davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30
THE CASE OF CLARK.

Under ordinary circumstances it
would be hardly fair to express an
opinion on case on trial until all the
testimony for and against the defend
ant has been submitted. But in the
case of Senator Clark of Montana the
evidence already brought out in the
investigation before the senate commit
tee, and on the trial in Montana,
which resulted in the disbarment of
Welcome, an alleged agent of Clark
in the disbursement of his bribery
fund, makes it clear thar his election
was accomplished by the most unblush-
ing and wholesale corruption. And
yet it is intimated that, however con-
elusive the evidence to this effect may
be, he will not be unseated, and that he
will be able to muster friends enough
among the senators to prevent the
two-thirds vote necessary for his expul-
sion. If this should prove to be the
case it would be ditficult to conceive a
more serious blow to the credit and
standing of the senate. Prodigious as
is the scandal of his continuing to oc-
cupy purchased seat in that body, the
failure to expel him after clear proof
Z of his guilt would be a national scan
dial of terrible import. 1t would brand
the senate with an infamous completely
in the crime which it thus condoned,
and would go far to destroy its claims
TO the confidence and respect of the
American people.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30

England, as well as protected America
has trusts; that America has trusts in
articles that are not protected as well
as those that are; that part of the aa.
vance in some of the articles controlled
by trusts is due to their manipulation
and that few of the trusts which have
thus abused their power have been
ena bled, by The existence of a high
tariff on those articles, to push prices
bit higher than would have been
possible if competition with tie old
world product had been free. The
trusts that hold this advantageous DO.
sition are few among the hundreds
that have sprung into being in the last
eighteen months, and to repeal the
tariff would not destroy or even hurt
the large majority, but would limit
the power of these few to raise prices
above the import point. Not the. tar
lift, but the commercial advantages
and the attractions of. stock.iobbing
have been the parents of these new
corporations, whose real power for
good and for ill, even to the wisest and
most careful of observers, is still !,
problem
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30
THE FRANKFORT INCIDENT

That the United States is indeed a
strange country is once more shown
oy the situation at Frankfort, Ken
tucky. Yesterday morning nearly i a
thousand men armed with Winchester
rifles arrived at the capital,city, march
60 TO the state house, stacked arms in
the yard, and went to breakfast. That
duty having been disposed of, the Ken
tucklans returned to the state house.
and appointed a committee which pre-
pared resolutions to the effect that it
would be well for the members of the
legislature to remember that they were
elected to perform the will of their
constituents, and that their constitu-
ents did not wish that any duly elected
state officers should be elected from
u their seats by process of Goebelism.
The resolutions said nothing about the
Wlnchesters stacked in the state house
yard, the constituents being probably
wiling that the legislators should OBJ
serve for themselves from the win
dows OF the legislative halls, and hav-
ing seen, draw conclusions of their
own. 1T is perfectly right and proper
ahat legislators, being elected by the
people, should do the will of the peo-
pie, the incident atsFrankfort only 90
ing to show that lassthere is more than
one way to skin a cat, so there are di-
vers methods for constituents to see to
u that lawmakers obey the wishes of
their constituency.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30
GOOD COUNSEL.

Booker Washington never ceases to
reiterate to the people of his race the
counsel that their complete emancipa-
ton must come thru their cultivation
of thrift and usefulness. The respect
which the negro will command from
the whites will be in exact proportion
to the measure of his independence.
The elimination of the prejudice which
prevails in this country against the
negro will be a matter of time and not
of short time, either. But it stands
to reason that a black man who can
read and write, who is skilled in some
particular industry, and who has a
competence to fall back on, cannot be
defrauded or oppressed or treated with
contumely as one who is ignorant
and poor, and shiftless. Success COM
mands its tribute even among the col
ored people.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30

