Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-04-21
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II II Il II Il. II II
Clark's = =
Minority Rule In Rhode Island.
Fruits From Our Colonies ~
dom Shots at Persons and Things
II Il II II + II II

this time to call the careful and pray
erful attention of such eminent reform,
ers as Judge Crumpacker of Indiana to |
the fact that the Wisconsin legisla-
ture, largely Republican in both branch
es, is incubating bill prohibiting the |
1ntermarriage of Caucasians and per-
sons of African descent. The judge !
thinks that the negroes are being NAL
treated down south, but Wisconsin is
closer to him, and lie can jump on that
legislature which is discriminating
against colored folks without jumping
so far as he is compelled to jump in
order to jump on South Carolina, Mis-
sissippi or Louisiana.
1t might also be we'll for Hon. John
G. Spooner to drop that Indianalo post
Office case long enough to address a
few words of admonition to the legis-
lature which recently reelected him to
the senate of the United States, but
It's dollars to doughnuts that neither
Senator Spooner nor Congressman
Crumpacker will open his chops to pro-
test against the Wisconsin law against
miscegenation.
Surely the Missouri Republicans have
not heard the news that the consulship
at Guayaquil, with salary and perqui-
sites amounting to $1,000, is vacant
and that nobody is applying for it.
Guayaquil is on the equator. Thomas
| Mast, consul, died there recently; yell
low fever indigenous. Nobody wants
place! Most assuredly Missouri Re-
publicans have not heard of that, else
one of them, indeed scores of them,
would have offered to sacrifice them
selves on the altar Of their country.
What to Missouri Republican is the
equator, what the yellow fever, when
q good, fat salary is in sight?
Harmony In Iowa.
That delightful and much exploited
Harmony, with big, big II, now ex-
listing in the Republican party is Curl
ously illustrated by an unseemly wran-
gle now going OH between Governor
Cummins of Iowa and Congressman
Hull of the Des Moines district as to
which of them shall be chief cook and
bottle washer at the Roosevelt festiyi.
ties soon to be pulled off in the capital
city of the Hawkeye State. Those two
statesmen hate each other more VEN
omously than did the Montagues and
Capulets. Each is the head Of fac
ton, and it's a fractional war to the
death. Each aspires to be the whole
show-to be sit" Consequently as
soon as it was announced that Presi-
dent Roosevelt in swinging around
the circle would stop at Des Moines
each concluded to make political cap
ttal out of that event for himself, and
the scheming promptly began and con-
tinues. 1t is already attracting much
attention. These two enemies live in
the same state, county, city, ward and
precinct. 1t is an open secret that
Cummins has made up his mind to
drive Hull out of public life, and no
man loves public life more than Hull.
No doubt President Roosevelt will be
In q frame of mind to exclaim, "a
plague on both your housesw
The editor Of the Washington Post
ought to be arrested under the statute
against cruelty to animals, for he
The Hon. William F. Harrity is being
mentioned occasionally in the current po-
littcal gossip. It Is about time for Don
M. Dickinson to begin to stand around
and make remarks.
Does not the Post know that in max
ing such fling Mt Don NJ. Dickinson
1t is pokipg fun at the most gorgeous
mutton chop whiskers in America
How can the Post be 50 heartless?
Undemocratie; UnrepubIieaH,
The Washington Post, Independent
contains this vigorous, scathing and
truthful editorial, touching the deplor
able condition of affairs in Rhode Is
land and Connecticut:
The constitution of Rhode Island is al.
most as unrepublican and antidemocratit
as that of Connecticut. and there is ever
less prospect of reform in the former thar
In the latter state. While each Of the two
commonwealths probably meets the re
quirement OF the federal constitution. ''s
republican form Of government" both ar,
probably deficient in the spirit of repub
licanism and contemptuously defiant o
the spirit of democracy. The Posts read
ers are or ought to be. familiar with tn
Connecticut monstrosity, but much les
publicity has been given to Rhode Is
lands In the latter state each city ant
township. regardless of population, hal
one member of the senate. This was no
|, very equitable sixty years ago. and 1t hal
come to be an abomination through tn
| growth Of cities. Its injustice Is Illus
trated by such facts as these: Twent!
townships with 1888 inhabitants an,
$500 voters. elect twenty out OF thirty
eight senator's. Eight cities and towns
. with population of 100000. elect onl,
eight senators. Providence has 2s.03o vot
ers but only one senator. The twent,
townships with their $500 voters absolute
ly control legislation. Having majorit,
In the senate, small minority of the peo
pie can and do prevent any amendmen
Of the constitution that would depriv
them OF plenary power. This minorit,
rule is the chief source of the bribery an,
corruption with which Rhode Island !
disgraced. AS the Chicago Tribune put
It:
1.-THE influence Of money in elections de
ponds largely on the size Of an electorate
It would take much money to carry q
election in Providence, with its 5000 vot
ers. Comparatively little is needed in
town with 800 voters. and the small Rhod
, been SO completely debauched that the
invariably elect the candidate who wi
pay out the most money"
The only hope of a change lies in tn
creation of a public sentiment stron
; enough to shame the people OF the sma
towns into compliance with the dictate
OF decency. AS the case stands. they ar
either participants in or promoters Of in
famous crinies-of crimes for which tn
law prescribes the penitentiary.
The trouble about reforming Rhod
, Island and Connecticut and bringin
| them into harmony with the progress
i