Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-02
Geo. Hiles and the Town of Grant.

Our people at last began to realize
what might be done in the state iegis-
lature by even as feeble man as Hiles
when backed by money end a powerful
Railroad Corporation, unless they
showed to the members of the legisla-
ture that Mr.. Nash was supported in
his opposition to the bill by the rep
resentative men of the county irres-
pective of party, or locality.
On Monday evening last, John
Edwards, r. G. Lyon, Henry Kuntz,
E. Lavigne, Edward Lynch, Nels
johnson, W. T. Jones, Geo. r. Gard
ner, L. Ward, w. P Wheelihan, L.,
Pitts, and some others whose names
we did not get, went to Madison to
enter their protest in behalf of the
people of the county against the pass
age of the bill intended "to give Geo.
Hiles town."
Judging from the result they made
themselves heard; for Notwithstanding
the large amount of railroad influence,
passes, money, free champagne, cheek
and burr and buster brought to its
support by the able men mentioned in
our last issue, the bill met with an
ignominious defeat in the assembly
Yesterday morning in vote of 81 for
to 81 against it.
It is to be hoped that Hiles and his
supporters will learn that the ways OF
civilization are dawning upon us; that
the era of frontier barbarities is a
thing of the past. That if he would
succeed in the future he can not ride
rough shod over the rights Of others.
Men have a sense of justice that can
not be ruthlessly offended. Inc worst
rufian if successful and rich will
always have his supporters but they
will never form even respectable
minority of the whole community.
Geo. Hiles has never injured US to the
amount of a dollar, and there are
hundreds that can say the same, yet
there are those that he has wronged
and injured by the high-handed meth
cd in which he persisted in conducting
the affairs of the late town of Dexter.
and for this we opposed him. The
enc who will not reach out his hand
to stop thief merely because it is not
his goods that were stolen is unworthy
of citizenship in any civilized commu-
nifty and is but little better than the
thief.
We would not stand by and see Geo.
Hiles wantonly injured in his person
or property by any one. Nor do we
believe that the opposition to his bill
was actuated by any such motive.
His two defensive war cries have been
Persecution and Rings!
We never knew malefactor who did
not manifest strong dislike for rings.
Such one dislikes rings in all forms,
whether it be the loop, or the wristlets
of the sheriff or the combined opposi-
ton of those that discountenance
dishonesty, But this cry of persecu-
ton spite and rings was raised to
betog the understanding of the I'M
wary, and to allow Geo. to get back
the public COW that has been furnish
ing him so much rich milk.
He has not committed all the
wrongs that have been committed IN
the managing of town affairs, but he
has committed more than any other
one man in the county, and that toe
with boastful insolence such as nc
one else ever attempted to initiate,
This lesson to him may be warning
to some other town manipulators, that
will press home upon them the notion
that honesty may after all be the best
policy.