The New York Independent, in
speaking of the donations and requests
for public causes and institutions for
the year 1899, remarks that they are
far in advance of those for any previ-
Gus year. The grand total is $79,27s,-
900. Of this amount 5,O12, 400 was Civ
en- for public libraries. Andrew Car
negie was by far the largest donor to
public causes. He gave, during the
year $2,52s,700 for libraries in twenty
one localities in different parts of the
country. Altho the present year is
only twenty-five days old, Mr.. Carnegie
has already offered 100000 for public
libraries at Ottumwa and Davenport.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30
BoIEs FOR PRESIDENT

The oyer-zealous friends of Hon. Ho-
race Boies, Uncle Hold" are bringing
forth his name as a candidate for pres
ldent on the democratic ticket this
fall. The candidacy of Mr.. Beies will be
directly opposed to that of Mr.. Bryan,
the former representing the more con-
seryatiye element of the democratic
party, while the latter stands as the
leader of radical platform and radi-
cal views.
The rivalry of the two gentlemen
1or the highest honor at the hands OF
their party is not new one. In 1896
Horace Boies was considered the man
who had the best chance of the demo-
cratic nomination for the presidency
up to the time the Chicago convention
met. During the second DAYS session
OF that body William Jennings Bryan
made his famous Gross of gold" and
crown Of thorns" speech, setting the
convention by the. ears and throwing
the members intoVa state Of byster;a
which caused them to forget all the
ancient laws and sprecepts of their
party and with them the calm gentle
man from Iowa who was asking for the
| nomination. sl,5ti
As matters stand now it would make
little difference In the result of sthe
coming campaign whether Mr.. ssBryanr
or Mr.. Boies We're nominated. Either
would be Overwhelmingly defeated
tho in the Judgment Of many. people
the Iowa man would poll more vyot IS
than Bryan. The hour of. the great
oratorical effort of the Moses from Ne
braska was a dark one for democrats
Their Moses may have led them out of
Egypt, but he is now making chem
wander almlessly in vast wilderness,
a wilderness which does not end III
oanaan put in chaos. The democratic
party would honor itself in nominating
y Boies for the presidency but
y that gentleman is wise he Will de-
siine the Job OF attempting to wrench
success out of the jaws of inevitable de-
feat.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30
HIGH PRICES PREVAILING.

4 According to Bradstreet's records
the general level Of prices on January
was higher than at any time since
July i, 1891. The advance was IL per
cent during the year and per cent
during December. This latter advance
was not so heavy as those of previous
months because several important ar
ticles fell off for one reason or anoth-
er; none OF them. however, is the least
indicative OF general downward
trend. Tn fact, special circumstances
account for all the declines, most Of
them being healthy reactions after a
speculative rise that as usual carried
prices temporarily higher than the
conditions of the market warranted.
Attention is also called to the fact
that while the American price level
is II per cent higher than a years ago,
q that OF England is 10 per cent higher.
IL the advance in prices is due TO
trusts, solely or primarily, it must be
that they have trusts in England. But
il England, with no tariff except fer
revenue, has trusts, what becomes Of
the plea that the tariff is the mother
OF trusts? The fact is that free trade
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30
THE NODDED NEWSPAPER.

