The independent., 1904-01-14

case that while MT. DielIiCn Woo
sufficiently senator to draw his
salary from the date of his cleo
| ton. he was at the same time not
| enough of a senator to be guilty
of bribery in selling postmaster
! ship. because he had not been
| sworn in. But the question Is
raised Did he not use his posi-
ton as a senator to procure the
appointment for the friend VINO
| paid the price? And further. IS
not the introduction of the thim-
ble-riggers jugglery into the at
tempted definition OF Mr.. Diet
rich's position-"Now you see
senator and now you don t-apt
to create popular opinion rather
favorable to mis- skill in legerde-
main than to his reputation for
n-handedness?-St. Paul Pio-
neer-Press.
Part of the time, too, It seems that
he was sufficiently governor to draw
salary from the state OF Nebraska.
That reputation for clean-handed-
ness" however, which the Pioneer
Fress speaks about is rather OF neg
Fative character.
| 1t was apparent to The Independent
from the start that Senator Dietrich
was in no danger of conviction, 1t Is
virtually conceded that he sold post
offices and used his official position as
nursery" for the propagation OF
that politico-norticultural process
known as grating" but the indlct-
| rot M him for
personal reasons rather than from an
earnest desire, to enforce the laws and
secure clean official life. The United
States. district attorney Is much more
interested in holding on to his position
than he was in securing conviction
of Dietrich. At least, that's the way
The Independent views the whole
matter
That Dietrich acted the fool, goes
without saying. That he Is a CRATER
and clumsy one, is equally true. But
aside from the bungliEg, 'bull-in-the-
china-shop'' methods he adopts, he is
no worse than the majority OF United
States senators elected at the behes'
OF the big corporations. His graft
ing" is a little coarser-that's all.
The indictments against Dietrich
were intended to serve double pur
rose: To secure the retention o
United States District Attorney Sum
mers in Office, and to shelye Dietrich
for reelection. These purposes hay'
| doubtless been accomplished. Th
| man who succeeds to Dietrichs shoe
| if his election is dictated by the bii
! railroad corporations of Nebraska
! will be Just as much of a CRATER a
/ the man from Adams, although, per
| haps, not SO clumsy and bunsling. TIL
! new man will be polite enough to cul
| tivate the acquaintance and friendship
/ Of the district attorney.
| Dietrich was foolish enough to max
| "grandstand' play on his retur
from Washington, that he wanted
"vindication" and that he would tax
no advantage of "technicalities. Fl
knew full we'll what Summers coui
prove; and Summers purposely mad
his opening statement SO that the &c
fense's demurrer would be sustained
| OF course. every republican paper !
the state that is expecting to whoop
up for some other corporation tool
now holding up Dietrich as a "horribl
example" and scoring him unmercifu
! ly for taking advantage of "tecf
nicality." They are not shocked th'
he sold postoffices, but are angry b.
| cause he didn't manage to get Ii
tie better coat of whitewash.
| Conduct like Dietrich's on the pa
of populist senator would bring In
mediate and crushing defeat upon Il
peoples party; but it will hurt Il
republican party very little, If at a
Rank and file republicans will doub
less feel shocked and scandalized
the revelations-but they'll vote
straight whenever the bosses Il
y them to-and the bosses are not
hyporcritical and thin-skinned as
care about such little thing as sci
4 ing few secondhand postofiiees
the highest bidder for cash. All thu
ask Is that the seller be cute enoui
10 not get caught.