Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-02-27
BLESSINGS OF AFREE PRESS
WILLFUL IGNORANCE VERSUS AMER
IcANIsM

/
EDITOR HERALD:-Our local press
has now drifted from the dispute
arising from the question of water
works, in our otherwise quiet city,
into war of words over matters re-
lative and identified with A. P. A. ism
To say that some of the recent publ
cations have been tiresome would be
expressing it mildly.
The people" intelligent readers,
though hey may be dubbed fools,
'.ignoramuses,' ETC., are, many of
them, gettin., weary of this TRADE of
abuse, that is unbecoming journal
list or editor and is something worse
than ungentlemanly. / myself feel
compelled to take up my pen IN de
fence of the veracity OF my friends
and OF the order of which | have the
honor to be member.
1t has been said editorially that if
those who wrote in the HERALD some
time since had had respect enough fer
themselves to sign their name, they
could have been answered respect
fully and then the editor proceeds
along the line that he, the writer,
surely knew his position to be un-
tenable, etc. Now, ] shall throw this
assertion back in the very teeth of
this fellow, and as the writer of the
article in the HERALD's issue of Feb.
s 1896, shall not retract single
statement | made therein. This un-
scrupulous fellows writings con-
tain no argument, and we have only
to read just the least bit between the
lines to discern his true position, to
see clearly the position he would like
TO occupy We well remember dur
| ing the last campaign that the editor
ials of this same fellow were simply
sugar-coated pills for the old line
politicians, the Romanists and Roman
sympathizer; simply intended to cater
to their vagaries and thereby enlarge
the subscription list of his miserable
sheet
If this same gentleman CD would
only take the trouble to inquire OF
reputable Milwaukee parties, he could
doubtless get at the facts concerning
| the ''Sovieski matter ! have ac-
quaintance with quite a number of
Milwaukee people whose word is as
good as their bond, who say that this
man Sovieski was all that he claim ed
| himself TO be. or to have been. And
| further. any one would be foolish in
deed to furnish or cause to be fur
nished affidavits to prove or disproye
anything wherein the rebutting tesla
mony would be furnished by the Rom
an priesthood or their following. And
it matters not whether this fellow
questions what I'm talking about or
not for, as has been said, fool may
ask such questions that none but an
other fool will attempt TO answer.
have nothing to say about the article
signed j. Nj. Hurley. Over that sig
nature, what assurance is there that
such offer could or would be made
good? Now again he says, partisan
| Politics Not Safe And why? Be-
cause Of the existanee OF the A. p. a. /?
This gentlemen p says there are two
ways to look at the question OF party
rules, and the party that does not app
ply the belief Of its members is not
sincere. Very well; if so, what does
he see so dreadful in the A p A. +?
Our creed is Americanism. pure and
simple. Our principles are published
to the world Even the most devout
Romanist will concede that there is
nothing offensive in them. We do
not say Catholics shall not draw party
lines if they so desire. Ne do say,
and il cannot be denied, that the
Roman church has been made an ele-
ment Of political power in our COM
monwealth.
Again he SAYS. .the A. p A. boy
colts all who do not belong to it, land |
ostracises all who are not its members. |
Why, it would be Just as reasonable |
to say that the |. O. O. +. or the Ma
sonic Fraternity would do these same |
things. The facts are these. the I
American people are becoming aroused |
from their lethargy and the halls of
State shall be purified by the setting |
aside Of just this order Of things,
that is, the power Of the church in
politics and the dictation OF the |
would-be political bosses The peo-
pie will arise in their might and de-
clare by the ballot the end of such
iniquitv.
He dubbs us a combination" ..ma-
chine OF what are we composed?
Among our members we find men of |
all avocations. from the tiller of the
soil to the professional and business
man; all Of the middle classes, the /
bone and sinew OF our country; the
men who responded To the call of our
martyred Lincoln; and the men who |
stand ready today to respond as did /
the patriots Of 20. were it again nee
essary. No. the patriot does not and |
has no desire To rise by degrading |
others. But, permit me to ask, how |
can the patriot maintain his poSitiou |