trouble they made over
the organization, but which was finally
quoted by placing James b. Weaver of
Iowa, in the chair.
They We're again troublesome in the
committee on resolutions, where they
fought against resolution endorsing But
Ter and insisted on resolution recognizing
no greenbacker of less than five years
standing as good enough to be their candi-
date for the presidency. The wrangle in
the committee continued nearly two days
and resulted finally in majority and two
minority reports the latter disagreeing
with the majority mainly for rejecting wo-
mans suffrage and national prohibition rs
planks in the platform.
As reported by the majority and adopted
by the convention, the platform has thir-
teen blanks. in substance endorsing and re-
Iioicing in the recent legal tender decision
,of the Supreme Court of the United States;
the practice of granting public
bands 10 railroad and other monopolies; de-
manding national supervision and control
Of the railroads; the levy of an income
FAX; a shortening CT the term Of |. ;. sena-
doris; the prohibition of the importation of
contract labor; favOring wise revision OF
che tariff" but regarding the question as
compared with the financial
issues" favoring submission of the
euestion of woman's suffrage to vote of
,te people, and declaring in favor OF liber-
a nens,oning of disabled soldiers of the
fate war.
q Having with tolorable unanimity adopt
vi this platform, the convention proceeded
q, ballot for a candidate for President the
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

there has been has VIGOROUSLY been in a
way to render the party sill more obnox'
ious 10 the Germans. The German vote OF
the State amounts 10 enough TO swamp any
party that provokes It's hostility, and that
hostility the Republican party has provoked
in way so offensive and contemptuous that
ycns not 10 resent il 10 a man
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

The rot" which for months past has
ragged 50 violently among bank presidents
and cashiers, has got into the government
offices ut Washington. Col J. o. T. Burn.
side, disbursing clerk in the p, o. De
partment, has been caught ut embezzling
$4,000, which he wasted in stock
gambling, and has been dismissed in dis
grace and turned over 10 the courts for
prosecution
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

The GOODNESS with which not only |
pubicans but Democrats in their figurin
on the presidential probabilities of ~
put down Illinois rs one of the sure |
publican States, is almost provoking.
very little thought will show that, VIII
ever may have been the case heretofo
the Democrats of Illinois in the contest
1894 have at least good fighting chance
win For example, in 1880 Cook cour
gave Garfield 10000 majority. Does a
one believe that the Democrats next 4
will carry Cook county by less than 1910
majority: La Sale county in 1880 ga
Garfield 633 major Lastye the Den
Gratis carried the county by 1000 major
and il would be ridiculous to claim |,
than 900 Democratic majority in La Sa
county next fall There are at least
other counties in the State where I
Democrats can rely with confidence
equal gains over 1880, while there is no
county in which they ought to lose on
vote of that year. The ground If I
Democratic confidence Is no secret. Sin
1880 the Republican party has been aim
bodily deserted by the German vote I'll
loss has been ON account of the attitude
the Republican party on the temperar
question. Has that attitude changed a
in the last two years. Whatever chan
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

Among the banks that have recently
gone to the wall is the Penn bank at Pitts
burg, and it is the same old story,-the
bank fails because its money has been
stolen by its officers, In the case of this
Pittsburg concern, il comes out that It's
president, and possibly some other officers
Of the bank-got badly nipped in specula-
tons in oil, To keep up their margins
and cover their losses they borrowed the
money of the bank under fictitious names.
Thus among others ID. Wilson & Co, are on
the books as having overdrawn their &C
counts $2j0000 while in fact there was no
such firm, the overdrawing having been
done by the bank officers themselves The
bank is short 81 100000 TO its depositors,
who will never realize 5 cts on the dollar.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-31

! MEMORIAL DAY was formally observed in
Ottawa yesterday, and the occasion will long
! be remembered as one of the most successful
demonstrations of the kind that has occurred
for several years. The weather was all that
| could have been dcsired-a marked contrast
to the day one and two years ago. Earl Post
q. A. X. laoorcd with enthusiasm, ably as
sisted by the Memorial Association, for this
success, and they justly earned it. The pro
cesson was marked feature of the occasion.
1t formed on Madison street. with the right
resting on La Sale, and was composed of a
platoon of police, Fitzgcralds Band in full
uniform, Company d, Earl Post, the Fire De
partment, +. Y. Griggs Temple p. c., follow
ed by the president and orators of the day,
the city council and disabled soldiers in car
riages. The line of march was north on LA
Sale to Washington, east on Washington 10
Columbus, south on Columbus to the south
east gate of the square, through which the
procession passed to the stand near the mon
umcnt. As the head of the column reached
Lafayette street the scholars of the city
schools to the number of at least thousand
who had been formed in line on the sidewalk
on Columbus and Washington streets filed
west on Lafayette to La Sale, thence north 10
the southwest gate, where they entered the
square soon after the societies had come into
position with open ranks. Through these
double ranks the little ones marched, each
bearing boquct Of flowers, and rs they Az
rived al the marble shaft they placed their
floral Offering upon the base of the monu-
ment This feature was the prettiest and one
of the most interesting of the entire day. The
address by Rev. W. F. Day was fine piece of
oratory and IA glowing tribute to the fallen
heroes and their living comrades. Lack of
time and space forbids a more extended no
ticc of these exercises, but suffice it to say
that all who were present, and the crowd was
large, enjoyed them all. The committees
we've subsequently token to the several'ccme-
teries, where the graves of all soldiers were
decorated.