The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-08-15
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON

EOaE a10u
wearing a worn, haggard and hunte,
expression are now walking the streets
OF the nations capital wearing a broac
and expansive smile that somewhat
resembles a crack iDia frozen river.
WhereforeP Simply because on the
3lst Of July last the statute Of limita.
ton ran and they are forever barred
from prosecution for the misdeeds and
POPULATION they INDUCED In while
holding positions of honor and trust
under the national government three
years ago. There are many men who
ought to have been indicted and would
have been had not President Roosevelt
told Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral BrIstow not to investigate any of
the cases where the statute of limitation
would run out this year. 1t was known
here also that Perry S. Heath, the
secretary of the republican national
committee, would have been one of the
first to be indicted, along with Machen,
II the republican leaders had not
stepped in and put a veto on the thing.
Mr.. Heath knows too much of the
inside workings of the cogwneels and
oillng that the different parts of The
machine received in the last two
national campaigns. He might, as
Rathbone threatened 10 do, "pull down
the pillars of the temble,n and that
would be dangerous to many in high
places and leave the republican skeleton
exposed In all its h%ideousness. The
man who invented the statute of limi-
tations should have a monument erect
ed to his memory by the republican
leaders, for they know how much
tribulation he saved them. The next
convention of that party should pass
the hat around, and no one should be
more liberal in mis- donation than Presi-
dent Roosevelt, for 1t has saved him a
world OF annoyance and publicity that
might have jeopardized his political
An excellent slogan for the
republicans next year would be: Vive
la Statute OF Limltationsi
When President Roosevelt appointed
''Ret" Clarkson surveyor of the port of
New York there was a general gasp Of
astonishment by civil servic reformers,
and a good deal of surprise was man
ltested by the less truly good politI-
That Clarkson paid but little
attention to the duties of his Office, but
making secret trips to the South
ern states, with a strong inclination to
confine the society he sought to
''black- and-tans" and tlilv. whites, "
who were known to be important
factors in selecting delegates to national
'epubliean conventions, occasloned no
lmazement amongst politicians. They
regarded him as the personal represen- &
alive OF the president, and on what s
may be called a secret service mission Q
or him. Clarkson regards public office I
a private snap, and although Presi- t
Roosevelt is supposed to have =
'ther and opposite views on the duties
II public officers, he evidently does not I
iisapprove OF the Clarkson "graft" of
a good salary without much,
I any, return to the people who are
axed to pay It. Clarkson is an old
pal of Postmaster General
they have been mixed up in
ONE similar deals-obtalning delegates
N former ocoasions-so nobody will
'e particularly surprised at the infor-
that "Ret" Clarksou is the
'ficial who furnished the revenue
for the postmaster-genera and
lis family to take their summer outing.
That e cutters were not intended
or private use does not seem to have
roubled the elastic political consciences
It either Clarkson or Payne. II is
this loose idea OF the private
nap, that high officials regard as their
perquisites, that the grating
nd lOotlng in the postofice and other
apartments have grown to such serious
candals. Yet Mr.. Payne is supposed
0 be investigating this sort OF thing.
Vhen will the people awake?
Is 1t not clear that this new Bureau
Corporation will give the trusts two
ears more leeway-two years more
,ense to loot the peoples pockets
70 years at $1,000, OOO,OOO a yearP
nd what thenP Publicity. That's
J, and more than all, for ifis entirely
with the president whether