The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-31
DEMOCRATIC LETTER.
THE ADMINISTRATION GIVES
CUBA A LESSON
In the Art of Running Their Postofnee
Department-sy Syndicate Of Republican
politicians Succeed in Stealing Immense
Sum of Postonice Money.
washington correspondence. )

washington correspondence
one imperial chicken has come home
70 roost. An Indiana Republican poll.
tlclan named Nicely, from Muncie, a
political pet and protege Of First AS
sistant Postmaster General Heath. has
Just been arrested for defrauding the
CUBAN postal revenues of an enormous
sum OF money. Nicely was the finan-
clal agent OF the postoff1ce department
ana practically the custodian of the
FUNDS. Present indications point to
= raudulent actions involving probably
not less than 100000. Nicely is not
alone From present indications II is
q safe assertion that probably four
nfths OF the principal postal officials
IN cuba are involved in the crime.
Rathbone, the Republican official at
the head of the postal administration
OF cuba, rs protege of Mark Hanna
lie had been chief postoffice inspector
IN Washington and fourth assistant
postmaster general. The main source
OF fraud was in the sale of several
hundred thousand dollars of STAMPS
winch were ordered destroyed as their
pace was to be taken by a new issue
instead of destroying them Neelv and
ms confederates issued them and pock
eted the proceeds. The enormous
shrlnkage in Cuban postal revenues
Immediately visible and continuing for
months did not seem to strike any one
connected with the Cuban postal serv-
ice as at all remarkable. 1t was exact
~ as though merchant accustomed
10 steady volume of business should
be entirely Indifferent when his clerks
ana cashier inform him that his cash
receipts have suddenly fallen off over
so per cent.
Rathbone not only passed everything
as all right, but within two weeks pre-
cedlng the discovery of Neely's pecu-
latlons made an official report prais-
Ing Nicely highly in the most positive
terms. He had, moreover, strenuously
resisted all attempts of General Wood,
VINO is in supreme command of Cuba
TO nave anything to do with the post
offlce department. In fact the discov-
cry OF the crime is due to an army Off
Ger who dug beneath the surface. Now
comes the strangest part. First the
postohce department in Washington
set up strenuous effort to throw re-
sponslbllity on the war department.
Within forty-eight hours this cam
palgn was dropped as dangerous and
whole host of postal officials were
rushed off to, Cuba to Investigate.
Yet the army officer, Col. Burton, was
even then on his way to Washington
with all the facts and figures in his
possession and evidence enough to
hang the whole criminal outfit. Then
Tor one brief day was an expression
OF stern determination from the white
house ito let no guilty man escape"
Then another day passes and word
e 16 msDrs atFagar a TIC there ~ ap-
iolute certainty Of the guilt of the sus-
,ected parties
The fact is that Mckinley and his
managers are frightened out of their
BOOTS and are trying to cover things
Up and limit the punishment to Nicely
md some scape-goat who may be will
ing to be sacrificed for the good of
The party. But it is, too late; the
is thoroughly aroused to the
knowledge that it is all piece Of
fraud off the bolt of imperialism. The |
Spaniards were corrupt in Cuba and |
the Philippines where the people were
unable to determine who should be
their rulers. The American officials
sent to Cuba or the Philippines are
going to follow the same rule. AS Lin
coin said, no people are good enough
to be set over another people as their
rulers without their consent. The
are too far away and the
censor in too thorough control of the
channels of news to permit the facts
to reach the republic, but out of the
millions which have already been
poured into that residential hole, there
have been few that have not paid
their tribute to corruption. This whole
administration is rotten, and it is only
when some tremendous hue and cry
has arisen from the public that the
thieves have been punished. 1t took
three years to put in prison Captain
Carter, who helped to rob the treasury
of 100000 on the harbor improve
ments of Savannah. 1t is about time
that the country again raise the Dem
ocratic cry of Turn the rascals out
Towne as the Probable Nominee.
The action of the Sioux Falls con-
gention both as to it's admirable and
conservative platform and it's nomina
ton of Bryan and Towne is received
in Washington by the Democratic
leaders as giving evidence that har-
monious action between all the prin-
cipal elements opposed to McKinleyism
may be expected. Whether the Dem
ocratic convention to meet at Kansas
City will second the nomination Of
Mr.. Towne for vice-president cannot
be forecast with certainty. Mr.. Towne
stands as the foremost of the silver
Republicans who left his party on the
silver issue in 1896. And yet from his
public utterances 1t is well known that
he stood thoroughly in line with every
plank of the Democratic platform
adopted at Chicago. He is today thor
oughly In harmony with Bryan on the
issues which will make up the cam
paign this summer and fall. No one
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