The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-21

pany for using his influence with the Postoffice Department to prevent the issuance of an order debarring that concern from the malls on the grounds of fraud" That was the charge. and what Is more to the purpose. he was convicted and sentenced to both fine and Imprisonment. He appealed, and secured a new trial. He may escape punishment altogether, but 1t is noted that he retains the grace to absent himself from the Sem ate.
 And there Is Reed Smoot, who is now hanging on by the skin of his teeth to a seat from which he may be expelled. We are not aware that he has been ac- other offences of which the others have been charged, but still he is accused of violating the law, and though noth- ing may come of 1t the situation is none the less embarrassing, and the result may be that he will be forced to vacate his seat under a cloud.
 The latest case is that of Senator
 
 an indictment found by a Federal grand jury. charging him with being mixed up In various land frauds, of which he may or may not be convicted, but there was evidence enough to in- dict him, at all events. How he will come out is another matter. but wheth- CT he is convicted, or whether he es- capes, his reputation is so badly tainted that he ought to resign.
 All these bright and shining exam ples, be 1t remembered. are prominent members of the Republican household, opponents of the honesty and virtue of the Grand Old Party, defenders of the faith and truly loyal soldiers In the Republican army. No wonder our brethren of the Republican press are inclined to be sors at these repeated examples of Republican teachings. These men are only giving evidences of the faith that Is in them. They are in the nature of eruptions which show the character of the disease with which the Republican Party is afflicted. It is the incubator, brooder and protector of all. manner of lapses. from the straight and narrow path of honesty and integrity. When a man has small pox, measles or disease of like kind the evidence of it appears on the surface. These spots or blisters are not the disease itself, but the evidence of 1t. And so 1t Is with these Republican 1 statesmen who get caught. They are not the disease that affects the body of the Party, but they show us pretty plainly what the disease is. From inn prudence or oarelessness they come to the surface and get caught and thus let us know what is going on below. Some of their sort are too shrewd for detection and thus escape the conse- quances of their methods. They really bring shame on their Party, but wheth- CT because of their crimes or because they are detected we will not under take to say. Why, even The Chicago Chronicle is forced to read a lesson to its political associates, and when The Chronicle does that we may feel pretty sure that the case is nearly be- yond the limit
 We do not think Democrats ought to be blamed If they indulge in a broad smile every time one of these rotten politicians Is lifted into the light of day and made to serve as an example of what Republican preaching and practice leads to. Democratic Senators may regret that their honorable body, which once stood so high in public estimate, should contain such unwor- thy members, and to that extent may feel shamed and humiliated. and even feel sorry that such things are true, but they have a right to feel gratlfled that none of these spotted politicians are members of their political faith. They may rejoice over that fact, how ever much they regret the degeneracy of the Senate.
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