Rev. Charles M. Sheldon, the Topeka
| minister who has attained wide fame as
the author of I'm His Steps: or, What
| Would Jesus Do?" il abo:it to ATTEMPT
| the experiment of conducting daily
newspaper along the lines he has laid
down in his books. The Topeka Capt.
tai Publishing company will, on March
13, turn over to Mr.. Sheldon the entire
editorial and business control of the
paper for one week, or longer if the
venture is financially successfully. Mr..
Sheldon will be permitted to surround
himself with staff of his own selec-
| ton, and his actions will not be ques-
| toned or met with objection by the
| owners of the paper.
| Mr.. Sheldon demanded as condition
| precedent to his assuming the duties
of directing the innovation that he
should receive no compensation for his
services. He believes this action on
his part is duty he owes to the read
ers of his books and to all who believe
in that higher journalism he conceiyes
himself competent to promulgate.
| Charles A. Dana once said that what
ever the divine providence permitted
| to occur he was not too proud to re-
port. Mr.. Sheldon differs from the
veteran journalist in that he will not
! permit the publication of reports of
prize fights, police news, horse races,
baseball games, OF other items that in
his opinion would be calculated to poi
son the mind of any one who read the
paper.
Every news item and advertisement
will pass under his personal supervi-
sion, the test. of its admissibility being
"what would Jesus do were he edit
| ing the paper?
| Mr.. Sheldon's experiment will be
watched by the world and by newspa-
per men in particular with profound
| interest. 1t will show definitely what
the minister's idea of daily paper is
and it will show whether or not that
paper will be interesting to read. In
asmuch as the experiment is to last
only week, however, it is hardly pos
sible that it will prove the most i'm
portant question to the publisher, i. e.,
if such a paper would be permanently
profitable. Altho Mr.. Sheldon is to
have entire charge of the business as
well as the editorial department of the
paper it should be remembered that
for one week the interest of the read
ers in the new editor and his work
will keep the subscription list up to
the usual point, and consequently the
advertising rates may be maintained.
A week or even a months
trial will not be sufficient to
prove that the subscribers to the
Capital would find the paper under it's
new management enough to their
tastes to continue to read it. Novelty
always attracts for time, but novelty
is short-lived
If Mr.. Sheldon's idea of newspaper
is feasible, editors generally would well
come it as'much as anyone. Some peo-
pie labor under the delusion that edi-
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30

The anti-imperialists propose to go
before the workingmen of America
with the proclamation that with the
retention of the Philippines the United
States will be overrun with cheap labor
which VIII pauperize the labor of the
country. Such statements will hardly
bear the light Of scrutiny when it IS
known that the Filipinos could not be
induced in any number to leave their
tropical native country for foreign
colder and alien one. Attention might
also be called to the fact that England,
which supports a far greater proper
ton of laboring and factory hands
than the United States, has for years
had close relationship with the cheap
est labor Of the Orient-that of India
and yet no pauper Indian laborers
are found in the factories of Great
Britain,
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30
STIR UP THE PEOPLE AND LET
THE CONSTITUTION REST.

Iowa City Republican: No chance is
missed in some quarters to advocate
the election of United States senators
by direct vote of the people, instead of
by vote of the state legislatures. The
case of Senator Clarke, of Montana,
who seems to have purchased the votes
of enough members of the Montana
legislature to elect him, is being cited
as an instance of the corruption the
present plan leads to. The senatorial
campaign in Iowa started long enough
before the elections for the general
assembly for the charge to be made
that the two candidates selected the
legislature, instead of the legislature
selecting the United States senator.
This has been set out as showing gen.
dency that should be checked by the
popular election of senators. Howev-
er, in this last case, as a popular vote
would have resulted in the election of
Mr.. Gear. no harm was done by the
defeated candidate endeavoring to
pack the general assembly.
1T is suggested that it would be more
difficult to manipulate the people than
to handle general assembly and that
legislative deadlocks over the senator
ship would also be avoided.
| There are very many people in this
country who seem to think that the
simple changing of law or consti-
tutional provision, in and of itself, will
correct any abuse that has developed
in connection with the existing enact
ments, which, as general thing, are
comprehensive enough to prevent such
abuses if executed in their spirit.
Such execution of the laws can only
be attained thru popular determines
| ton to have the matters under the
jurisdiction of these laws attended to
in a manner in harmony with the spir-
| it of our institutions. If this deter
mination on the part of the people is
lacking or latent, no amount of new
legislation or constitutional reorganiz-
alton is going to attain the sought for
result. 1t is probable that such pop
ular determination, fully aroused,
with even imperfect laws, would be a
more potent agency for keeping
abuses in the public service down to a
minimum, than the most scientific and
complex laws backed by general pop
ular Indifference. If the people of a
state are not sufficiently alert to their
own interests and the interests of their
commonwealth and nation to elect
men to represent them in their state
legislature who cannot be corrupted in
| the manner charged against the Mon
tana legislature, for instance, they are
not sufficiently alert to prevent the de-
velopment of conditions that would
enable the man for the occasion to
manipulate popular vote on the Uni
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30

