Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1892 — A DEMOCRATIC SECRET CIRCULAR. [ARTICLE]

A DEMOCRATIC SECRET CIRCULAR.

A copy of a circular issued by the chairman of the Democratic state central committee has reached the Journal. The circular has been sent to Democratic trustees, who Are to act as spies on the chairmen of county committees, finding out what they have done or left undone, completing the work they neglected, and giving the chairman of the State committee secret information as to the doings of the local chairman and also of their own operations. The circular seems to have been suggested by a suspicion or fear . that the local committeeman, and especially the chairman, could not be trusted. The burden of the instructions is to ascertain whether the organization is doing its duty, and if not, why not. The secret agent is to “ascertain” a great many things. One clause of the circular reads: “Ascertain if [the local committeemen] are looking after voters classified as doubtful Democrats, and how.” So it seems there are some “doubtful Democrats” in spite of assurances to the contrary, and they are to be “looked after.” Mr. Taggart’s method of “looking after doubtful voters” is pretty well known.

Another clause of the circular directs the secret agent to “call chairman’s attention to the necessity of conferring with county commissioners, trustees, etc., and see that a reduction in the levy for taxes is made at the meeting of the commissioners in September.” So that racket has to be played again and on a larger scale. This is a repetition of chairman Jewett’s instructions, sent out after the law was passed, directing Democratic county commissioners and township trustees to reduce the local levy so as to keep down the aggregate amount of taxation. In a number of counties this was done to such an extent as to compell the commissioners to negotiate temporary loans to meet current expenses. This is a characteristic Democratic dodge AnQther clause of the circular directs the secret agent to “have chairman make out lists of names and addresses of German Lutheran Republicans and mail the same to the State committee.” This means that an attempt is to be made to work the Bennett schoollaw seare in this State, and it can only be characterized as a dirty, contemptible trick. No legislation of that character has been proposed in this State, and there is not the slightest probability that there will be. The attempt to introduce that issue in Ipdiaoa politics is. an insult to every German Lutheran in the State, because it assumes .they have so little intelligence that they oan be easily fooled.

This secret circular is notice to Republicans that they have to deal with an opponent who is underhanded, untiring, unscrupulous and ready to use any means, fair or foul, that may contribute to success. —Indianapolis Journal.