People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 May 1893 — Sensible Words. [ARTICLE]

Sensible Words.

Ed. Pilot.—ln your last issue was a letter from ‘‘Old Timer” in which were a few thoughts that it would be well for us to consider. He says “National and county politics are, or should be, two different things.” He says ‘ ‘let us look after our county matters first, then attend to state and national; let’s learn that it is possible, that it is sometimes needful to be a national Republican and a county Democrat or Populist.” Mr. Editor, we have lived in four different counties of this state, two of them were Democratic and two were Republican; we have seen dishonest and incompetent township and county officials many times do very bad work for the people; we have seen county treasurers “skip” with thousands of dollars, and ■by some little hook or crook their bondsmen released and the county thereby made the loser; we have seen a defaulting county clerk try to commit suicide and failing, flee the country; we have known incompetent and dishonest township trustees to bankrupt their township and all brought about by voters regarding national and local politics as one and the same. How often have we found ourselves knowingly voting for incompetent and unworthy local candidates There is perhaps not a voter fifty years of age in Jasper county but what will say he has many times knowingly voted for the wrong township or county candidate simply because he belonged to his state and national party. We complain of rings, county and township mismanagement, high taxes, etc., forgetting that we ourselves are more than half to blame for the existing wrongs. Now, the man that knowingly votes for an incompetent, dishonest candidate, that knowingly stands by an extravagant, scheming clique because they support his candidates for governor and president lacks just a little of being politically, and we may say morally, honest. As for me and my house, henceforth it matters not what a man's state and national politics are, if he is known to us to be unlit for the position to which he aspires, if he stands in with tin? county crowd that oppresses us he need not come this way for help. Why should I support men and measures that I know will work to mine and my neighbors disadvantage? Gentlemen, you may crack your party whips, sing your campaign songs, hurrah for the flag, talk of Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, Patrick Henry, Geo. Washington, and all the patriotic dead, but when it comes to voting money out of my pocket by voting against the interest of my township and county in order to strengthen the state and national party organizations, you may count me a national Republican and a county Democrat or Populist, or vice versa. I have my own views on state and national questions. I vote with the party whose doctrines and practices nearest meet those views. County politics, county parties, with me, have nothing whatever to do with state and national politics and parties. If the practice and policies of my state, national and local parties, in my mind agree, I gladly vote the straight ticket, if they disagree I honestly, conscienciously and religiously scratch.' New Comer.

For a good smoke try the Safety cigar. “There is a salve tor every wound.” We refer to DeWitt’s Witch Hazel Salve, cures bums, bruises, cuts, indolent sores, as a local application in the nostrils it cures catarrh, and always cures piles. A. F. Long & Co.