Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-20
ECHOES OF MATHEWS REMOVAL.

Fremont Tribune: 1t is not at all likely
these cattle barons would have suffered
any more in the custody of Marshal
Mathews than they did in the custody of
Dick Hall, for Mr.. Mathews has estab-
lished a reputation being among the
most agreeable of men.
Bradshaw Republican: The time Is GER
tainly opportune for the end of This farce
and pretense of Furnishing law breakers
who have stolen from the state and nation
until they are able to buy the court, jury
and officers of custody. Roosevelt is justi-
fable If Mathews is the object-to be
pitied.
Columbus Journal: It is pretty bitter
medicine for Marshal Mathews. He was
simply the agent of Judge Munger and
he probably carried out the decree as the
court intended. The court evidently did
not intend 70 punish Bartlett Richards for
the illegal fencing of government land any
more than Bartlett Richards intends to
tear down his fences after the government
officers are out of sight. However, the
lesson will have statutory effect.
Ainsworth Star-Jourral: United states
Marshal Mathews admits the charges. but
pleads that he had simply followed pre-
cedent. That Is not very good plea. A
man might plead that TO any criminal
charge-he was simply doing as some one
else had done. We coming into an
era when common honesty must be tho
test and the standard of official conduct
and the plea that the guilty parties had
been simply following precedent will no
longer prevail.
Nebraska City Tribune: The eX-marshal
also talks fiippantly about handouts, leg
irons, pistols held to the head, etc, and
wonders II the Washington authorities ex-
pected him TO do something OF that sort
to his guests All this serves to bring into
strong relief the ex-marshals point of
view and it may be said to be exactly the
opposite OF the views of that portion of
the people of this country who are asking
and insisting on a square deal for AL, high.
low, influential or humble As an incident
Of straight out unblemished square deal"
1t may be hoped by all those who stand
for the uniform administration of substan-
tial Justice that the president will stand
pat"
Central City Nonpareil: The peremptory
decapitation of the official head of United
States Marshal Mathews Friday by Presi-
dent Roosevelt appears not only to have
stunned that individual but IL utterly
demoralized the whole list OF federal Off
Gals In the state for the time being. 1t
is very hard. nearly impossible, in fact.
for the old-fashioned, practical pie-cater to
understand that the president means bust
ness in his campaign for a square deal"
This entirely unexpected and rather radical
procedure on his part however, is likely
to induce the federal appointees in this
state to pick up the loose ends of their
official conduct and see that things are
done according to Hoyle hereafter.
Beatrice Express 1t has been a too COM
mon practice for men of money and infiu-
ence to be treated like gentlemen while
they are being punished, and that they
be let of with the extreme minimum SEN
tence On the other hand men without
money or influence. who do not find it
possible to commit offeEses of the lnugni-
tude of that committed by the cattle
barons. are treated like vile criminals and
flung into the most convenient dungeons.
The Omaha incident may put stop TO
this practice. In this Mr.. Mathews is one
of the offenders and it IL unfortunate that
he has been selected as the scapegrace.
Not so very long ago, within four miles
of Omaha, a young man without money
and without influence, was arrested for
using a 2-cent stamp on letter after 1t