Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-08-18
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= = Champ
IS Clark's
:. Letter
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Especial Washington Lsttsr.l
1" HERE will be an abundance,
even superabundance, Of i'm
portant business before con-
gress next winter. First and
foremost In importance, perhaps. will
be divers investigations into the doings
Of the departments. No man in his
senses believes that all the depart
mental officials or anything like ma
joriy Of them are corrupt but where
there is so much smoke there must be
some fire, and Investigations are In
evitable. The people demand them
and honest officials should welcome
them. There is wave Of morality
sweeping over the country which can
not and ought not to be ignored. In
all the states but thirteen there are
investigations Of one sort and another
on foot, and in most Of them criminal
prosecutions against public officials
have been instituted. The same proc
ess Of renovation is going on In many
cities and towns. The hunt for the
CRATER and boodler wakes hotter and
hotter. A general cleaning up Of things
Is at hand.
The cotton scandal in the agricul-
tural department causes people to
gasp. Nobody believes that Hon
James Wilson, secretary, is dishonest
or that he would wink at dishonesty In
others. He is freely and universally
accorded great credit for the good
which he has accomplished for the ag
ricultural interest, which is the larges,
interest In the country, but It Is gener
ally believed that his confidence has
been abused by designing knaves, and
while there Is no demand Whatsoever
IN Missouri for his resignation or re
movaL many persons think that {
thorough investigation into his depart
ment would work good and relieve hin
OF wicked subordinatea who have be
trayed their trusts.
There is no question but what tha
whole Panama canal business needl
an overhauling and ventilation BY con
gress. What Is needed down there Il
a minimum Of talk and a maximum
Of work, instead Of q maximum Of tall
and minimum Of work, as we nov
appear to have. At the present rate O
progress babies now in their cradles
will be grandparents before shit
sails through that canal. The Kansal
City Emes-Star says that unless meth
DDS are improved 200 years win slaps,
before its completion. but then th,
Il. O. It's. may not untustly be 40
cused Of pessimism IN defefrmg hop<
for two centuries.
A shaking up Of the department o,
1ustice wouldn't hurt anything, ais
| a thorough look into the postoface ant
interior departments.
These, With curing the deficiency
regulating interstate commerce and tn
ordinary run Of business, Will keer
congress busy until the dog sta,
waves. The Indications are that the
incoming session win be one Of the
longest In our history and may make
and mar the fortunes Of parties as wei
az Of individual members Of hous<
and senate.
| Rspubsloan Revolt In Pennsylvania.
II The unexpected news, but neverthe
less cheering to lovers Of good govern
ment and clean politics everywhere
comes from Pennsylvania that there L
| a revolt against Senator and Bos
Boies Penrose and his Republican ma
chine. Hon. Isaac B. Broun, secre
tary Of internal affairs, has kicked
clear out Of the traces and proposes Il
lead revolution. he boldly proclaim!
that he Will ''cut loose from the or
ganizatton" and hght the machine Il
the death. Mr.. Broun says, "Condi
lions exist which warrant every sin
cere Republican in demanding new
j, deal"
II II Major Broun's conversion ia sin
cere and not mere lust for the loave
and fishes there may be something do
ing worth while In the Republican
politics Of the Keystone State, whicl
Is perhaps the worst ever. The Repub
lican majorities In that state are 81
enormous, even when the returns ar,
not tempered with, II such a thing
ever happens these lister days, that Re
publicanism may there be seen In IT
true character.
Twice, and only twice, since the clos,
Of the civil war have the people rasel
in their might and cast out the Repuh
leans. Both times Robert e. Pattisor
Democrat was elected governor, AM
he was elected solely because he wa
an honest man; but Pattison is dead
Whether there is any living Democra
big enough to take his place, fill hi
shoes and carry the banner Of reform
, to victory remains to be seen. Certain
, ~ the harvest Is white for the sickle
One other time the machine receive,
severe jolt. That was when the Demo
Gratis and reform Republicans In tn
legislature doubled teams and KEEP
/ Matthew Stanley Quay out of the ser
: ate Of the United States for two years
Without any authority whatever Cox
! ernor Stone, his creature, appointe
him to the senate, but after prolonge
debate and by only one majority th
senate shut him out. Then Matthey
turned reformer himself, turned dow
John P. Eikin, the machine candidate
a and nominated for governor his cousin
/ Pennypacker, who has been at wa
t with the editorial fraternity almos
4 from the day he was indicted int
d Office.
e Whatever may have been his sins {
I omission or commission, Quay was