The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-05-26
entered at Postotiice Hillsboro, Ohio,
as second class matter.
A Deplorable Condition.

4 condition of affairs exists in the
Republican party of the Sixth district
is to be deplored. The party candi-
date for Congress is not named now
by the delegates elected by the peo-
ple assembled in regular convention,
but are the choice of the electi' n
boards of the district, composed q
six Republicans and six Democrats.
These men have the decision as 10
who is the congressional candidate
and Will continue to have iuntiI the
law is changed or the people rise up
and send representative men VINO
have honesty of purpose and strict
integrity TO the conventions to make
nominations. AS long as the gratters
control the machinery they will die
tate the candidate.
The party has been gradually'driit'
in this state of affairs. For ainumoer
of years the local boss, or distributor
OF graft in each county, has been
given me power to take the delega-
tion 70 the convention. 1t was his
absolutely to do as he pleased. one
of these local bosses, through a com
bination with.,the others, would re-
ceive the nomination. Though the
successful boss was sure OF large
majority on election day he was
always compelled to give the graft IN
the counties to the local boss who had
the delegation in his vest pocket and
which 1ad been given to the success
full graft candidate. In this way the
county BOSS was sure of his local graft
in the distribution of the patronage.
Finally there came to be factions
in each county in the district. The
local boss as distributor of graft still
took Ms delegation, but the faction
in opposition also took delegation.
When the convention convened there
were enough persons present from
each county claiming to be delegate'
to mold TWO conventions. Those who
did not secure seats in the regular
convention organized in the street
and held a rump convention. Both
the regulars and rumps then certified
their nominations to the electio n
board Of the district. The local cour.
ty bosses controlled the members +
the election board from this 'count,.
BY a combination the votes thus con-
trolled we're thrown to the nominee
who woald promise the largest amour
of graft for distributions. A little of
the long green at the time aIso
aided in the decision. No question t
who il the rightfuli nominee enters
into the question or has any bearing
on the decision.
This is the condition of affairs in
the Sixth district. A precedent h S
been established and without doubt
the district electionNboard every two
years will be called upon ito decide
who l. ;ne nominee. If rump co =
yention can have their nominee
placed On the official ballot one year
there i no reason why the same thing
will not occur the next year.
If a change occurs the Republicans
in each county must make 1t. Dele
cations will have to be selected that
are not controlled .by the local boss
and cannot be sold to another.grafter
for the power to distribute graft to
the county grafters. The delegations
must De composed of honest and up
right men of talent to represent the
district IN Congress. This will not
and cannot be done by the county boss
whose sole object is the graft.