The times., 1891-04-17
Our colorless Contemporary.


The American of last week headed a
article 'Republicans Attention." in whc
THE TINES is called to account for c0un
financing the citizens movement relative t
city government. Concerning this article
THE TIMES has to say that ''due allowance
should be made for Mr.. Owens mental com
position" at that time, as legislative com
mittee were soon to honor him as no othtl
man had ever been honored In Owosso
Not even the fame of the six days factory
had drawn that section of law makers here
but they came solely on account OF the
American editor. and their reception and
entertainment devolviDg upon him it is but
proper to be as charitable as was this editor
to Senator Wilcox that 'due allowance be
made for his mental composition" The
TIMES is the only Republican paper in
Owosso because it consistently supports the
Republican nominees. 1t would make an
interesting contribution to current political
history if the attitude of Mr.. Owen last fall
toward Col. Bliss and certain nominees on
the county ticket was made known. The
checkered political complexion OF the Amer
lean has rendered it very uncertain what a
day may bring forth. There may be free
trade article as last fall, a senate committee
as last week, or Cleveland and Hendricks
ticket asuat the beginning of the last presi-
dental campaign. So much for this claim of
THE TIMES to be the only Republican pa
per in Owosso.
party contains plenty of good men, but the
result of previous elections showed that it
WAS not always possible to elect Republi-
cans. THE TIMES no more nor no les
ernment, and gave expression to public
opinion without any occult motive. The
idea of Geo. W. Owens alleging that the
citizens movement was intended to defeat
the Republican party and that those who adj
vocated such movement were hostile to the
party is simply amazing. If Mr.. Owen
will examine the list of those who signed
the paper for such a convention, he will see
the Republican party than ever he did
for at least three parties to which he has
claimed allegiance. VIM. M. Fitzpatrick
signed the request for citizens cOnven-
tion, and Mr.. Kiloatrick is the man who has,
as chairman of the Republican county COM
mttee, won victories for the party when
Mr.. Owen was democrat Name after
name of unpaid Republicans could be given
whose signatures were appended who are
always alert to the best interests of the
party. These are the men who worked
for the good of the Republican party, while
during the campaign allegations of bribery
by Mr.. Owen were being made with the in
tent to bring the Republicans, in the Ian
guage of Mr.. Owen, Hors de Combat.
THE TIMES in order to increase the Repub-
lican majority issued circulars calling atten-
ton to the issues and asking that special
effort be made to get out the vote for the
state ticket. These were sent to the vari-
Gus Republican workers at our own expense
and the increase of the Republican majori-
ties in many places is most gratifying.
THE TIMES, with other city papers, ex-
cept our colorless contemporary, edited by |
Mr. Owen. has called attention TO certain evils |
in municipal government Mr.. Owen says
the charges were never mentioned. 1t is |
scarcely necessary now to mention the spe-
sific charges concerning Goats and the |
water works, the hose cart deal, the street |
post contract, the house numbering con- |
tracts, the failure to enforce the liquor laws,
ETC., all these have been mentioned, which |
the American editor claims were not appar-
ent to the average citizen. All that can be |
said further is that nobody pretends that |
Mr.. Owen is of that class. For the consid-
Grafton of the city printing, the paper is to
have no opinion, and, even though the may
or and council are democratic, and Mr.. |
Owen pretends to be politically opposed, he
now champions the administration, although |
he never made a defense of the charges |
made at the time, but now assumes it is un-
republican to demand good government, or
sriticse democratic administration. THE
LINES cuiOOIo ulduc IO dttCupt W Cuily but
ward eaucuses and there was not one word
directly or indirectly said by The TIMES at
any of the four caucuses. No persons were
importuned and as no motions of the kind
were made at two of the assemblages, just |
what tactics were used is not apparent.
What was done in the 1st and End wards,
was that large number of persons had
asked for citizens convention, and that |
good faith on the part of Republicans de-
manded some recognition. No one of The
TIMES, either directly or indirectly, sought
to influence the respective caucuses in any |
way, nor sought any advantage. The in
aendos of Mr.. Owen arise from his own
standpoint of moral action, which has at
tracted attention, not only in Owosso,
but has been made the subject of investiga-
tion by senate committee. The assump-
ton that any one could control citizens
convention and manipulate it to their ad-
vantage, is an insult to the hundred and
q .,ort,, f;x,o or fiffv citizens of hoth parfies