Ex-Governor Altgeld, the Illinois
high priest of Organism, is more out
spoken than his chief on the question
of paper money, for he says plainly
that both "gold and silver will pass out
of use as money and be supplemented
by philosophic or rational circulating
medium and measure of value" Mr..
Bryan has never yet been committed
to an expression in favor of unlimited
greenbacks, but it is not certain that
he and many other devotees Of "Coin"
Harvey do not hold similar views to
Governor Altgeld, altho they are not
so impolitic as to make them public
at this time. The step from the posi-
ton of the extreme Bryanites to that
occupied by Mr.. Altgeld, namely, that
of absolute fiat money, is not .ong or
illogical one.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30
SANITATION AND SUPERSTITION.

Recent reports from Honolulu state
that one of the difficulties in the way
OF a completely successful campaign
against bubonic plague in that city
is the attitude of the Cinnamon to-
ward cremation. 1t has been the prac-
tice in plague-infected cities of late
years to consign the bodies OF the VIC
Tins of the disease to the flames,
thereby effectually preventing the
spread of contagion from that source.
The Chinaman, however, includes
among the articles of his faith a firm
belief that his soul will not proceed to
the heavens of his ancestors if his
bodv is not consigned to the earth in
his native land. Even the poorest OF
the emigrants from China make pro-
vision for the transportation of their
bodies home should they die in for
eign land, altho this process is very
expensive and severely drains the
slender income of the Celestial In
consequence of the superstition China
men afflicted with the plague, or their
associates, will resort to the last eX-
pedients to prevent their condition
from becoming known to the authori-
ties. Many Of the more ignorant ones
have a dread OF the white mans hos
pitfalls and will hide away and die mis-
erably in filth before venturing to eX-
pose their symptoms in the fear that
detection in disease means the mutila-
ton of their bodies after death at the
hands of the surgeons. This condition
in some places prevents thoro santa
ton and quarantining, for the afflicted
ones take the very precaution to hide
their diseases which are calculated to
spread the germs of contagion. Civ
ilization may not fully eradicate these
hampering doctrines by substituting a
more wholesome sense of individual re-
sponsibility, but it will go far toward
rendering certain places in the world
more decent and orderly. It is evil
dent that until the missionaries and
the teachers can persuade the oriental
to change his faith concerning the re-
lationship between his body and his
soul after death, progress in santa
ton and, to a certain extent, in gov
erning, will be accomplished only by
slow and painful processes. Here,
then, is the lighting line well laid
down, and no finer mission could be
conceived than crusade to convince
the Celestials that happiness and de-
cency on earth are by no means in
compatible with the bliss which re-
wards the faithful after death.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30
GOOD ROADS IN IOWA.

Chicago Tribune: The supervisors
of Iowa counties in their convention
at Ames took a stand in favor of road
improvement. Such action is custom
ary at conventions Of the kind. 1t US
ually ends in talk, but this time there
NAV be action, for there are signs of
reform. As pointed out by G. II. Cur
eiss, the difficulty is not scant appro-
priations for the purpose, but rather
that the best use is not made of what
money there is. Mr.. Curtiss struck az
the root OF the evil when he said that
the funds should not be expended I'M
der the direction of a "road boss" who
has not education, training, nor any
other qualifca tons for the work. The
people have not yet been aroused or
the subject, but he hoped that the time
would come when they would realize
that local taxes are four or five times
as large as the state and national
! taxes, yet are far less iudiciously eX-
pended.
In support of this argument for good
roads, Mr.. Curtiss quoted statistics
showing that the average cost of NOV
ing ton of farm products one mile is
rs cents and that the average haul is
twelve miles. As the total tonnage OF
agricultural products amounts to over
e00, 100000 and the cost of transporta-
ton on good hard roads is only cents
mile, the improvement of all roads
in the United States would result in
a saving of $60O,0OO,O00 annually.
While the supervisors were in ses-
sion at Ames the Iowa Engineers So
ciety was discussing good roads at
Des Moines. The good roads commit
tee Of the engineers had made inquiry
OF the county surveyors by circular
letter as to the condition of Iowa
roads. They found that in SO per
cent OF the counties there is no system
or plan for the location and construc-
lion of permanent roads, but what is
done one day is often undone the next.
( Probably 30 per cent of the counties
have all the material they need right
& within their borders. Sixty-ive per
cent still use day labor on the roads,
! but OF the counties that have adopted
the construction Of permanent hard
roads SO per cent employ the contract
system under the plans and specifica-
tons Of an engineer.
There is now before the Iowa legis-
lature bill which provides for state
engineer and uniform system of
roads thruout the state. II requires
special taxation for roads. The super
yisors approve it and the sentiment of
the engineers was in its favor, altho
no action was taken. The objection to
the employment of the state engineer
is that Iowa already has so many state
commissions and executive officers.
The state engineer would be a more
useful official than many Of those now
serving, but it might be well to abol-
ish some of the others first. The peo-
pie could do much if they would elect
engineers as county surveyors, thus
gaining expert services without addi-
tional expense.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30
BOARD PROCEEDINGS.

