The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-02-11
That Mass Meeting ;"

1.-THE unusual interest manifested in
the election of Fair Managers recently,
once more fully demonstrates that
those having the best interests of the
Logan County Agricultural Society at
heart will not tolerate the domination
of any political boss" and that any
such attempt will result in just the sort
of slate smashing as was resorted TO ~
the last election.
1.-THE Bellefontaine REPUBLICAN
seeks to elicit sympathy for the defeat
ed ring by drubbing it 1.-THE electiou) a
mas convention, much managed fair,
and, again chewing the old rag about
each township electing its own manag-
ers.
snow, as 10 the so-called mass con-
ventiou, we presume that il would
have been all right had the results
been satisfactory to the editor and the
rest of the Tammanyized ring.
"The Agricultural Society is strictly
Q non-partisan affair, and any reason
ing man will admit that were townships
called upon TO elect managers at regular
or special elections, party lines woulc
be drawn, and each political party
would have q candidate for the place.
tn be Giled This should not be allow
ed, and we think that so long as the
agricultural classes have the right ust
of their minds and the free use of tht
ballot, that the political boss will have
60 '.go way hack and sit down."
"We will suggest, however. that th'
rules of the society be adhered 70 more
closely with regard TO the election o
managers. We venture that, we're the
membership tickets q note for III U
payable on the day Of election, tha
they would be carefully preserved. ANT
the holders be promptly on hand u
receive payment. A B. H."
The first question that arose In ou
mind, on reading the above letter ii
the Van Guard, was this: why shoul'
Mr. Hover take up the cudgel for tn
Agricultural Mass Meeting?" He ]
not q Journalist; he is not member @
the Agricultural Board; we doubt
be ever entered an article in compe
tition for a premium at the Fair! Th
reason, md the only reason Is, MI
Hover is q member of the gang. 81
was appointed census taker by A. Ly
brand, on the recommendation of th
gang. We are not condemning hir
for belonging TO the gang-he got hi
reward-but simply that his testimon
in reference TO the agricultural Mas
Meeting may be tax en- as of one VIII
knows whereof he writes, when b
speaks of that mass meeting, the par
the gang had in it, and their intention
as to the future.
The first thing Mr.. Hover testiie
to, is s'the unusual interest manifest
ed in tie election of Fair Managers
recently"
Here is an admission that at an elee
tion for three directors Of the Agricul
tural society, unusual interest" wa
manifested. That interest, for som
reason, was so unusual that nearly so
votes were cast; and strange to say
nearly all were for three OF the caDdi
dates. There must have been som
unusual cause for such unusual inter
est. 1t was not in the public's intt I
est in the candidates, for the public di
not know who they were. Nine out q
ten of those who voted because the
were interested in the Fair, had to asl
tho the candidates were. What the
caused this unusual interest? We ar
not left in doubt, by Mr.. Hover. b
tells us that this unusual interes
"fully demonstrates that those havinl
the best interests of the Logan Count
Agricultural Society at heart, will no
tolerate the domination of any politica
boss"
Now where was any domination
by anybody attempted in this meeting
There was nothing done but to elec
three directors. Is denomination to g
to q meeting and vote for candidate
you want? Not at all. But Mr.. Hove
knows who the political boss was, wh
dominated that meeting; he know
that the domiDation was by the gang
he knows that the gang had thei
pockets full OF tickets prepared b
them; that the "boss" of the gam
stood with his hands full of these tick
cts, electioneering for the gangs car
didstes, and that they made the meel
ing q regular political mass meeting
run by their old mass meeting meth
ods, letting Tom, Dick and Harry vote
and that it was these methods that ra
up the vote to nearly 500. The publ
loves Mr.. Hover a vote of thanks 70
telling what truth we find in his letter
But Mr.. Hover goes farther than I
tell what caused the unusual interest
In this meeting. He tells US that th