Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-10-20
The Milk in the Cocoanut.

Sabula is not riding the crest of
the wave of prosperity at present.
The lumber industry, which gave it
vital impulse for several months,
has gone glimmering, on account
Of the closing down of most of the
small mills because of lack of or
.ers. | understand the local MEM
bers of the G. o. p. explain this, to
their own satisfaction, at least, by
alleging the fear of the "business
interests" that the people are likely
to let the country go to the dogs
and elect Parker.
Local interest in politics seems
languid. Prior to the Democratic
primaries there was considerable
expression of enthusiasm for Folk.
Since the Republican State Con-
vention | have heard nothing of it;
that, you will understand, is a way
of saying that the proportion of
Republicans in Sabula is consider
able.
The discussion Ihave heard as to
county politics does not seem ia
vorable to the agglomeration pre-
scented on the "Republican Ticket
or ''The Ticket" | am not one of
those Democrats who feel bound to
vote a ticket without looking or
thinking. l believe the Democrat
ic party makes mistakes. | know
there are men who pose as leaders
of Democracy in the state and ma
ton who know and care nothing
about true Democracy. | am not
an unqualified admirer of every
thing done by the Democrats in
Missouri. But | have no proof that
the Republicans would do better,
while | have plenty that they did
worse, both in state and local mat
tiers. | am not familiar with the
past history of Iron county poll
tics, having but recently become a
resident of the county. | suppose
mistakes have been made; for
aught | know, wickedness may be
rife at the court house, as is charg-
ed; but I have seen no evidence.
If wrong has been done by officials
who are candidates for reelection,
it seems to me that any person who
has knowledge of the facts should
give them to the people in concise,
perceptible form; in such a man.
ner that a question of veracity
might be raised between accuser
and accused. That the contractors
should be a few days late in con-
structing a bridge is not extraor-
binary. Such occurrences not in
frequently transpire with railroads
and other private corporations,
who are VIGOROUSLY exacting. |
do not believe it is unusual for a
county, or individual, to have in a
bank a few hundred dollars, sub
ject to call, without interest. If an
official who is not now a candidate
has made a small mistake in reck-
oning his commission, and he was
corrected by officials who are can
didates, as is admitted, that does
not seem a reason for voting
against these men.*
That some person, or persons,
claiming to be s'life-long Demo-
Gratis" but giving no %proof-not
even a name, or names-of his or
their Democracy, persist in want
ing citizens of Pilot Knob to be
asked what has been said about
certain candidates is no evidence
of evil deeds, public or private,
against the men named. 1t does
suggest a desire, however, on the
part of COMMITTEE to throw mud
from behind a screen Many fool
ish and untruthful things might be
said, and frequently are said, about
most people, and in most places
inhabited by frail and erring hui
mainly. If anything that is true
is said, at Pilot Knob, against
these men that would make them
undesirable as public officials, why
does not COMMITTEE" give it to
the public? Inuendo and insinua-
ton are neither evidence nor argu-
ment, butare the frequent weapons
of those who have neithert to offer.
The condition of the roads ap-
pears to be the principal grievance
of the leaders of the opposition to
the local Democratic ticket. | can
fully %sympathize with them in their
dissatisfaction with the condition
of the roads; but what would they
do about it if they had the direc-
ton of affairs in Iron county?
Would they put them in such con-
dition as would meet the apprOba-
ton of visitors from the level,
prairie districts, where the popula-
ton is numerous and wealthy, and
there are no hills to level or cut,
and few streams the difference be-
tween whose low and high water
is more than a few inches? Why
not tell the people what they
would do?
When strangers find fault with
the condition of the roads, instead
of sitting down to shed sympathet-
ic tears with them, or telling them
that it is the fault of a lot of ras-
calls in Office, or the idiocy or in
competency of the people, would il
not be wiser to point out to them
that though the country is but
sparsely settled, the people mo-
overburdened wealth, and the con
Edition of the country makes road.
construction difficult and expen.
sive, yet its natural resources ant
attractions are such that when they
J become more generally known the
county will be rapidly populated
and developed?
But | have frequently noticed
thatin these combinations between
dissatisfied members Of a majority