Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-10-20
CARD FROM DEMOCRATS.
What They Have TO Say About
Barnes Boodiing Methods
in this County.
WHO DID 1T?
''DEFEAT IS PREFERABLE TO THE TOL=
GRAFTON OF SUCH ABUSES"

"DEFEAT IS PREFERABLE TO THE TOL=
GRAFTON OF SUCH ABUSES"
The following card, which IS signed by
some Of the best known residents and
most prominent Democrats in Portage
county, was first published in one ofI
the Democratic papers of this city on
the 9th Of August last This was a few
days after the Democratic convention
for Portage county had been held, |
which resulted in the election of Barnes
delegates. Five delegates were chosen,
and without their votes Mr.. Barnes,
the Democratic candidate for Congress
in this district, could not have been
nominated:
WHEREAS, The undersigned having
good reasons to believe that the election
of delegates for Portage county to the
congressional convention to be held at
the city of Stevens Point on the Sth
day of September, 1892, was procured
in part by the improper use of money,
do hereby associate themselves to-
gether for the purpose of investigating
the matter to ascertain whether the
Offense of bribery has been committed,
and prosecuting any person we find on
diligent enquiry and investigation to be
in our judgment guilty of sucf, Offense
and we hereby pledge each other and
the public that we will use all honorable
means to ascertain the exact truth to
the end that punishment may speedily
follow, and the vicious and unlawful
practice of buying ones favor be for
ever prevented in this cOunty-a
practice the Democratic party has been
swift to charge on the millionaire can
didates in the Republican party, who
apparently had little else but their
wealth to aid them in the election. We
will not vote for, but will oppose the
election of any person to any office we
believe the nomination Of the candidate
was procured by the purchase of the
votes of delegates or other improper
| use of money, that the campaign shall
not be one of wealth only, but one of
fitness and qualification, and we call
upon good people who would protect
the purity of the ballot box, and the
poor man who aspires to office, from
the debasing and degrading use of
money to influence election, to aid us.
We are firmly convinced that the
| majority of the delegates when elected
preferable to the liberation of such
abuse.
Signed:
&. w. CATE,
NJ WADLEIGH,
JOHN H. BRENNAN
JAMES REILLY, (Mayor)
OWEN CLARK, Ex-Mayor)
p. A. WILLIAMS, Alderman,
NJ. CASSIDY,
?. II. CAsHIN, :"
II. T.. MARTIN, g
JOHN ZIMMER, eN 4"
MARTIN GRIFFIN, Sheriff,
r. j. MOYLAN, Clerk Cir Court,
II. J. CoAN, Chief of Police,
HENRY CATE, Chr. Stockton,
A. BREITENSTEIN, Stockton,
ROBERT MAINE, Hull.
G. W. Cate, whose name heads the
above list was for many years Judge of
this circuit, and afterwards represented
the old Eighth district in Congress.
During President Cleveland's term he
was postmasterin this city. NJ. Wadleigh
is also among the early settlers of
Stevens Point, where for the past
twenty-five years he has been ex-
tensively engaged in the lumber bust
ness. He has been mayor of the city,
chairmen Of the county board, and was
cratic party for State Senator. At the
present time he is in Alaska, where he
has a large interest in a gold and
silver mine. John H. Brennan is one
Of ncf,N ot+
man who knows exactly "where he is
at" every time. Owen Clark, another
signer of the card, is an old resident,
and lumberman. He also has filled the
Office of mayor for number of terms
and is highly respected citizen. Then
there is the name of James Reilly, who
ranks among the leading lumbermen of
the Wisconsin River valley. He is
a lifelong Democrat, but at the recent
election was chosen mavOr without
opposition, a fact which shows his
standing in community in which he
has lived for the last sixteen years
Then there are the names of aldermen
Williams, Cassidy, Cashin, Martin and
Iimmer, all well known citizens. Then
there are the names of sheriff Griffin,
Clerk of the Court Moylan, Chief of
Police Coan, Henry Cate, chairman of
the County Board, and Breitenstein and
Maine, all of whom have united in
saying over their own signatures, and
have published it to the world, that
| they are firmly convinced that a
majority of the delegates when elected
to the Democratic county convention
to chose delegates to the Congressional
convention were in favor of T. r.
Hudd, and that the change by which
the delegation was procured by Mr..
Barnes was secured in part by the i'm
proper use Of money This being so,
is 1t any wonder that they close their
card by saying that "defeat is preferable
to the liberation of such abuses?" The
men who make these charges, mind
you, are every one of them well-known
Democrats, and not one of them was a
candidate for office or had the least
| personal interest in the contest between
Mr. Hudd and Mr.. Barnes. But thew
do appear to have an interest in purity
in public affairs, and so should every
voter in the Eighth Congressional
| DiC+rio Of. onJ tho host WOW fO, +J,o