Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-11-03
More from Mr.. Law"

Considering the willingness, not
to say anxiety, that is shown by
the opposition to the local Demo-
cratic ticket to damn it in the
minds of the people, it must be
safe to assume that all the serious
evidence available against it has
been presented. What has been
offered it is not necessary to re-
cite; voters who have taken an
interest and are DESTROYS OF arriv-
ing at a right conclusion, have it
in their minds. To me the sum-
ming up of all the evidence that
has been offered, seems to leave
the people of Iron county in a
position to congratulate them7
selves that no more serious charges
can be supported against their
public servants. At the risk OF
being called a pessimist, and other
hard names, / must persist in the
belief that mortal man, in or out OF
office, is liable to err; so long as
he realizes that fact there is hope
for his improvement. But the con
dition of the man who assumes
that he is beyond the possibility
of making mistakes is as hopeless
as that of him who has committed
the objectionable sin. 1t is in this
delusive light, according to their
editorial mouth-piece, that the
promoters of the independent
movement view themselves.
But this Pharisaical 'more holy
than thou attitude is character
istic of the people who usually
assume to stand for special purity
in politics, without a vital, tangible
principle for which to appeal tc
the public mind. Now, frankly
andsfairly considered, are not the
leaders of this "independent''
movement in a position that leaves
them subject to the suspicion OF
being chiefly actuated by a desire
for their personal advantage?
Those of it's candidates who here
tofore acted with the Democratic
party seem to have had a warm
desire to serve the people in an
official capacity. Is it unfair to
suspect that it is the failure of the
Democratic party to crafty theil
wishes in that regard that drove
them from it? If they have a
more ethical reason. it has not been
made apparent.
Should the movement succeed il
is only reasonable to suppose that
the paper that is giving it it's sup
port would be financially bene-
fitted. There is nothing repre-
hensible in its desire for that end
but neither is it an object thai
should specially appeal to the
people. It's complaint about the
printing of the official ballot, while
somewhat puerile, shows that it is
not free from an appetite for what
it calls ''spoils." AS to that mat.
ter, of course, it would have showr
great magnanimity, and a dis.
position to turn the other cheek
had the officials whom it is de.
nouncing voluntarily given it this
work. But, sad,to say, | fear poo
human nature has scarcely We
arrived at that high moral plane
Were the present candidates OF
the independent" ticket in con.
troll of the matter would they have
shown such a Christian spiritP
opine not.
The editor of the ''independent'
paper, after speaking feelingly d
the sanctity of the ballot, give.
the voter this advice: "Let hin
accept all the treats he cares te
and then vote as he pleases. '
Accept what you want to and vote
as your conscience dictates. That
me-" Is that a standard Of ethics
for a party advocating purity il
politics? Does that evidence a de.
sire to introduce a high moral tone
into the political atmosphere
Gould there be a more candid bic
for the support of the depraved il
a scramble for "spoils''? Is il
really possible that the editor
means to say that he would accept
Ia bribe2 hope not; but that II
what he does say; not quite gram
matically, it is true, but very
forcibly. III. S. LAW.
Sabula, Nov. 1, 1904.