The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-09-18
WASHINGTON DEMOCRATIC
LETTER.

Il
the furore in the United States over
the exposure of the postal frauds has
created surprise rather than anything
else.
THE Cubans are a harmless people,
in no way fit for self-government," con
| tinues this fatuous Administration
employee. The announcement of the
early departure of the United States
troops which among the better ele-
ment (the Spaniards) had not been ex-
pected for the next ten years, has
aroused a strong feeling against the
proposed step.
"The finances of the island are in
| goo1 shape. We have collected 49,
| 100000 since the first of last January
and have expended $20,000,000," con-
cludes this complacent individual.
The Administration ought to be
more careful about allowing its en-
ployes from Cuba to express their real
opinions in such an unguarded man
ner. The people are already pretty
well convinced that the carpet-bag en-
ployes regarded Cuba as a country
|
enue should be extracted and spent Tor
the benefit of the said employees. Treas
urer Ladds statements emphasize this
notion. OF course no autocratic de-
spoiler ever thought his victims Mt Tor
self-government while they could De
fieeced under military rule.
Assistant Postmaster General Bris-
lows report on the postal frauds
shows that Rathbone, Nicely and their
confederates exercised great industry
in transferring postal receipts to their
own pockets for the few months they
were in Cuba.
The report very conservatively estl-
mates the amount stolen at $l5O,O0O,
but 1t is very much more. Rathbone is
let down easy. He is charged with
taking $1,000 in money, So per dlem
allowance to which he was not enti-
tied and with furnishing his house ex-
travagantly at government expense,
The Administration Imply suggest
ed that it would have Rathbone ar
rested. 1t can afford to make play
of this sort, for under Cuban statutes
he need only be punished by returning
the amount of the alleged theft. Rath-
bone will not be brought back to this
, country. He knows too much about
Hanna and the Administration. He
will probably have no difficulty in set
Ting satisfactorily with the Cuban
courts. Meanwhile, Nicely tarries IN
New York fighting extradition. The
whole thing is an instructive exhibition
of the logical results of imperial rule
The Republican platform comments
the Administration for having selected
officials for Cuba who had demonstrat
ed their fitness by training and expe
rience."
Chairman Jones of the Democratic
National Committee has been con
ferring with leaders in the East Hi
feels very hopeful of Democratic sue
cess. He shows that the Administra
{ ton has made a record which forces
imperialism to the front as the para
mount issue Its colonial policy, thu
war in the Philippines and the stroni
pro-British attitude of the Admins
tTation oblige the people to decide
whether ,ney can risk another fou
, years of drifting from every tradition
and principle which has governed thi
country. The failure of the gold Dem
ocrats to even make a nomination Il
another indication of how thorough,
, the various forces that have been pre-
viously divided are lining up to vot
, for Bryan as protest against i'm
perialism and trust domination.
Boss Hanna is in New York. He
collecting some belated campaign con
l tributions. He needs them all, becaus
he is running a number of expensiv
side shows. He has handful of self
styled anti-imperiallsts whom he /
" encouraging TO put up a straw thir
= ticket in order to divert the solid anti
4 imperialist vote from Bryan. The Ma
e tional League of Anti-Imperialists dis
n claims all connections with this exhib
+ it.
Then the Mid-Road Populists and a
= least two of the so-called Socialis
: tickets look suspiciouly like Hanna
o promoted industries. If the allege
0 gold Democracy could only have vital
@ lied to the extent of putting a tickle
in the field it would have helped t
: round out the list of distractions to b
n provided for the needless or unwar
9 voter. There is prospect of mon
I partisan" antitrust show to complet
: the list.
The travelling men furnish anothe
instance. There is no doubt but ths
nine-tenths of the commercial trave
= ers are Bryan men just as are a sim
: lar proportion of anti-imperialis
Populists and Socialists, because tn
great issue dwarfs all minor diffei
ences.
But some of the trust concerns hay
> served notice to their travelling me
: that they will have to fall into fin
. and shout for the Republican ticket {
g lose their places. It's the same oil
: game of coercion that was played /
so.
y The attempt to marshal the Germa
J. vote into a Republican tent is maxim