Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-06-21
hanna Morally the Principal Culprit
Under the Powers at WASH
inEt0n.

Under the Powers at WASH
ington.
The scandals in connection with the
esta blishment of postal system in
Cuba are not surprising, when con.
sidered in the light of the character
of the men who caused them, thell
antecedents and the temptation tc
which they were exposed. 1t is plain
they were sent to Cuba as reward
for their political services to the ad
/ ministration, and that they under.
stood they were to make what they
could out of their positions. They
took their unwritten instructions toe
literally; and instead of filling their
pockets discreetly and quietly, they
inaugurated a species of orgie
grabbed everything in sight, and con.
sequently, when the exposure came
the administration was shocked, and
perhaps the chances of the Mckinley
reelection jeopardized.
Mr.. Hanna is no doubt morally the
principal cuiprit. Years ago-in fact
from the time of the esta blishment OF
the political firm or syndicate of Han
ma & McKinley-Mr. Perry heath, as
sistant postmaster general, has been
in Mr.. Hanna's employ. He has been
an editor and correspondent of news
papers in his interest. and when Mr.
Mckinley was nominated for president
four years ago had charge of his cam
paign in Indiana, and, acting under
Hanna's instructions, carried the state
for him. When the president formed
his binet Mr.. Gary was made post
master general and Heath his first
assistant 1t did not take very long
for the assistant, backed by Hanna
and the president, to force his chief
to resign. Mr.. Charles Emory Smith
succeeded Mr.. Gary, with the under
standing that Heath was not to be
interfered with.
Acting under Heath, as Heath acted
under Hanna. in the scheme of plum
der politics. were Nicely and Rath-
bone and through Heath's influence
they were. given important positions
in the post office department. The es-
| Establishment of a postal system in Gu
ba, a temporary dependency of the
government, and among people who
did not understand the English lam
guage or American business methods,
was the opportunity for which these
friends of the administration and
servitors of Hanna and the president
had waited and hoped. Nicely was ap-
| pointed treasurer and general man
ager of the postal system on the part
| of the government and he and his
confederates wasted no time in get
ting to work.
If they had not been detected by the
military authorities and checked in
| their opera tions before they got fair
| ly started there is no telling how
much they would have stolen. As it
is. they got away with hundreds of
| thousands of dollars.
The United States occupies pecul-
lar position in relation to Cuba. In
the face of the world, it became the
guardian of the untaught and inexpe.
| rienced people of the island. 1t exer-
| cised supreme authority over them.
1t undertook to instruct them in the
methods of government by the people
and for the people-to start them in
the way of managing their public af-
i fairs peacefully, honestly and in ac-
cordance with law. The administra-
ton and the men by whom it is sur
rounded and controlled have so quit
ted themselves of these national obi
cations by unloading gang of thieves
upon them, and not only robbing them
and making them suspicious of a re-
publican form of government. but at
the same time fixing stigma and
h1rr hoir
ernment.-Kansas City Independent.
The trusts have put up the price
of their products until the demand
has gradually fallen off to such an ex-
tent that there is no longer any mar
ket for them. This, of course. has ne
eessitated curtailment of production
and the mills have begun to shut down
and the employees are laid off without
warning for an indefinite time. Pros
pective purchasers have found the
prices asked too high and have de-
ferred buying. So it will be seen that
the conditions now complained of
have been brought about by the trusts
themselves. They are responsible for
the unstable tenure of employment of
the many thousands who are to-day
without any means to earn living
because the trusts. in their Unsuitable
greed for enormous profits, have OYER
shot the mark.-Denver Post.
TRUSTS have been forming with
great rapidity ever since Mckinley be-
came president. His chief adviser.
Mark Hanna, is an avowed advocate
and defender of trusts. The republic
ans of his state turned down. Attor-
ney General Monnett, who made the
most conspicuous attempt so far I'M
dertaken to attack trusts. The attor-
ney general of the United States has
Iot lifted his hand. Only at the very
end of the session, just before the
presidential campaign opens, has it oc-
CURED to the republicans to take up i
the question. It will be difficult for
them 10 make thinking people believe
that they are in earnest in this mat |
ter,-Indianapolis News.