Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-02-27
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Champ s !; I: :: 81:
y Clark'S Letter ;: :,
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up to their platform promises. which
appears to be an impossibility. The
"Rads" fear six Democratic senators
from the three proposed states in the
southwest, a consummation for which
they are not wishing very much. The
truth is that in the summer of 1900 the
Republicans thought it was popular to
advocate statehood. They are in now,
and they don't care q fig for their
promises.
After Marcus A.
master in the delicate art of removing
the cuticle from his opponents. The
person here referred to is Judge David
A. De Almond of Missouri. Since
Thomas Bracket Reed went hence
without day Judge De Almond has no
peer or competitor in this line of ora
tory. His admirers describe him as
"keen cutter" His sentences carve
his victims as so many razors. So
thoroughly is his superb capacity in
this regard recognized that nobody ever
interrupts him now that Is, nobody
with any reputation to lose. When
was boy, l attended public sale
down in the hill country of Kentucky.
Two men got into fight. One slashed
the other across the abdomen With a
sharp knife and let out his "innards."
The wounded man doubled himself up
and threw both hands in front of his
stomach to catch his entrails. l was
child. The performance made deep,
an ineffaccable impression on my mind.
I have recalled that picture thousands
of times. never saw anything like it
until one day last year at the long ses
sion. De Almond was making speech
when he was interrupted by an eminent
Republican with an inpertinent ques-
ton. De Almond knitted him instant
~. There was that double gesture by
the unfortunate Republican-the dou-
bling up and the throwing out of both
hands to catch his entrails that saw
In Anderson county, Ky, forty years
ago. That man will never interrupt
De Almond again, nor will any one
| that witnessed the disemboweling. Not
long since De Almond went after Mar
Gus A. Hanna as follows:
| Mr.. Chairman, as listened to the elo-
| quent and instructive remarks of the
chairman of the committee reporting this
bill INF. CannonJ and followed him in
happy reverie as he went over his review
OF the history of the country, marking
Its growth and progress, i thought how,
+ notwithstanding the country has grown
! rapidly, marvelously, the growth of ap-
preparations has outstripped the growth
, of the country; that extravaganza, as
, marked by Legislative action, has been
even more rapid in its progress, more phe-
nomenal In its achievements, than the
growth of the country itself. And. Mr..
Chairman, could not help thinking while
contemplating the picture painted by the
eloquent gentleman from lllinois-and
very interesting picture 1t was. too, and
is-how we may in the near future have
to deal with other things calling upon the
treasury of the country and swelling tre-
mendously the appropriations made by
congress.
This suggestion comes in part from a
somewhat remarkable bill introduced at
the other end of the capitol. one having
somewhat remarkable objects in view.
refer to the bill for pensioning the slaves.
the black men and the black women Of
the south. This bill provides that every
person, man or woman. who was a slave
and has attained the age of seventy years
shall be given upon its passage $500 and a
pension of SIS month SO long as he or
she shall live after that time; that those
over sixty and not having attained the
age of seventy shall be given $500 and
pensioned at $12 a month: that those over
fifty and under sixty shall have s1O0 and a
pension OF IS a month, and that those who
perhaps were infants in arms during the
time of the war. those under fifty, shall
have pension of 81 month.
I do not know whether this bill is going
to pass. do not know whether 1t was
designed or expected that 1t should pass.
1t is curious piece, however. in the
study of the passing drama Of statesman
ship and politics. 1t is rather a seductive
picture held out for the black brother,
north or south. 1t has attachments, too,
that will reach not only the colored BROTH
er. but ought, If it were made law, to
be beneficial to some of those who hur-
rted and scufried south shortly after the
war and associated themselves. for pur-
poses of their own. very greatly to their
own profit and very greatly to the injury
OF the communities in which they dwelt,
with the colored brother. There are vague
passages in the bill under which and by
which those who have supported" the
colored brother might get the pension in
place of the colored brother. think they
will not only take in the child who may
have properly supported an aged father
or an aged mother, but believe the bill
can be SO expanded and so applied that it
will take in these conference.-the carpet
the south have perhaps not strictly sup
ported the colored brother. but who claim
they have supported him, and who GER
tafnly were supported by him.
Possibly this bill is of more value as a
piece Of political maneuverlng than as a
piece Of prospective legislation. 1t car
ries with 1t, 1t seems to me. to the broad
nostrils in black the pleasant aroma of
the barbecue, borne upon the swift breezes
of anticipation. 1t carries with it the sug-
gestion that our Uncle Samuel Is not
merely going to kill the fatted calf in
order to afford feast for his black chill
dren. but that he is going to slaughter the
choicest Of his fiocks and herds. In this
anticipation, in this pleasant looking for
ward, in this delightful smiling Of the
breeze which bears in anticipation and in
imagination the odor and flavor Of this
barbecued meat, there appears to be some
thing political. 1t seems to me that in
comparison the glad hand" 10 not in it.
And, then. what. in the estimation Of
the colored brother, p.eaaan.
In the drawing roo:n ;;:; against b..
posSum and taters in the kitchen?
OF course the gentleman who introdn
this bill. as we understand upon his G
authority, Is not and will not be cas-
date for the presidency. We unders..
upon the same authority however, 4
there are no trusts. and Sc iiiag
one statement with the 9th, .;ttat.c,
and drawing our own conclG.i..n:s. we an,
wonder whether or not cert. in play I.
the favor Of the colored brother has ne
been met and more than met by ano,hc
play for the favor of the same co!orcd
gentlemen. We know that when it comes
to the nomination of presidential candi-
date by at least one of the great parties
Of this country the colored delegate is Il
very important factor-a factor to be play
a nj IN ho n on1t ,syst y, 60 ,t<xr,