Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-05-31
PRIVATE JOE FIFER.,

If the philosophy is sound that there is
no such thing as an accident, then the
nomination of "Private Joe Fifer' for
Governor Of Illinois is in the order of
events that should not be surprising. But
it is certain that Private Fifer" will
pass into political history as candidate
Of the most unexpected kind. He is a
lawyer Of fair practice and politician
Of local repute. He has twice served his
county in the Legislature, and with
credit. He is man Of quick perceptions
and average good judgment in business
affairs. He has the faculty of forming
acquaintaneeship with leading men, and
inspiring them with confidence in him.
All in all, he is n useful, sensible, intelIi-
gent and progressive citizen But his am
bition never led him to contemplate the
possibility of his filling the office of Gov
ernor Of Illinois. He is now, however.
altogether likely TO have that honor. and
II is due to President Cleveland. The
Commissioners of Pensions, General Black,
was appointed by him, and that official
saw fit TO indulge in Il partisan report, in
which he charged his Republican prede-
ccsSor with having made his office serve
political ends. This drew blood in quar-
tiers not expected, and General Black was
50 disconnected by the result-a committee
OF lnvestigation-that he sought to Justify
has charges, and among others mentioned
the case Of Joe Fifer, of Illinois, as one
who had been granted pension irregu-
iariy, not to say fraudulently. This
brought Filer to the front in a white heat
OF Just anger. 1t happened that Fifer, of
all men, had cause to ask for a place on
the pension list. He enlisted when bow.
and was fearfully wounded in one of the
hottest battles of the rebellion. His life
was despaired Of for months and the sur
geons considered his salvation from death
as little less than miraculous. Even
though he recovered-so to speaf-he was
left an invalid, and to this day frequently
suffers agonizing pain. Fifer wrote an
open letter in response to General Blacks
charge, in which, with pardonable heat, he
repealed the charge that his pension had
been improperly obtained He set forth
facts that put the charge to rout utterly
and turned the tide so fiercely against
General Black that the whole country rang
with the story of the letter. Fifer did not
stop with refutation; he returned shell for
shot, and showed that Black himself en-
joyed larger pension by virtue of spe-
cal Act of Congress than if obtained
through the usual channels, and then
asked the world to judge between the
TWO soldiers" This served to made " Pri
vate Joe Fife" the most "talked-of" man
IN illinois. Some newspaper man-these
fellows are always early at the front of sug-
gestion-proposed Private Joe " for Gov
ernor; the Republican press took up the
idea with enthusiasm, and as a result Fifer
received the nomination, and Private
Joe's " campaign promises to be the most
popular and exciting experienced by Hi
nois since the days of Lincoln and "the
war; lie Is sure to he elected and he
owes 1t, as We have said, to the blunder of
Democratic official, thanks to appoint
ment by Democratic President.