Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-08
THE DUTY OF THE PUBLiClsT.

L ne SnIIne OF tne pHoiiclSt may per-
haps become one OF the disagreeable
duties of an organ but to condone polit-
prostitution of public office TO private
greed is a task for the parasite not for
the publicist. 1t is Their most astonish-
| ing to read in the Burlington Hawkeye,
a newspaper of excellent repute, that:
The papers that are giving editorial
space to criticism of Senator Quay's
political life are going out Of the way
! TO do wrong TO the memory of "a man
who III fact exerted a strong and legiti-
mate influence IN public affairs. and
who accomplished much by that infiu-
ence for the benefit Of his state and ma
ton. No bad man could retain through
a quarter OF n century and UP to the
day of his death the hold on the people
that Quay has exerted. His alleged po-
litical immortality was to be found
chiefly in the biased editorial comment
of those who fought him.
The H;.wkeye carries the injunction
to say nothing but good of the dead
too far when it attempts to conceal the
long record of Matthew Quay's political
piracy beneath the wrsaths of compli-
ment 1t cannot plead the excuse OF
| ignorance, for Matt Cuay's career is
current history. The conclusion is to
be inferentially though unwillingly ac-
cepted that the Hawkeye's criticism of
editors who found 1t their duty TO con-
denim q public life like Quay's is less
in excuse of the Pennsylvania boss than
in defense of Quay methods and Quay
political morality in its own state, The
Hawkeye knows Mr.. Quay's record. It's
defence OF Quay will be reluctantly re-
ceived as part of It'll dedication of
Blythe.
Quay represented In Pennsylvania
the political regime that the people of
Iowa periodically revolt from. His
that Blythe and his satellites are at
tempting to force on Iowa. The diff
ference between Quay and Blythe is the
difference in the ability of the men and
the temper of the people each has as
sumed tc, lead. Quay was the Deus ex
machina of the monopolistic interests
Blythe Isl the creature Of the railway
corporations. One held absolute sway
In Pennsylvania. The other is emulous
of his example. Perhaps the Hawkeye
defended Blythe's future when it white
washed Quay's past.
To assert that Quay's influence upon
public affairs was legitimate is to admit
that private ownership of courts and
legislatures is justifiable and whole
some Quay was the state of Pennsyl-
yania. He made it's laws and dictated
their Interpretation. lie touched every
branch of it's government with the fin
ger of corruption. T[is retention of
control for a quarter of a century was
the grasp of shark. He held chat
tel mortgage on the state. He was the
arbiter of ambitions, the autocrat of
public life in Pennsylvania. It's officers
became his puppets Or were replaced
by others more amenable. He bought
and sold with both hands, smiling in
the face, of decency and scorning it's
protest and when he died finally hope
was born again in Pennsylvania.
1t is The responsible duty of decent
Journalism to condemn such lives. To
defend them is inexcusable. Ii there
is one duty more than another laid
strongly upon the journalist 1T is to
stand between the public and venality
In high places. Whatever Senator
Quay's private life may have been his
public career is scandal in the history
Of American politics and to defend it as
Legitimate and strong" is to give
standing to the lobbyist and the boss
and the underground bourse where po-
litical Influence" is made commodity
| of exchange.
Mr.. Thomas Dennison's note book
with ita reference to expense connected
with running niggers into Council
Bluffs to assist in making United
states senator has created for the time
at least, a decided dlstaste toward the