Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-05
HARRISON'S BIG0TRY.

Prominent Citizen Of Bloomington
Tells how the Republican Candi-
date siandered the Irish Race.
William Condor, ST., is grocer and
reputable citizen OF Bloomington. Until
the election of 1884 he had always been
a republican, when be cast his first dem
ocratic vote for president for Grover
Cleveland. He was present at meeting
in his town in 1875, which was addressed
by Benjamin Harrison, in which the
speaker took occasion to assail the Irish
race. After reading what Harrison said
then it seems impossible that an Irishman
could so stultify himself as voting for
Harrison this year. Mr.. Condor has
written an open letter to the Blooming
ton Bulletin. referring to the matter, in
which he says:
In the early part of November in 1875.
| Just before the election, Ben Harrison the
presidential candidate. addressed large
republican meeting in Durley hall in this
city, on an afternoon and Colfax spoke
in the evening. Ben Harrison on that
occasion had just praised all the national
tiles except the Irish people (who few
weeks previously had considerably con
tributed to his defeat as candidate for
governor of Indiana As he was quit
ting that portion of his address an old
gentleman with an Irish accent, asked:
How about the Irish and where were
Meagher. Sheridan, Shields, Mulligan and
the others7" The crowd Kissed the guess
ton and shouted: Put him out. !"
While they were taking the old gen tle-
man from the building Harrison said ex-
actly, or almost exactly, the following
words: TT is easy to know that man g
race; you all know what they are; if it
were not for them we would not need half
our penitentiaIles, which are almost full
of them; they have no intelligence; they
are only good to shovel dirt and
grade railroads, for which they receive
more than they are worth, as they are no
acquisition to the American people. y
There are at least six good men here whe
frequently heard me speak of this abusive
language from Ben Harrison long before
he was prominently mentioned for the
presidency, and the Bulletin has already
given their names. There are six more
who heard the filthy speech, and they are
unanimous in declaring that | have
quoted Ben Harrison correctly. in sub
stance, and the Bulletin has given their
names to the people. Among the gen.
tlemen who corroborate me are veterans
) who fought to maintain this nation a
home and abroad, and all of them are re-
spected as men of truth, just as much al
the men whom the Paragraph quotes
in denial of my statements. am moi
: standing alone in this matter. As far a.
am concerned. this letter will end news
, paper articles from me, as | desire &c
give my exclusive attention TO my pri
vate business. If Ben Harrison denie
y the truth of our statements affidavit
n will oe made TO substantiate them. Thu
II republicans cannot answer our charge
BY arguing that Ben Harrison is either TOT
smart or too liberal to say such a thing OIL
e such an occasion. You cannot answe
i the charges by raising the false cry tina
o | the democratic party favors an industrial
system to England's sole benefit and GU
own detriment, or by having a republics
i brass band play THE Wearing of III
d Green" The Paragraph by its Quit
e bling and evasion has substantially ad
:, mitted the charges to be true. As ha
~ been suggested, the fourth day of nel
March will mark the hundredth year {
N the republic under the federal constitu
10 ton of 1880 1t will be grand centen
NAL CONNIE morative of the noble histor
and traditions of the American people
re and it will be celebrated, not by the Ell,
ne vstion of Harrison, the cold bloode'
r. bigoted aristocrst, but by the inaugurs
40 ton of the plain, honest and fesrle
= Grover Cleveland as president of Il
III United States. Very respectfully,
he WILLIAM CONDOR. SIR.
A Bloomington, H., Aug. 90, 1888.