Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1890-04-02
The Pioneers Imbecile RAWLINGS.

The Pioneer, under former mana
ger, was noted for its ignorant bigotry,
but its record in that respect has been
far out-done by its imbecile rawlings
during the past few months, and more
especially in the issue of last Friday.
That issue deserves the first prize for
ignorance, imbecility and knavish ly-
ing.
1t accuses the Council of squander-
ing thousands of dollars of the peo.
pies money, and of being the worst
one that this city ever had. These
crimes are all charged to the Demo-
Gratis.
The principal act of the Council
which seems to have occasioned the
most wrath in the Pioneer, was the
action Of that body in trying to or
ganize two voting precincts in each
ward. and the Democrats are the ones
who are accused of wronging the citi-
zens by reason Of the alleged incapac-
ity. The taxpayers, it says, have lost
hundreds of dollars by reason of the
queer actions of the Democrats in re-
gard to the new registration alone.
Several other charges are made, which
indicates that the person who scrubbed
that Pioneer article, was exceedingly
ignorant and we'll infected with bigot-
ry and imbecility.
AS regards the action of the Coun-
Gil concerning the extra voting pre-
cincts, the facts are as follows: A
former charter of this city required a
new registration every FIVE years. In
1887 the city charter was revised, and
an amendment was made giving the
Council authority to make new vot-
ing precincts, provided they did so
during the month next preceding
the notice of general registration"
The proviso in the old charter, in re-
gard to general registration, was sup
posed to be in the latest amended one.
Under that proviso the present year
would have been the one in which
new registration would have to take
place. The aldermen, believing that
this was the legal and proper time to
make the needed change, referred the
matter to their legal adviser, the City
Attorney, who is Republican. That
official made inquiries in regard to
the matter from the City Recorder,
who is also Republican, but unfor.
tunately both believed that the gener-
al registration clause that was in the
old charter had been continued in the
amended one, and so they did not look
up the matter. The City Attorney
drew up the resolution which provid-
ed for forming two precincts in each
ward. AT regular session of the
Council, held February 18th, 1890,
the said resolution was passed. The
vote on the question was as follows /:
Ayes-Democrats 3, and Republicans,
2. Nays-None.
Now we have no words of censure
for any one concerned in this new
precinct business, because we know
the mistake was honestly made; but
if any one is to be blamed, then the
City Attorney is the one,
because it is his business to keep the
aldermen posted in regard to such
This shows how much truth
there was in the lying and bigoted
of the Pioneer.
Now as regards the cost. The ex-
ira registration advertising cost only
s2.1O. The precinct registration no.
ices, which were small bills, and
merely designated when and where
laid registrations should take place,
ogether with small election poster,
,ost S11.00. An extra session of the =,
Council had to be called the cost of
which was about $40. Then there is I
small lad" in each of the three 1
newspapers, which stated that the
Council had rescinded the resolution !
n regard to new registration. and the {
ost of which lad" ought not to be q
'ver 81 10 for each. The total cost !
o the city will be therefore about $50, :
md it seems to have set the Pioneer !
nan crazy, and bewildered what few t
easoning faculties nature so sparsely a
him with. G
With six voting precincts, the ex-
'ense for inspectors and clerks would
ave been 1888. With three voting
In oaa the eynense il g144