The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1901-01-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
DESPICABLE COURSE OF PETIT
GREW, 0BSTRUCTI0NIST.

WASHINGTON, Jan. Ex-senator Petit.
grew of South Dakota has developed
into such an out and out obstructionist
that few people remember the time
that he occupied position Of influence
and power among his colleagues in the
United States senate. With the change
in sentiment there has come complete
transformation In the man, and all OF
those previously concealed idiosyncra-
sizes of character which have made him
so obnoxious to both sides of the SEN
ate chamber because of the virulence
Of his language have been revealed.
He is consuming the closing days Of
most ignominious career in the United
States as a leader of a clique of OBJ
structionists which may go down in
history yet as having compelled the
most deliberative legislative body on
earth" to place limit upon debate.
-.
On the army reorganization bill, be-
fore the final vote was taken, and
which so signally sustained the adj
ministration and carried into effect the
will Of the people as expressed at the
polls last November, Senator Petit
grew easily took first rank as the most
bitter of the radical flibusters. He
has permitted himself to be interview
ed repeatedly in order to assure the
public that his opposition is largely d.
rected against the shipping bill, to de-
feat which he was quite willing to
oppose all other measures, however
pressing, that preceded it. Senator
Pettigrew has freely INDUCED in state
ments impugning the motives of the
friends of the shipping bill, and his
bitterest invectives and choicest cpl
thets have been directed against the
owners of the swift ships under the
American flag in the transatlantic
trade, while he has not hesitated to
charge against his colleague. Senator
Hanna, the basest motives for his sup
port of the measure as presented for
passage by the senate commerce COM
mittee.
A curious thing has come to light in
this connection, however, which will
have no effect upon Senator Pettigrew
or his position upon the shipping bill,
but it will have widespread effect
upon the public mind when the fact is
known. 1t is this: Ten and a half
years ago there was before the United
States senate a shipping bill which
provided compensation for swift steam
ships carrying the mails approximating
in amount precisely the sum now pro-
vided in the pending bill and against
which all of the pent up virulence and
viciousness of the senator have been
freely poured forth. Strangely enough,
at that time, and with the same ability
then as now to learn the real facts in
the matter, Senator Pettigrew voted
for the passage of that measure, with
the result that it passed the senate.
-.
Since that time a line Of ships has
come into existence and after several
years of operation at a vast annual
loss has demonstrated the wisdom Of
Senator Pettigrew's vote Of ten and a
half years ago by proving the INSULT
cheney of the amount provided in the
bill as it passed the house, the compen-
sation in which was reduced in amount
one-third from that for which Senator
Pettigrew voted on July II, 1890. But
Senator Pettigrew has undergone a
great change meanwhile, and the things
he used to see through Republican eyes
as justifiable he now sees through Pop
ulistic eyes as unjustifiable. The con-
ditions have not changed. They re-
main the same, and they happen to
justify the wisdom Of Senator Petit
CREWS position upon public matters at
a time, long past unfortunately, when
he commanded the respect and esteem
of his associates and of the country at
large.
And so it comes to pass that Senator
Pettigrew is performing the role of an
obstructionist and the bitterest oppo-
nent of a measure because of a provi-
sion in it in 1901 that when in SINH
lar measure in 1890 commanded his
support and his vote. There is no ex-
PLANTATION needed regarding the provi-
sions of the measure in question be-
yond the one that the judgment of Sem
ator Pettigrew, as shown by his vote
in 1890, has been confirmed by the
events that have succeeded it during
the decade that has since elapsed. Prob
ably there is nothing that Senator Pet
tigrew can carry with him into his en-
forced retirement from public life more
wildly than the picture of himself as
he was in 1S90-right on most public
matters-as compared with himself as
he disappears from public view = not
only wrong on almost all public mat
tiers, but displaying his perverted and
distorted mind in manner to call
forth the execration of almost all of his
colleagues upon each side of the senate
chamber.
Possibly the shipping bill, measure
destined to give the United States that
position upon the seas to which 1t Is en-
titled and has long required, both for
defensive and for economic reasons, re-
quired the opposition of Pettigrew in
oTuer 10 comhdnu the cdreIui coHsiu-
Grafton Of majority Of congress and
in order that at this most opportune
time ii could be enacted into law. Be
that as II may, Pettigrew's opposition
has succeeded in solidifying the Re-
publicans and a number of broad
minded Democrats in favor of the bill,
presaglng result most pleasing to all
friends Of the measure and most prom
Using as to the future welfare and de-
fensive strength of the nation.
i u Annra