Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-01-10
Mixed With Soap.


matter contained therein are generally
of more than ordinary literary merit.
When it contains an article not up to
the usual literary standard. an eleva-
ton of the eyebrows and an exclama-
ton of establishment, is in order fro NJ
its readers. We confess that the sto-
~ of "a Brave Squaw" found in the
recent NewaYear's number occasioned
US a sensation of establishment. The
first part that described the soap-mak-
ing, the Indians begging for the grease,
the old lady's heroic determination
that they should only have it after it
was converted into soap; the patient
waiting of the Indians during the soap
that she was making soup for their
especial delectation; their contortions
while endeavoring to eat the compound
were all we'll enough, but had very
little to do with the caption, and
seemed to be somewhat inconclusive.
When we come to consider the second
part of the story, there seems to be a
missing link-a complete hiatus. The
literary editor must have lost a sheet
or two of the manuscript, for the soap
boiling has nothing to do with the
conclusion; there is not even an Indian
massacre contemplated, which we had
the right to expect from the introduce
ton of so much soap into the circula-
ton of the red man. But, to the sur
prise of every one, no results followed
of the kind anticipated. The Indians
went away with no protest against
soap. The latter part of the story rep
resents the good woman of the soap
kettle being saved from tramps by a
heroic Indian female, who shooed them
away with an old muzzle-loading rifle,
which she is represented as firing sew
eral times in few seconds. An old
fashioned rifle in her hands was equal
to a modern winchester. just what
all this had to do with the soap-boiling
does not appear. The reader is left
to exercise his imagination about the
matter. Perhaps the story was al
lowed to creep into its columns in this
incomplete shape because the attention
of the whole literary management was
drawn to the consideration of another
article appearing in the same paper.
equally suggestive of 'soap," which
ably advocates the Barnacle System of
civil service. The whole mass of the
intellect that belongs to the editorial
management of the paper had been d.
rected for weeks, perhaps, to the col
lection of statistics to verify Its asser-
ton that nine-tenths of the people of
this country are in favor of the Roose-
yelt. Imperial civil service system.
1t no doubt took great deal OF re-
search, brilliant Imagination, and
perhaps some soap, to reach the con-
Uut IL "do ICoShOos AhCtO
are beauties about the civil service re-
form advocated by Roosevelt and his
coadjutors that strike the investigator
If he be already in governmental
employ-with great force. The idea
of keeping an Office after it is once OBJ
tanned, through good and evil report,
through the rise and fall of admins
trations, and Notwithstanding the
wreck of parties, is singuiarly COM
forting to the man with a nice place
at the pie-counter within easy reach
of the viands thereon. Then how
pleasant for millionaire who secures
a poor relation soft place in the SER
vice of the government, to reflect
that he has got that burden off his
hands and provided for at the expense
of him who pays taxes. and that he
need never give himself any more anx-
iety about his protege. Again. when
a corporation gets decayed retainer
a place, how relieved it must feel!
Here is once valuable vassal cared for
during the remainder of his natural
life, and the company's pocket book
not affected thereby! Under such a
system the Vanderbilts, the Ickelhei-
mers and the Havemeyers can support
their thriftless connection at the pub
lie crib quite as easily as if they were
a litter of princelings in England or
| Germany. The public has gone into
the business of supplying the million
aire with safe Investments for his
money; why not let it go into the BUSH
ness of taking care of his poor rela-
tions? The newspapers and journals
OF the land are perhaps necessary to
bring this state of affairs about, AMI
money will be spent in various ways
| to secure their influence. But we adj
wise the Youths Companion in a spirit
of amity, not to let its enthusiasm for
Civil Service Reform interfere with its
literary excellence, no matter how
much .ssoap" may result to the ia
vored Gin for lifes." 1t is the deliber-
ate opinion of the REGISTER, reached
after much painful thought, that there
was '.soap" in both articles.