Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-17
BLIND BY CHOICE.

none are so blind as those who Will
not see. This maxim is demonstrated
SO often and in so many different ways
that 1t has gained the distinction of
being almost the only rule without an
exception A splendid illustration of
Its truth is furnished by the Burling-
ton Gazette in recent editorial arti-
Gle commenting upon the discovery of
graft in government departments. The
Gazette declares that the people, be-
ing deluded for many years, have
awakened to the fact that they are
being cheated by grafters in the de-
partments at Washington and prophe-
sizes that here will be change of adj
ministration when there is an oppor-
tunity to vote.
One would think from reading the
article in the democratic paper that
the republican party was responsible
for the dishonesty. That is, a man
unacquainted with affairs in America,
some resident of Asia or of Mars,
might think SO for a minute, but with
the first inkling of information about
this country the impression would dis
appear. 1t is not hard to trace the
uncovering of the dishonesty in Wash
ington to it's source and to see that, If
the republican party had had anything
to hide or any reason for hiding the
graft it could have been done. The
republican party is in control of the
national administration, with Roosevelt
at the head. He is man who, since
he first entered public life, has stood
for strict honesty in the service. He it
is who has instituted reforms where
ever he has had the guiding hand, and
it was only natural that when he went
to Washington he would see to it per-
sonally that honesty ruled in the pub
lie service.
But VIXEN the investigation began 1t
was discovered that there was graft
in some of the departments. 1t had
been carried on for years, its begin
ming having been long before the pres
ent administration came into office.
When Cleveland was president there
was graft in the departments Yet
that does not signify that Cleveland
was dishonest nor that tn democratic
party was dishonest 1t is simply one
more proof among great many that
go to show that where there is oppor-
tunity to steal some man is pretty
likely to find it and take advantage of
the opening. 1t matters not whether
he is republican, democrat, prohibitions
list. populist, white, black or yellow.
His manhood is the only test and since
the scene in the Garden of Eden there
have always been shortcomings in
men.
The grafters were rooted out with
out ceremony when their existence
was discovered. The republican party
dominates the administration that
found them and drove them out. That
party deserves the credit for what it's
representatives and members have
done and none but the most unfair
blind because they will not see-would
censnre that party for dishonesty that
has existed in spite of it's careful
watch, but has been up-rooted by
means of that same carefulness. The
dishonest have not been all republi.
cans, nor all democrats. No one cares
what their politics may have been, for
they were not of the class of men that
make good members Of any party. Pol.
jitics has no place in the discovery of
dishonesty and the dismissal of graft.
ers To bring politics into the matter
is to be voluntarily blind and more
| than unjust