West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-10-15
TURN THE RASCALs OUT
Regular Republican Politics Ia
Indian Territory.
VERY STRENUOUS o. g. xARsHAI.

lets Prissssrs o~t to Vote nis wan
ana Inurisons Good Indians co
Kesp Thsn From votfng-A rsr-
seaai Appointes OF The rrssiAsnts
Dawes connissiea ouiescsns.
Tho scandals In tho interior depart-
ment have led to the arrest Of Benja-
min II. Colbert. United States mar
shal for the Indian Territory. Bcnja,
min was q member Of that immortal
squad Of rough riders and was tho or.
derry who attended tho strenuoud
movements OF Colonel Roosevelt. Tha
name Of Colbert would possibly mover
have been otherwise enrolled on tho
scroll Of fame II Colonel Roosevelt had
not accidentally been promoted 10 bc
president Of tho United States. The
president has an enormous patronage
to distribute. and ns tho politicians die
tnte to him nearly all the appointments
In the states and az most OF tho mp
polntees aro notoriously unit ana
many OF them corrupt ana incompetent
the president took tho bit In his mouth
when II came to making selections for
the territories. He wished TO give tho
politicians of his pnrty an example OF
the class of men he would solcct IL no
were left untrammeied by tho Repub-
lican wire pullers. To do this Prcsi-
dent Roosevelt had to turn down Colo
mel John =. Hammer. who was tho
United States marshal appointed by
President Mckinley. Grand Army
man and indorsed by all the leading
Republicans OF tho territory for ap-
pointment.
But the personal selection OF tho pres
ident has turned out to DO no better, n
not worse. than those OF Senators
Hanna. Quay, Plntt and tho other Ro-
publican spoilsmcn, for whilo the ma
joriy or the nppointccs OF those
worthless have so far succeeded In keep.
Ing out OF tho clutches OF the law tho
personal nppointoc OF tho president IL
In limbo charged with many crimes
and misdemeanors. Tho Now York
Post thus enumerates them:
This officinl is accused or using his
power for political purposes. Letting
prisoners out OF Jail that they might
vote was ono of his pleasing pastimes,
imprisoning Indians for not voting nc
cording TO his wishes was another
But the strenuousness or BENJAMIN
is hardly to be wondered at. His edu-
cation In Cuba and the Philippines has
together taught his Ill balanced mind
that Indians aud Filipinos have no
rights that white man like BENJAMIN
is bound to respect and that laws are
made but to be broken when it suits
the wbim or policy of those I'm author-
ity. He had seen Colonel Roosevelt
and others sign round robin I'm
Cuba which trnnsgressed the articles of
war and would have been followed by
court martial IL tho politicians who
were responsible had cared to order an
investigation. General Alger mt that
time was on too thin leo to be sure Of
his footing. and the round robin was
passed over with reprimand.
Words arc good when backed by
deeds and only So" and BENJAMIN was
trying TO carry out this precept OF his
benefactor by interpreting IL to suit
the strenuous times in Indian Terri
tory. Being evidently in league with
the '1and ring" IL was necessary to
carry the election there at all cost. Tho
bad Indians in jail he let out to vote
tho way he wanted them to. The good
Indians, who were intent on voting to
save their land, which interfered with
the purposes Of tho land robbers TO
steal II, were shut up In prison 10 pre-
vent them from voting.
What distorted view of the justice
OF Uncle Sam the white and red In
hnbitants OF the Indian Territory must
have when the United States marshal
who is chief OF police OF tho territory,
tho friend and personal appointee OF
the president, does such deeds as thesei
And the Dawes commission looked
on with their hands folded behind
them, ready 10 receive their share of
the reward, and they still hold Office
by the grace OF President Roosevelt.
No wonder the cry goes up from the
Indian Territory, '@rurn tho rascaIs
outr'