Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-03-30
DEMOCRATIC CONSISTENCY.
Some sample Gases from Iowa's
Offensive Partisans.

some Sample CasEs' from IOwa's
Offensive Partisans.
Washington, March 25-In executive
session to-day large number of reports
were presented from the committee on
finance and postotfice, including the col.
lectors of internal revenue, named in
these dispatches last night. MIR. Nor
rill presented his report in the Vermont
case, and it created considerable amuae-
ment when it was read, particularly that
part OF it in which the venerable senator
announces his approval of The policy Of
the administration in removing offensive
partisans. Ihe report was quite hu-
mo-ous document, and the senators did
not suspect Mr.. Morrill, of having go
much tun in him. Senator Wilson, of
Iowa, from the postottice committee, re-
ported two rather peculiar cases, which
will undoubtedly attract considerable
attention hereafter. This committee rec
ommends the rejection of the nomina-
tion of George w. Bell to be postmaster
at Webster City, Iowa. in place ef @. w.
Hunter suspended on account of politi.
cal psrtisanship. Hunter is the editor
of the Republican newspaper at Web
ster City, and his offensive partisanship
consisted in his advocacy of the candi.
dates and platforms of his party. Bell,
the nominee, however, is the editor OF
the democratic paper ia Webster City,
member of the democratic committee
for his congressional district, and since
his appointment last summer has not
only continued his connection with both,
satt Lest tsl! actively participated in the
management OF political campaigns as a
delegate to conventions and o stump
| orator. He is known IN Iowa as
"Sleeping Angel Bell" because in
speech at a state convention some years
ago he described the sleeping angels OF
| the democratic patty in heaven as look-
ing down with ardent interest upon the
proceedings of that body, and singing
Halleluiahs over democratic success. In
| the documents furnished the committee
by Postmaster General Villas, are letters
from MIR. Bell, in which he asks Tor
| the appointments OF postmaster
on the ground of his political services
in the past, and says that ne can serve
the party more effectively while in pos
| session OF that Office than as a private
| citizen. These letters are endorsed by
leading democrats in Iowa and the ap-
pointment was mode upon them. The
nomination of A. B. Keith to be post
master at Denison, Iowa, in place of j :.
| Fred Myers, another offensive partisan.
was also reported adversely. This case
| is an exact parallel of Webster. Keith is
| the editor of q democratic paper, q men,
| Der of the democratic committee, has
been delegate to conventions, has made
stump speeches, and last fall, after his
appointment, took an active part in
other ways in the management Of the
democratic campaign. He was appointed,
| as is shown by the documents furnished
the committee by the postmaster
general, as a reward for his political
services, and several letters written by
him to the president and others set forth
that the measure of his usefulness to
the dsmocratic party will be greatly in
creased by making him postmaster. He
| describes what he has done in the past,
and announces what he will do if APP
pointed. Myers, who was removed for
| offensive partlsanship, ia editor of the
Republican paper at Denison, and occu-
pies similar relation to that party that
Keith enjoys with the democrats. The
committee cites these two cases as
samples of many in which the presidsnt
bas violated his promises to divorce the
Ioffice holders Of the country from
politics and recommends the rejection
of the nominees are rebuke to Mr..
Cleveland for confiing offensive parti-
sanship exclusively to republican of
ficialS