Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 November 1902 — NOT DISCOURAGING. [ARTICLE]

NOT DISCOURAGING.

Yea, “Honest Abe” was vindicated—by the saloonkeepers, bummers and whiskey soaks. A Union tp., farmer informs us that “Honest Abe” and a Rensselaer saloonkeeper were in his vicinity last Sunday fixing voters for Halleck, “because Allen was a prohibitionist.” The Democrat has a clean Tecord in the defeat of the local ticket—it told the truth. And that its statements were relied upon was evidenced by the hundreds of honest republicans who voted against the bad men on their ticket. As usual in an off year, the democrats here suffered by the stay-at-home vote. , The total vote cast in the county was 3,328, against 3,705 in 1900. Of this number the democrats cast 1310, a loss of 270 over 1900, and the republicans 1918, a loss of only 175. It is to be hoped that two years hence the saloonß of Rensselner and the bummer element which they can usually be depended upon to influence to vote for the bummers on the republican ticket will be relegated to their proper place. The better element of all parties should unite and wipe this curse to decent politics and clean, honorable candidates from our own midst. Probably the most affective card played by “Honest Abe” et al. in the local campaign just closed was the alleged placing of goodly sums of money with the saloon-keepers and enlisting saloonkeeper Reason M. Dunn of DeMotte in their service and sending him over the county to array the saloonjelemont on their side. In the second precinct of Marion tp., it was evident that from twenty to thirty “whiskey democrats"'(V) scratched their ticket for Hanley, Abo and Nichols in that precinct alone. The few farmers over the county who were induced to do this we fear will pay dearly for it in the way of high taxes and a bum administration of public business. For some roason known only to “Honest Abe” and his cohorts they have utterly failed to comply with tho law in regard to changing or dividing up Precinct No. 2 in Marion township. The law makes it the duty of the board of commissioners to divide up a precinct whenever 250 or more votes are cast therein, and in this precinct 271 votes were cast for secretary of state four years ago. This year 294 votes were cast and several votersdid not get to the polls. As at present constituted it makes an enormous lot of work for the election board and causes many voters to wait in line a long time about tho voting place before getting au opportunity of entering thereto. This precinct should be divided up before another election takes place. _ While hundreds of the better element of the republican party voted the democratic county ticket in the hope of bettering the condition of things, nearly every gambler, whisky soak and bum in both parties were lined up for the bummers on the republican ticket. Only last week Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Parkison is alleged to have chaperoned “Honest Abe” about the saloons here and told them that they must support Abe, as the other fellow’ (Allen) was a prohibitionist and it would not do to have him elected. As a matter of fact Mr. Allen is not a prohibitionist except that he is not a drinking man. Were he on the board of commissioners he would have to do his duty as laid down the by statute. But the'reader can see to what depths of depravity the republican officials reeorted to in the campaign just closed, by this incident. t

While the local democratic ticket was defeated, the hundreds of good, honest republicans whq voted a part of our ticket and did all in their power to elect good men to office, is sufficient proof that our statements regarding the shortcomings of the opposing republican candidates were correct. In behalf of the democratic candidates The Democrat desires to publicly jfliank these gentlemen for the support given our candidates and regrets, with them, that the united bummer element of both parties triumphed. While it is discouraging to some extent to have such an excellent ticket as that put out by the democrats defeated entirely, it is also encouraging to note that there is an increasing tendency among the better element of republicans to be more liberal in their views in selecting men to fill the local offices. * And this sentiment will certainly bear good fruit ere long. A number of the men elected are sure to prove so obnoxious to the better element of the people that the assistance of a greater number of republicans can be counted on next time to defeat the cotere of Rensselaer politicians who now have the republican party and the taxpayers of Jasper county by the throat. r The Cow-Puncher come out in true colors Tuesday and worked industrously for the republican county ticket. He tried to “fluence” Uncle James Knight, formerly of Barkley, but Uncle Jim wouldn’t “fluence worth a cent, and gave the Barnacle editor a good sound rattaning. There have been many remarkable features about the campaign just closed. The President and members of the cabinet have been most positive in their promises of reforms which the real leaders of the party oppose and oppose vigorously. Mr. Moody has, on several occasions, promised the immediate repeal of the duty on anthracite coal, while Hanna, Aldrich, Allison, et al, have protested that there must be no change in the sacred tariff schedules. Attorney General Knox has been promising the people that there would be additional legislation looking to the control of the trusts. The real leaders have said, half heartedly, that there would be a change in present statutes if it was demonstrated that such change was necessary, but Mr. Knox says unqualifiedly that such change is necessary and points out the instances where he has been unable to prosocute trusts because of th e inadequacy of tho law. The President has caused it to be mado known that he intends to rocommend a bi-partisan board to consider tariff revision while Senator Hanna has assured the people that they must “stand pat” and not permit any schedule to be revised. The Minnesota republicans have promised sweeping tariff reform and the eastern reform and the eastern republicans have urged the re-election of the party because such re-election would prevent tariff reform.