Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1902 — A PECULIAR COINCIDENCE. [ARTICLE]

A PECULIAR COINCIDENCE.

A few weeks ago The Democrat indirectly charged that the local Knights of Pythias order was being prostituted to advance the political ambition of certain republicans politicians, and that advertising for the K. of P. carnival was given only to republican papers, ahd such papers as endorsed the candidacy of the machine nominees for the judicial offices. In support of that charge we wish to a few facts which must convince any unprejudiced man that our charge was not unfounded. Advertisements were given out as follows: To the Rensselaer Republican, Rensselaer Journal, Remington Press and Wheattield Telephone, in this county, all republican papers. In White county, in the Monon News and Wolcott Enterprise, both republicans papers. No advertising was done at Monticello, although on a direct line and only a short distance away, because the fellows who were running the “carnival” did not like the remarks of the Monticello papers about Rensselaer's winning the high school pennant, a few months ago. In Newton county, ndvertismeut was made in the Rose Lawn and Shelby News-Review, a neutral paper that is put in typo and printed in Rensselaer, and which has contained several articles favorable to the republican judicial “nominees.” Goodland has two papers, Brook one, and Morocco one, from each of which localities the carnival management could reasonably expect a number of people, yet not a line of advertising was given those papers. The three former are republican papers, but were forninst the judicial “candidates,” therefore were “cut” dead. The Morocco Courier is a genuinely neutral paper, but its editor is a democrat, therefore he got no advertisement. Had the Goodland Herald man been “seen” a little earlier he would have come in for an ad. But they go 3a miles away, to Fowler, in another judicial circuit and inaccessible to Rensselaer, and insert an ad in a republican paper, that then comes out in a lengthy editorial and advises the repuYilican papers of this circuit to “support” the judicial nominees! Strange, isn’t it ? There are numerous members of the order of Knights of Pythias in this circuit, who will hardly fendorse this prostitution their order to advance the political fortunes of certain members thereof, and we believe they will resist this prostitution at the polls in November. The Democrat editor has been a member in good standing of the order of Knights of Pythias (Goodland Lodge No. 141) for about lo years, and also, the past ten years, a member of the K. of P. endowment rank at Remington. However, our ritual don’t say anything about running the order in the intersts of any political pnrty or “going in cahoots” with gamblers. Anyone who has a lingering idea that trusts are a good thing should look at the dismantled water powers near Montieelio, where once were tlourshing industries. The water flowing over useless dnms represents the assets of Bradner Smith & Co., in the paper trust. Close up the small mills, shut oft competition and limit the output, then take advantage of the tariff which shuts out foreign competition and charge the consum. >rs all they will stand. This is the rule of the trust.—White County Democrat. The Attorney General has mnde a ruling that nominations this full for Township Trustee or Assessor, to All vacancies caused by dentil or resignation, are illegal. The law under which these oflicos now operate provides that an election shall be held in llHX), and every four years thereafter. Therefore appointees to fill vacancies must serve until the election in 11)04. There are j» number of instances throughout the state where nominations hnve been made, and which will be affected by this ruling. In Jasper county two trustees Walker and Keener and one assessor —Jordan—are appointees.