Strong Appeal To Republicans

Issued By the Republican County Convention.

Anti-Judson Position

Why They Believe the Republican Ticket Should Be Defeated This Year.

The following circular letter was sent out Wednesday throughout the county. It speaks for itself.

Ann Arbor, Mich., Oct. 20, 1902. At a meeting held in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, Oct. 11, and attended by a considerable number of representative republicans of Washtenaw county called to discuss the political situation in this county and state, a committee was appointed to publish and distribute throughout the county the following appeal. The action of this meeting, in authorizing this appeal to be sent out, has the approval of the republican county committee.

Selby A. Moran,
Chairman.

To the Republicans of Washtenaw County:

Imbued with a spirit similar to that which inspired the founding of our party at Jackson in 1856, a large number of our most representative men have advocated severe measures for the purification of the party which has done so much for mankind and in whose service we have all hoped to live and to die.

The reign of debauchery and boodleism which has been rampant in Washtenaw county has spread over much of the state. Pernicious legislation, including the odious "Ripper Laws," has alienated many life long members of the republican party. When the demand has been made for a direct and effective primary election law, it has been promptly turned down, and turned down by a state administration which was pledged by a republican platform to the enactment of such a law.

We will never relax our efforts until the measure we desire is placed upon the statute books and everywhere enforced, to the end that boodle and the party bosses shall lose the power now held in our body politic and this power be returned to the people to whom it belongs. And in this connection we desire to say that never before have the advocates of purer politics in Michigan been so numerous as now. Never before have we been called upon to protest against so lavish a use of money as is taking place this fall in the effort to further defeat the will of the people. We ask you to stand firm a little longer and to give our cause such assistance as lies in your power, and we believe that the work of the defiler of Michigan politics will cease. Michigan republicans have strayed in many things far from the teachings of the fathers and from the teachings of your great later leaders. The shameless boodleism of the last 10 years is a wide departure. The White Plumed Knight, Jas. G. Blaine, advocated reciprocity. It was put into effect during the administration of Banjamin Harrison. It was urged by our martyred President McKinley almost up to the hour of his death. It has been desired by President Roosevelt above all other measures. Yet when this measure has come to a vote, the Michigan delegation in congress voted solidly against the same. We protest against the attitude of the Michigan delegation, and we ask Michigan republicans everywhere to pledge their congressional candidates to the support of President Roosevelt in his efforts, particularly to keeping inviolate our pledges to Cuba.

And in an effort for purer politics we know that it is one which would meet with approval from this same matchless leader who is himself known as a fearless advocate of purer politics. Better things can only be brought about in Michigan and Washtenaw by withholding support from the State and Washtenaw County republican tickets, with no personal feeling toward any candidate, but because of the sinister influences surrounding these tickets--defeat them for the future welfare of our party. Only by defeating the creatures of "bossism" and "boodleism" can we remain free men. Only by so doing can we retain the priceless heritage of a free citizenship which others have won for us at the expense of fortune and of life itself.

Charles Braun, the democratic nominees for treasurer, will poll a large vote and he deserves to. He is a good citizen, of high principles, fine character, unimpeachable honesty, and has had clerical experience which fit him for the work.

Democrats can carry the state this fall if all vote. Do your part next Tuesday by voting yourself and seeing that your neighbors do.