Proceedings of the board of SUPER
visors, January the 9th, 1900, being The
sixth day of the session. Board met,
members all present, minutes of last
days session read and approved. The
day was devoted to examinations of
claims and miscellaneous business.
Board adjourned to meet Wednesday,
January the 10th.
FL. B. Wagers, Chairman.
Attest: I. FL. Hammond, Deputy
Auditor.
Proceedings Of the board of super
visors,, January 10, 1900, being the
seventh day of the January session.
Board met, all members present, min
utes of last davis session read and APP
proved. The board then proceeded to
the semi-annual settlements with John
Fl. Spry, county treasurer, and after
examining all receipts, vouchers and
bank balances, and finding all funds
properly accounted for, accepted the
following ta'bulation of receipts and
disbursements, and ordered same made
a part of SUPERVISORS record:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30
WAS COLONEL BRYAN sNuBBED?


Colonel Bryan spoke in Baltimore
on Saturday evening, and while good
audience greeted him, not member
OF the democratic city administration,
not democratic leader or prominent
member of the party in city or state
was present to extend him the "glad
hand" They wrapped their nantes
OF Indifference about their manly
forms, went to their homes and spent
the evening with their families, just
as tho Colonel Bryan was not.
No cross of gold no silver crown,
Could make them take free silver
down.
Prosperity, plenty of money and
good times are not making any Bry-
an converts in the ranks OF the gold
democrats of Maryland.
Only few days ago free silverite
introduced resolution in the legis-
lature of that state, inviting Colonel
Bryan to address its members; it, was
overwhelmingly defeated by the demo-
cratic majority.
1t is no wonder the democrats of
Maryland do not take kindly to Bry-
anism. They are intelligent, educated,
conservative, law-abiding and well-to-
do. Free silver was forced upon the
party in 1895 and it lost the state by
more than 10000 votes, lost the state
officers, United States senator and
the entire delegation in the lower
house of congress. Last year, the party
ignored the silver question and Bry-
anism and it elected governor and
legislature by handsome majority.
They now see staring them in the
face a repetition of the disastrous cam
paign OF 1896. They know full we'll
that if Bryan is nominated again for
the presidency, it means a Waterloo
defeat for them. They have probably
come to the conclusion that great
many democrats all over the country
have arrived at, that Colonel Bryan
has fastened himself onto the party,
like the old man of the sea to Sinbad
the Sailor, and the only way to get
rid of him is to defeat him again good
and hard.
And it will come to pass.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-30

"The Su~sr Republicans" is the name
bestowed by the New Orleans Picayune
who. seeing that republican policies
were of more advantage to the south
than the democratic policies they had
previously supported, have gone over
in large numbers to the republican
party. 'Tis name of sweetness, and
they who bear it are apt to make it a
symbol of light also. They are an in
huential class, and it would not be
SURPRISING if thru their efforts Louis
lana would some day follow Kentucky
in the republican column.