The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-06-21
HIGH HANDED OFFICIALS.

HIGH HANDED OFFICIALS.
Denison has just witnessed a piece of official
high-handedness which was a disgrace to the gov
ernmenl service. 1t will be remembered that some
two weeks ago two of our citizens were arrested on
a trivial charge, rushed before the u. S. Commits
sioner at Council Bluffs like common criminals
and threatened with trouble and expense beyond
all proportion to unintentional offense committed.
1t now appears that there was a we'll laid scheme
to harrass these men for the amount of fees that
could be gotten from them and it is probable that
this but one of the many instances in which the
same game has been worked. The public service
of the United States should be beyond such petty
tyrannies and mulctings. Where a malicious Of
Tense or fraud has been committed we are not in
favor of mercy or compromise for the majesty of
our national laws must be upheld at all costs, but
this is no reason why half-baked fee-hunters should
be allowed at large to prey upon innocent parties.
We are informed that the warrants issued against
Meeves and Richards were illegal and their cases
have been dropped. In our opinion this should
not end the matter. The officer guilty of such mis-
demeanor should be incontinentily dismissed from
the service and be compelled to compensate the
injured parties for the expense, inconvenience and
disgrace of public arrest. The deputy u.
S. Marshal barked up the wrong tree when became
to Denison to work up fees. 1t is not the habit Of
the people of this town to tamely submit to injus-
tice, but this is simply one of the cases in which
they were found out. How many other cases have
there been that have not been run to earth? How
many cases where the victims have not had any
one to assist them and have been mulcted to fill the
pockets OF officials? We believe there have many.
The deputy in question stated while here that this
was his usual method Of procedure. The public
as we'll as the government should be protected in
these matters and the oficious official should lose
his position if only as a warning to others of his
class.
Hazen S. Pingree, ex-Mayor of Detroit, ex-
ernor of Michigan is dead. He was a man of great
deeds and great thoughts. His title of nPotato
Patch Pingree" bestowed upon him by his enemies
became a title of honor and he became a power
within the republican party for good. Mr.. Pingree'sF
life is Illustrative of two things. The first is that
to accomplish reforms does not necessitate the
founding of a new party, nor the establishment of
a coterie of hero-worshippers. MI. Pingree worked
entirely within the ranks Of his old party. He did
not teach thatthe possession Of wealth was a crime.
ne did not try to arouse envy and hatred and NAL
ice, but he did demand entire Justice whether it
curtalled the desires of rich or poor. He contend
Gu elldt tHe poor man naQ no more right to infringe
upon the rights Of the rich, than the rich had to
infringe upon the fights of the poor. Because a
man is a failure does not entitle him to the espe-
clal esteem and consideration of the community.
He is to be pitied and given Just considerations,
but failure is not a hallmark of greatness and, can
never be. Thus while Pingree stood for the rights
OF the masses he did it in the right way. He was
not Bryanesque In his methods and he ACCOMPLISH
ed more tor the common people than the editor Of
the Commoner has ever done with all his mouth
lngs. The second thought in connection with Pin
gree's life is to look after the little things. 1t was
the potato patch idea which first gave Pingree
fame. 1t was a little thing. Millions of dollars
are spent in charity every year with little or no at
tentlon being given to the fact, but Pingree hit
upon something new. He evolved a plan which en-
abled the poor to help themselves and to retain
their self-respect while at the same time accepting
something from their more fortunate brothers. The
man who gives something new to the world, no
matter how small it may be, is worthy a place in
history, and long after many of the powerful names
OF Michigan's history shall have been forgotten
save by scholars who love to delve in the records
OF the past, the name of Pingree shall live and be
honored.
The love and sympathy of Denison for it's sor-
rowing ones was nexer better displayed than at the
funeral OF Thomas Luney Denison loves its
sons and daughters, II. knows no caste distinctions,
the rich and poor mingle here on a footing of abb
solute equality, and had Thomas Luney been the
son OF the richest man in Denison no more honor
could have been done him. This is the true es-
Sence of American denocracv There ;c ~ !.