Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-03-07

enough to drag good men down to
evil methods and associations. This
is especially true with regard munich
pal matters 10 me 1t seems an IRA
t!onal thing to bring national Issues
into municipal contests at all. What
Is the relation Of the tariff, the silver
question, If there is one, imperialism,
governmental control of corporations,
to the question of common honesty and
decency in police regulation of a mu-
nicipality? Yet as long as the party
leaders can persuade citizens to wear
the party collar irrespective of all
great moral issues involved, the work
of the low politician is an easy task.
/ would like to see an uprising OF
independence on the part of all good
citizens, and decided, earnest procla-
nation Of the fact that they do not
propose to be nosed around by any
party that does not stand for the
same principle of righteousness that
they do. i may be accused of partisan
pleading in making these assertions,
because the regime that have felt
compelled to criticise has worn the in
sigma of certain party But want
to say that the question is broader
than our own city. 1t may be only &C
cidental that the particular party in
power in our city has been captured by
the vicious elements. Certainly it is
not the only party susceptible to those
evil Establishments. Look at the poll
tics of our great cities. Go to Chi
cago and you will find an administra-
/ ton that is far from Puritanical and
you find it is democratic.
| Pass on to Cincinnati and you will
find one just a little more corrupt,
which wears the republican colors. Go
down to New York and you will find
vice more flagrantly encouraged under
a democratic administration, while in
staid old Philadelphia with it's boosted
homes and high morals you will find
the most corrupt of any under repub-
lican rule.
So it does not matter much it would
seem to vice which carriage it rides in
provided it is able to ride. So if have
been compelled to let my shafts drive
where they have struck close home
to political organization, my defense
i is that of the old Quaker, who felt
compelled to defend his principles of
passive virtue by saying to the burg
lar: "Thee is standing just where /
am going to shoot"
I If while attacking vice / may have
seemed to wound any party it was
simply because that organization was
standing just where I was compelled
to shoot.
Does Not Care to Defend
But do not believe any high minded
citizen no matter what his party affllia.
tons may be, cares to defend the con.
, ditions have. shown you to exist and
all that ask is that manhood may be
permitted to assert itself and the pur
ity, dignity and responsibility of the
, ballot be recognized in this coming
spring campaign.
| would that might be able to reach
[ the conscience of every citizen touch
. ing the sacredness of this obligation
) AS one has well said; 1.-THE ballot was
t won by the bloody sweat of centuries
J. and he who fails to use it is recrean
to his highest duty and false to hi:
2 most sacred trust.
} A ballot! A piece of paper! AS sa
| cred as page torn from the bible
Think what it cost Think of the mel
3 who died that we might take it be
!. tween our fingers. Think of what ma,
/ be accomplished by that piece of pa
per. Health can be safeguarded
: crime can be reduced, the weak ant
t the poor can be protected, justice cal
t be established, righteousness mad
Y possible. 1t is a sword with which
t great evils can be hacked to pieces.
d is the battering ram for beating dow
t established wrongs 1t is a cannon bal
a by which oppression can be ground t,
r powder
/ "a weapon that comes. down as still
Q AS snowfiakes fall upon the sod
e But executes freeman's will,
e AS lightning does the will of Cod"
= Something of Methods.
But suppose it will be expected O
me that 1 say something of methods
What would be delighted to fin
: would be that both of the great partie
[ would develop manhood and virtu
0 enough to spurn the corrupt offers G
: the vicious classes and take a bold
q determined stand for virtue and RICH
Q eousness. But while that is consun
II nation devoutly to be wished, it /
5 almost too much to hope.
n 1t will be strange if the gambler an
$ the prostitute will not be able to 81
8 duce some one of the parties with thei
u tainted money and make it Impossible
h for decency to align itself with it.
e say this is to be feared. I am fran
n to say that the present regime doe
q not deserve another endorsem ent fro1
II the citizens of Ottumwa. 1t is ope
vt and pronounced in its policy of a
1t open city and protected vice. Whe
II protest is made to it by those VIII
1t feel outraged by the conditions ths
n, have been permitted to prevail, all tn
ID consolation such who protest can r
ly ceive is that their policy was know
Of before the last election, and it wa
n endorsed by the voters of our cit
h So there you are.
ID Will these voters give it another e.
e. dorsement? If they do they need NJ
d expect anything nearer decency tina
ID we have seen in the past, the probabil
W ties are that it will become more br
Or zen and offensive. Confident in tt
ID belief that the thing that they repr