Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1885 — They have Played it Fine [ARTICLE]

They have Played it Fine

llow tlic bemoerhtie ' “Sonpartisan’* Minority have Kept control of the Town of Remington: -1 Remington’, Ini>. May 8, 188.». Editor Republican:— As politics figured somewhat in our recent town election, a statement of the faets connected therewith, may not be without interest to those of your readers who are not ashamed to pe known as Republicans. Remington has a voting population of nearly two hundred, and the Republicans have a majority of thirty,

or more.. Yet for some inscrutable reason the Town and School Boards have been controlled by Democrats for years. . This may have been the result of chance lor one or two years, but a continuation of it began Lo attract attention, and there were grave doubts, on the part of some of our citizens, whether it was ju/act that all the legis lative and executive ability was embodied in the Democratic party, or whether there was not just a little well-directed method, instead of chance, that gave the minority party seven out of ten of our corporation officials. The State and National election also brought to notice some facts, which, viewed in the light of subsequent events, gave rise to a suspicion, at least, that the decreased

Republican majority in Carpenter township was largely due to certain influences growing out of the fact that our town government was under Democratic control. For these, and kindred reasons, the Republicans decided to call a convention for the nomination of officers, and thus endeavor to secure that representation in the town government lo which they were lastly entitled by rmison of- their numerical .-strength. This ought to - com;? end itself to any thoughtful person, as lining entirely reasonable and eminently fair; Strange as it may appear, the simou pure Democracy took exceptions to it, and at once began an unrelenting and very bitter opposition.—However. the convention was. held, the attendance being unusually large, the nomiiiaffons were made, and every thing seemed tobe harnion ions, the eonveiiOn, viruhout a dissenting voice, agreeing jto put forth all honorable efforts for the e eciion of the nomianei; But r no. age is without its Judas Iscariot, and so iu this instance,' there happened to be one disappointed office-seeker, a selfeonstitmod Alderman from the fourth 8 "i U ~tJ,iXV. * - ward, .a, sort of a diminuative, cheap, eiiromo edition of Geo. Win. .Curtisj the mngvvumpian hireling of the Harper’s. This embryonic statesman was sore, very sore, in failing to get the nomination he so eagerly sought ami ..ardently desired. His feelings were all torn lip, from “Dan to Beersheba in one direction, and from Alpha to Ome-

git” in the other;and ia this disturbed mental Condition, he lona-ed for some conge;.i l soul to whom lie could coniine his troubles, and exhibit hi 3 wounded ambition. lie soon loan’d -just such a good Samuntan, and in less than live miqutes fu'ter the convention had adjourned, he was in consultation with the leading spirit ofgDenioaYaey. whom willing ears readily caught \ip all Ills

tales of woe, and whose sympathetic nature was stirred to its dviths to hear the story ot unparalleld cruelty that tiiifl. martyred alderman had suffered at the hands of his friends. The h=? >Jing balm was immediately applied, and the effect was in less time than it takes to te l it, these two congenial spirits w.ere joined by a third sorehead whose prejudices were aroused because of -die nomination of a business competitor. These * three-deTectable trio-at cnee began to originate a plan whereby the jealousy of one. the vindictiveness of another and the party hatred of the third, could be mutually gratified by the defeat ot the offensive Republican ticket.

But it must be remembered that this leader of pure Democfjigy is unalterably opposed to the introduction of polities in town elections, especially where the Republicans are supposed to be clearly in the majority. It should also be borne in mind v that sore head No. 1, was, perhaps, the very first man in Remington to propose and re pea tediy urge the necessity of nominating a Republican ticket for town offices. But when said convention failed to norni-

nate him by a very decided majority, his disappointment was so great as to completely, roverso his former loftily expressed party fealty. His aspirations for olSee wholly absorbed his loyalty to party and principle, and ups on the defeat of one he. sacrificed the others to gratily a spirit of vindictive revengeThe length of this communication forbids a discussion of the result of this treachery on the part of those who took a voluntarily conspicuous part in all the preiuminaries leading to. tho calling of the convention, and in the convention itself, whereby it w(is hoped" Republicans might be equitably represented in municipal affairs. It is uMy

necessary to say that the election resulted in the defeat of the Republican party through and alone by the traitorous action of its own members, consisting chiefly of those who became the servile tools of this arrogant office seeker and thus contributed to the success of his mercenary scheme and the defeat of the candidates wjhom he and they were in honor bound to support. The sickening, scene too frequently witnessed at elections in Remington, was re-enacted, viz: Republicans or at lesst men who would indignantly resent being called by any other name, actuated by the spirit of revenge, jealousy and treachey, marching hand iu hand with democrats, to compass the defeat of- the Republican candidates and the triumph of the hungry Bourbon Democracy. These criticisms may seem a little severe but when, it is considered that the Republican nominees were in every wayunexeeptional, and that the Democrats have already boastingty asserted that the Republican majority in Carpenter township will soon be wiped out, it will be conceded that sn.eh conduct on the part of those whose ambition leads them to assume that they are leaders in the party, cannot be too severely criticised and unsparingly censured by our public press and all honorable men.

CONSISTENT REPUBLICAN.

A fire engine came to town last Thursday, and its working wa& tested the next day; first at Nowels’ block and then at the coutt house.. The trial was not very satisfactory, as the agent oT the makers of the engine, himself admitted. He intends to return and have another trial next Wednesday. The engine is of the old hand power style ami although it will be a long ways ahead of nothing at all, we don’t believe it is what the occasion demands. It will require at least forty good strong men to keep it in effective operation during a fire of any duration; and forty good,men are not always available, especially when there is an exciting fire in progress a block or two distant. The water supply is inadequate to make it of much service in case a hire occurred at any great distauce from the river or the court house well, or perhaps the large cisterns which the town board may cause to be constructed in the business portion of the town. In short a water engine, of any kind, is not,, in our opinion,, wliat is best adapted to our wants and circumstances. There are many different’ kinds of chemical engines, which have been thoroughly tested, and we believe one of that class would answer the purpose much better than a water engine. In case the Board should think differently, however, and decide to buy a water engine, we believe they will best meet the wishes of the majority ot the tax-papers of the town, if they will buy either a horse or steam power engine, of much greater effectiveness than the engine now under examination.