Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 April 1885 — A CANDIDATE THAT SPELLED COW WITH A “K.” [ARTICLE]

A CANDIDATE THAT SPELLED COW WITH A “K.”

Jap. Tupen in The Peru Sentinel. As b wit and humorist, young Krueger, of Michigan City, is the fullest man in either branch of the General Assembly. He can see a point quick, serve a cause or friend with fidelity, tell a stroy or sing a song to perfection. The first office for which he tried was municipal clerk, and he got there, though not without makm history. He was a young fellow and regarded as out of the line of political promotion. His persitency was interpreted an intrusion. The older beads shook and said that he was too young; other old heads, that he was without property, but the last and most influential old head gravely opposed his candidacy in these words: “Gentlemen, we can not afford to see a premium on illiteracy. It would be a sin to George Ames (the largest patron of the High School in Michigan City) to elect a man to the clerkship who spells cow with a ‘k.’ ” The last charge came with so much gravity and was so serious that Kreuger felt called upon to get off the track. It was a lively game the festive opposition gave him. He was frequentily saluted with, “Well, Kreuger, I understand you have introduced the phonetic method of orthography,” and as he would pass along the street the school children cried out, “k-o-w, cow’.’ We all ipiow how nominating conventions are usually conducted. A few interested gentlemen get together, and one says rising to his feet: “Gentlemoo, you will pjease come to order. I will nominate Mr. So-and-So to act as chairman of this meeting. All in favor of this motion answer aye. (Everybody answer aye.) Contrary, no. The ayes seem to have it.” Mr. So-and-So, taking-the chair says: “Gentlemen of the convention, the first thing in order is the election a Secretary.” Then another gentleman gets up and says: I move Smith or Jones or Brown be called to act as Secretary. The President: “Gentlemen, you have heard the motion; all in favor of Smith or Jones or Brown acting as Secretary of the convention will say aye (everybody says aye); contrary no.” “The ayes have it.” Mr. Smith or Jones or Brown takes his place and the work begins. “A bone and sinew” calls: “Mr Chairman I move that Mr. Elking, Mr. Catron, Mr. Thornton or Mr. McMurphy be nominated for Mayor. jn most localities there i a demand for McMurphy.” As there is no opposing candidate everybody says aye, and McMurphd is nominated for Mayor. The first man name always gets on the ticket and owing to superstition of party, gets elected. Unde this sytem two or three men may officer a county. □Directly it be came apparent that the opposition to Kreuger was

unecessarily severe, and he had no disposition to dicourage the sentiment. An old Republican who was glad to combat anything the Democracy favored, volunteered this advice: ‘‘Never deny anything injjolitics (Mr. Blaine is to-day a sad example of a departure from this doctrine). If they accuse you of stealing a ham keep your mouth thut. Bring out your friends, if you have any, and we Republicans will see that you secure a majority at the polls.” It happens that in Michigan City the German element holds the balance of dower. Krueger is an apt scholar and did not require very much prompting. He quitely informed these people that his application foroffice was treated with disdain because his early training in English had been neglected. ’ “Est dot so?” “Est ist vahr,” was the response. “Eh gott bevarro, der yankeedoodle fellers no vote for Dutchman?” the irate Teuton akep. The intelligence that Krueger was to be sacrificed merely because he had been born in aer Faderland spread? through the German quarter like wildfire, and the wit occasioned by the letters with which he framed his words created a sympathy for him. It is not always the a man can even be laughed out of politics as the sequel will show. The day of the convention came and. Krueger’s friends came also. He was the man of the hour, as everybody talked either for oragainst Krueger. It was the livelest local Democratic gathering Indiana’s “only harbor” had ever known. Each candidate was allowed to anounce himself in a short speech. When Krueger arose the demand was made: “Spell cow! How old are you? How much taxes do you pay?” This was the first time he had ever faced an audience, but fortunately he proved equal to the emergency. He did not say: “The atrocious of being a young man,” etc., but it was something like this: “If you allow me time I will outgrow the fault of extreme youth. As to having no property, I am certainly not much to blame. But I am unwilling to remain that way, and if you Ean fink it in your hearts to flive me this office I promise soon to have something on which to pay taxes, like the best citizens, whom I hope to emulate. Further than this I am charged with having spelled cow with a ‘k.’ Gentlemen, I plead guilty, and when I have explained I feel sure the great warm heart of this people will forgive me. I Was born and reared until eleven years old where the learned and polite people, the priests, thinkers, college professors every educated man and woman, spelled cow k-u-h.” Applause responded to this, not only from the galleries but from every part of the house. Even the opposition joined, rather gted to acknowledge its self beaten, but there was one element particularly enthusiastic, and in beer and broken Englih fervently expressed its transport. “How high ish dot ?’ was exclaimed with ferxency. “Er ist a Dutchman und nicht forshamed sor x it.” “I fight mit Sigel und I votes by Krueger.” Amid the vehemence of the support Mr. Krueger realixed that he lad made a mistake, but it was too ate for correction. Instead of offering for clerk he should have come forth a candidate for the Mayoralty. He mige; have been elected to any office within the gift of that ardent constituence. It was a plain care of under rather the over-estimating political strength. He was nominated almost without opposition and elected in the same way; but the other names placed on the ticket by that convention went down beneath an overwhelming majority. Opposition to his ambition attracted the Republicans. Whosomever the Democrats fought enlisted their help. Every voting German felt a personal interest in the cause of Kruegers.

Everybody knows Walker of LaPorte County. I doubt if there is a superior mind in Indiana. He is capable of directing an army or managing the State Government. Why walking to the summit of the Hoosier Slide, strolling over the sand, through the pine forests or sailing out on the lake fills the measure of his ambition I never could understand. But he learned a lesson in this Krueger business. “I’ll never accuse another Dutch candidate of spelling cow with a ‘k,’ ”he said sadly. “I never dreamed that there was so much in that fellow.”