Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-01-09

AS IN 1887 What does that mean7 was
1t the trouble in the treasury, the scar
city of funds and the doubt as to what
course the secretary would take? Was
that what caused the panic in 1893?
What. then, becomes of the venerable
contention which is SO often seen in Re-
publican organs, that the tariff OF 1894 bS,
some miraculous force, brought on n
panic year before it was born? Did
Secretary Shaw intend to rob the organs
of one OF the choicest weapons in their
arsenal? Does he not understand that
the tariff of 1894 reached back about
year and brought on a panic which "cost
the country more than our great war in
the early sixties?" Have we secretary
who cares more for the truth than for tho
exigencies of his party's organs? 1t would
seem So and the Post congratulates him
for his independence. Nevertheless we
expect to see that exploded. fiction re-
paired and put OH the road again in 1904
particularly commend that editorial
to the careful and prayerful considern-
ton of those palpitating and hysterical
patriots, General Charles Henry eros
venor of Ohio and Hon. Charles F..
Lands of Indiana, who seem to be ie,.-
ly possessed of the strange halluc:Ha-
ticn that the panic of 1893 was caused
by Il law passed in 1894. The chances
are. however, that those eminent pub
licists would not change their opinions
though one rose from the dead to les
tify or though an angel from heaven
came down to take the witness stand
against them.
Ambassador Clayton Again.
Uneasy lies the head that wears n
crown is an ancient saying frequently
quoted With approval The philosophy
of the provcrb might we'll be applied to
all persons holding high office. Cen
eral Powell Clayton, ambassador to
Mexico, can make his ''alferdavy" to
that fact. In one respect ut least the
position he now occupies is the most
desirable in our diplomatic corps, for
it is the only one in which cur repre-
sentative abroad can live i'll style and
save money. His mission is first class,
and he ranks with the ambassadors to
England, France, Russia, Germany,
Austria and Italy, the pay being in each
case 1850 per annum. This eXtraor-
! binary rank was conferred upon our
representative to Mexico wisely and
purely as commercial measure-to in
crease our trade with Mexico by flatter-
ing the Mexicans. Living is much
cheaper in Mexico than in Europe.
General Diaz, really great man, being
possessed of power, has sense enough
to care little for its trappings. Conse-
quently our ambassador, so it is said,
can live in comfort and at the same
time save n large portion of his salary.
Nevertheless Ambassador Clayton is
not happy; he does not repose on IL bed
! Of roses. His enemies poster him SO!
The trouble with the general appears
to be that, not satisfied with the legiti-
mate gains of his position, lie has gone
into the specializing business in the land
Of the Montezumas. and being a high
roller IN that regard, people object to
bis performances, claiming that lie
prostitutes his powers as Ambassador
Clayton in order to increase the profits
of Plunger Clayton. The result is that
they keep the general and good many
other official folks in hot water Just
as he was settling down to enjoy his
Christmas turkey Senator Pcnrose of
Pennsylvania filed some new charges
against him, calculated to give him a
bad case Of indigestion.
General Clayton is the last of the
carpetbaggers to hold high office. The
rest have dropped by the ways.de polt-
i1ally-some rich, some poor, some in
/ the south, most back in the north. One
Of them, Ex-Governor Franklin j. Moses
Of South Carolina, recently was sent
to the Massachusetts, penitentia.y for
stealing. They were bum set, those
earpetbaggers.
A Kansas Poet,
The publication of the John ]. In
gals book is serving to revive interest
In that brilliant and vitriolic statesman,
Few people remember that he was
poet as well rs an orator, but he was,
and he wrote what some critics con-
tend Is the finest sonnet in our vernac-
ular. Here it is:
OPPORTUNITY.
| Fame, love and fortune on my footsteps
| wait.
Cities and fields walk; penetrate
Deserts and seas remote, and, passing by
Howell and mart and palace, soon or late
knock unbdden once at every gate!
II sleeping. wake: If feasting, rise before
turn away. 1t is the hour of fate,
And they who follow me reach every
state
Mortals desire and conquer every foe
Save death, but those who doubt or hest.
tate,
Condemned to failure. penury and woe,
Seek me in vain and uselessly implore.
answer not and return no more!
llzl,xAzzI