Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-06-06
The st. Louis Frauds.


Among number of just and timely
| observations on the relations Of the
District-A ttorney to the ST. Louis s.lec-
ton frauds, Mr.. G.. NJ. Napton asks
why the Republic does not "assume
the offensiven and insist on nan-part'
isan investigation such as was conduct
ed under the Cleveland administra-
tiOn. There is in the community q
| feeling of bopelessness that any real
| investigation of fraud is possible under
this administration. This hopeless
ness is natural, but the Republic has
| continually demanded and will con-
tinue to demand non-partisanship in
the administration of the law.
But look at the facts. 1t is known
that fraud was extensively and sys-
tematically practised by Republicans
in November. 1t is known that large
sums of money were contributed and
usde for fraudulent registration, false
naturalization, colonization and bribery.
The Republic has published columns
of evidence with no other effect than
to hasten the action of the administra-
ton in changing the Dstrict-Attorney
When the new District-A ttorney came
into office, he turned over the investi-
CATION of these frauds to an associate of
those engaged in them. Mr.. Harrison
followed the same plan in Indiana and
West Virginia. The men who pro-
NOTED these frauds are high in his
avor. Mr.. Napton gives an instance
of what is general truth when he
points out that here in St. Louis men
who were active as members of the
Law and Order league (non-partisan)
in urging ron-partisan prosecutions
when Democrats were suspected, are
now themselves among the suspects.
That is mournful illustration of the
corruption of politics.. The members
of the Gates corruption fund caucuses
were, many of them, members OF that
same Law and Order league. We are
very much mistaken, it Col. Butler,
late Republican candidate for Mayor,
order about that time. lieu Qudntnna
mutatusW which is in other words,
what was done with the money he has
since contributed to corruption funds?
We do not expect success, but we do
demand of the Harrison administra-
trion an impartial, vigorous, non-part-
isan investigation of the disregard of
both law and decency shown by his
partisans last November. Such an in
vestigation will show that neither
kinsey nor Frank has
any other title to seat in Congress
than that of purchase. 1t would not
unseat them, of course, in Republi-
can House, but the exposure and pun
ishment of the fraud practiced to elect
them would be of incalculable benefit
as deterrent from similar crimes here
after.
Mr.. Cleveland required no forcing to
bring him to see the necessity of pun
ishing fraud regardless of the auspices
claimed for it. but if the present adj
departs from the program
now being carried out by Messrs. |
Ehlert and Reynolds. it will be only |
on account of an overwhelming pres
sure of public opinion. The Republic
has done every thing in it's power to |
arouse such public opinion, and all
efforts to that end have its fullest SYM
pathy. 1t fails to recollect. however,
a single ease in which the Republican |
party has ever punished any fraud by |
which it profited. 1t is a party of fraud, |
and the only remedy effective against
it Is that prescribed for hydrophobia in |
dogs. You must kill the dog .--Repu6-
Tic.