Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-06-18
IRONTON. MO. Y. 1S.19 5
Special Washington Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, D. c., June Is, 1908


WASHINGTON, D. c., June Is, 1908.
The scandal in the Postoffice De-
partment is still holding the boards as
the chief attraction in the nations
capital. 1t has grown to such pro-
portions that some of the Republican
politicians are beginning to gasp and
to ask where it will end and who will
be the next victim TO land in the
tolls. The outcome of this thing has
verified all my predictions anent the
rottenness that would come to the
surface, if it were pursued to logical
conclusion. Ever since the return OF
the Postmaster General, who was
paralyzed by the revelations that con-
| fronted him, he has been doing his
level best to cover up the investiga.
tion and to suppress it.
The top has only been scratched and
the people do not know one-tenth of
the corruption that lies beneath.
More and bigger scandals are yet to
come out, involving officials of high
degree, provided they are not sup
pressed by the administration. 1t is
not likely that the whole truth will
ever be known, for even If Congress
sional Investigation we're ordered it
would be in the hands of the Repub-
licans who are interested in suppress
ing the facts that could be uncovered.
The railway mail service offers fine
field for exploration, and if some of
the reports are true that are openly
talked in Washington, the worst
scandal by far has not yet been de-
veloped. The Star Route frauds, of
malodorous memory, would never
have been unearthed, if Democratic
Congress had not been elected and the
whole truth about present conditions
will lie concealed until the voters con-
clude to give the Democrats the op-
portunity to clean out the Augean
stables. Fraud and corruption are
rarely uncovered by the political
friends of those guilty of the crimes.
Aside from this there are so many
Congressman either directly or in
directly involved that great pressure
will be brought on the honest men to
let up for "the good of the party" :"
The truth will be brought out only by
the Intervention OF Democratic in
vestigators, The people know how to
get them if they want them.
| X
The manner in which clerk Gilmer
was reduced in salary and placed in
such position that he could no longer
stick his inquisitive nose into the busi-
ness of some high officials who were
interested in q graft, will be lesson
to other government clerks to keep
their eyes and ears closed. They
must never see or hear anything that
is crooked. That is peculiarly Re-
publican method of teaching honesty
in public office,
The Postmaster General "regrets to
report" that one OF the assistant. at
torneys In his department has been
arrested for boodling. 1t Is also sad
| to relate that the prisoner charged
with the crime is good Republican
and is vouched for by that good and
great man, Senator Fairbanks. The
good State OF Indiana seems to be
furnishing more than her share OF
these patriots for pelf discovered in
the postoffice scandals.
| Il II
The Republican postoffice stew is
getting thicker by the addition of new
ingredients almost every day. 1t is
now reported that United States Sen.
ator is mixed up in charge of boodl.
ing in the interest of one of the get
rich.quick concerns, for which he uaed
his influence with the department.
Evidently this is what the Republicans
call running the government and the
country on a business basis"
| have been asked why the name o
Mr.. William Randolph Hearst, of New
York, has appeared so frequently il
this correspondence. In reply l will
say that it IS for the simple reason
that he is Democrat who is always
doing things and the kind of thing
that cause comment here in the po
litical center OF the nation. He is OF
the center OF the stage; he Is In th,
limelight, and he is performing in
way that delights the Dem mocratic hear
and makes Republicans angry. He i
not seeking publicity, for he is on,
public man In this country who shun
that sort OF thing, but he does thing
that compel publicity Of his acts be
cause they have direct bearing OF
matters now uppermost in the mind
of the people. He is not burrowin,