The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-12-16
TIE Ashland News would have receiv.

1t, no doubt, will be difficult matter
to convince The News that paper can
have being without the fostering care of
a special patron. A personal organ Is
political mistress which must have pro-
tector. It discards virtue, honesty and
independence and lives only as it panders
to the lust for power of him who has
purchased its favors. The personal or
gan is incapacitated, by reason OF Its
serviIity, from understanding how any
paper can "think with a drawn back
arm" unless by direction of the person
to whom it has SURF endered its right to
think. 1t CONSTITUTES adverse criticism as
the vicarious contention of rival politl-
clans; candid opinion as the truculent
utterances of a servitor; and righteous
indignation as the malevolent outpour-
ings OF hired scold. The organ has an
invariable method of interpreting motive
and can never rise above the conception
that it is of parasitic growth. The man
sycophancy is ever ready to grovel at the
feet Of power and can even approach to
boldness IN showing his fidelity to one
who has favors to dispense. Since Col.
Villas became cabinet officer he has been
the center of attraction for system Of
satellites who look to their primary
planet as the recreated, purified, trium-
plant democracy. His designs are their
principles; his ambitions fill their ideas
of craftsmanship.
Acknowledging themselves as political
assets of successful politician, they
fancy it is general custom to cluster
around little luminary and move in
circumscribed orbit The Pilot is not IN
the habit of submitting its opinions to
the censorship of any man or any party.
Nor does it believe that mar should be
worshiped because he has the dispense
ton of patronage or consuming desire
to be a Z. S. senator. Of course The
News will not believe this because 1T ID
contrary to its ideas of the motives which
Influence papers.
The editor of this paper is conscious
| of no relations with Bragg's partner
| and does not believe Bragg has partner.
The strong personal friendship long
| existing between the editor and General
Bragg" is an other flight of Imagination
| on the part of The News man. The edl-
tor of The Pilot can hardly lay claim to
| intimate acquaintance even. The addI-
tIonal information that The Pilot sees
nothing to condemn in General Bragg s
Delitical conduct" will be news to the
readers of The Pilot. There is not a
democratic paper in the state which has
done more to earn General Bragg's en-.
mity than The Pilot has. 1t was at a
time when it thought General Bragg
sought to commit the democracy OF the
| district TO his views on public matters
when these views we're not in accord with
the prevailing sentiment in the district.
| These matters are of no moment except
to show the falsity of the premises on
which The News draws conclusions.
The News cannot diyest itself of the
idea that Col. Vilas's purpose and the
policy of the administration are identical.
Under the influence of this hallucin alton
i distnrts the statement of The Pilot that
Col. Bouck refused the nomination fol
| governor because he became convinced
that the election was to be conducted 10
the interests of Col. Villas, and that the
state ticket was to be sold out that the
legislature might be secured, into the
wholly different assertion that "demo-
some sense an endorsement of Col. Villas
audthe administration of Pres Cleveland
This is wholly consistent with the char
Ter of personal organ, inability
:, d;sorin;, iuate between the ambition OF
an individual ana che policy of an admin
istratlon.
Col. Bouck, in addition to the knC'@i
edge that the Legislature was what the
Wisconsin democracy,-in the person
of Col Villas and his friends,-was after,
was not allowed to ''indicate what the
platform should contain and this was
| tie first intimation he had of the "spider
aud the fly" arrangement. He had been
persistently doomed by The Milwaukee
| Journal from the time it ceased to be
anti Villas, not that it loved Bouck more
but it had learned to hate Villas less
Bouck was thought to be formidable
candidate and the very fears of the OPP
position would enhance the price paid
tor his slaughter. Let not Col. Villas 5
! friends be too diligent In challenging
! proofs that the state ticket was to be
| sacrificed in his interests. There is
something more than suspicious that car
be sdduced in support of the argument.
| The zeal of recent conversion to demo-
cracy would hardly induce Col. Knight
/ " tuto" btslneSo W INC "ibuS auo' w b0
| 80 prodigal of his time and means to
secure the SUCCESS of principles which a
/ short time before encountered his opposi-
! ton. The attempt to defeat anti Villas
| democratic nominees for the legislature
aud the activity of officials, appointees
of the Postmaster General. may be catal-
ogued as suspicious circumstances. Po-
litical secrets are not well kept as politi-
cal warfare makes enemies tomorrow of
the friends of to-day, and the facts aOiU
come to light.
Col. Villas is man in whom the party
might take just pride. if he was as will
| ling to make sacrifices for the party as