Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-08-15

SES HERE is one absolutely safe
rule by which to ascertain
whether a man Is good
Democrat and true-if Re-
publican papers delight to at
tack him, he is all right. Judged by
that standard, my Democratic record
is mo. l."
When was child back in the hill
country Of Kentucky, heard philoso-
pher say, "When l throw stone
among pack of dogs and one yelps
/ know l hit him" Applying that die
tum, which is full of wisdom, to my
speech delivered in Bangor, Me-, OIL
Bunker Hill day, at least one rock
which / threw went straight to its
mark, for under the fetching title Of
"The Republican Column Solid" the
st. Louis Globe-Democrat, Republican
organ grinder IN chief west of the Mis-
sissippi river, yelps edtorially as fol-
lows:
One of Missouri's Democratic congress-
men. Clark, of the Ninth district, has
just been telling few of the Maine Dem
ocrats some of the things he does not
know about politics. According to the
telegraphic reports OF that queer persons
speech, he said. 1.-The Republican major
ity in congress is split into warning fac
tons upon every issue that is ACUTE
Clark is not the inventor of this observa-
ton. He has heard it from several other
Democrats. He has read it in some Of
the Democratic papers. 1t is an error
nevertheless.
On some Of the issues now before con-
gress there is q little difference of opin-
ion among Republicans. On the Cuban
question there was something of di-
vergence. So, too, there has been diff
ference on the canal question, which, of
course, is not partisan issue. But there
Is no divergence on the great issue of
the day, national expansion. All the Re-
publicans are in favor of the retention of
the Philippines. All the Republicans also
want to strengthen the gold standard, II
1t needs any more Strengthening any
where. All are against any assaults on
the tariff, Irrespective altogether Of the
attitude of some of them on the Cuban
reciprocity question. The only issue on
| which there has been any material diff
ference among the Republicans has been
on that of Cuban reciprocity.
Whether am the inventor of the OBJ
servation to which the CD. takes ex-
captions l do not know. 1t is true,
however, as the CD. says, that have
heard other Democrats say SO and Re-
publicans also. 1t is also true that l
have read it in Democratic papers and
In Republican papers also. 1t has
been stated over and over again in the
Washington Post, one of the most bril-
liantly edited papers in America, a
high tariff shouter at that. Everybody
here and every intelligent person else
1N1
split up on the tariff, and the CD.
man alone seeing to believe that "the
Republican column is solid" Nobody
who has any reputation to lose will
claim to have originated that idea or
to have made that declaration.
Some Of the "Solids."
Forty-odd Republicans in the house
broke away from the machine and
voted with the Democrats to remove
the differential on sugar and rode
roughshod over the leaders and over
ruled the "chair" on an appeal from
his decision. Has the CD. heard of
that? VIII it explain that perform
ance to its readers and after explain
ing declare that it goes to show "sol-
i'd Republican column" Does the
CD. believe that the action Of Repub-
lican senators-siXteen i'll the open and
etwo in reserve''-in refusing to do the
presidents bidding as to Cuban reci-
procity is another evidence of a "solid
Republican column" Oh, yea but the
CD. says that the difference on Gu
ban reciprocity, which it inadvertently
confesses to be material" will not be
discussed in the campaigni And yet
the CD. knows full well that the
Roosevelt and anti-Roosevelt factions
are living upon that very issue and
| will make the fur fly from Martha 8
| Vineyard to the Golden Gate and from
the great lakes to the gulf of Mexico.
The CD. knows that the hottest fac
tional fight among Republicans since
| the Grant and anti-Grant clans gath
cred at Chicago in 1880 is now on be-
tween the Roosevelt and Hanna gangs,
and yet 1t pirates about "solid Re-
publican column" Such "fubdub"
may hoodwinlS the Globe-Democrat's
clientele. If so, it is easily fooled, but
1t will deceive nobody that reads any
other newspaper or who, having eyes,
sees and, having ears, hears. Evident
ly the CD. is edited for the exclusive
benefit and behoof Of the marines.
1t knows that Cuban reciprocity was
| laid on the shelf in the senate because
Senator Marcus A. Hanna is after
President Roosevelt's scalp and pro-
poses to take it at all hazards, and
yet the CD. has the hardihood to bel
low about 90 solid Republican column"
and to denominate me "a queer per-
son" because l told the truth-and
| what the editor of the CD. knows is
the truth-up in Maine. l have fair,
square proposition to make-if the edi
tor Of the CD. will make affidavit
that the Republicans are united in all
things, are harmonious family, and
will place the affidavit in my hands,
will institute criminal proceedings
against him on the charge of false
swearing / will conduct the prosecu-
ton myself. If ! convict him, the
acquitted, l will resign my seat in
congress and agree never to be can
didate for any office whatsoever.
] propose herein 10 give few items
and extracts from Republican papers
and speeches to show that the Repub-
lican column, instead Of being solid, is
bifurceted.
ltem.-The capers of the Republican
state convention Ia Wisconsin show