Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-25
THE BIG STICK,

torney Bakers head has fallen into the
basket. II business continues this brisk
the headsman will have to hire an assist
ant and borrow a grlndstone
Blair Pilot. While we regret that our
friend Mathews was caught mapping, never
theless there is much consolation TO know
that the president proposes to enforce the
law as much against the rich as against
the poor
Fender Republic: Marshal Mathews and
District Attorney Baxter have both been
ousted from office by the president as a
result OF the Richards-Comstock land fem
cling case. Too bad that Judge Munger's
official head is out of reach Of the presi-
Dental ak.
Howells Journal: The big stick has been
given another swing and this time 1t has
landed on he political head of Irving t.
Baxter, United States district attorney for
Nebraska, who has been asked to resign
by the president. Here's more power TO
Roosevelt's good right arm and may he
continue TO swing the club until every
dishonest and neglectful federal office
holder in Nebraska, and every other state,
is taught that q public ONCE is a public
trust.
North Platte Tribune: And now United
States District Attorney Baxter has been
removed from Office because he did not
prosecute the government land fencers
with more vigor. President Roosevelt's de-
mand for square DEAL means some
thing. He doesn't propose that the wealthy
land-grabbers shall get off with light
sentence while the small fry receive the
maximum sentence. In this the president
will be upheld by the people. Every official
who fails to do his duty without fear or
favor should be removed from office.
Kearney Hub: Another red-hot sensation
follows close upon the heels of the removal
OF United States Marshal Mathews, in the
demand by the president for the resignation
Of United States District Attorney Baxter,
all growing out of the fiasco in the dispo-
sition of the case against a couple OF cat
tlemen for fencing the public domain. 1t is
evidently the determination OF the president
that the prosecution of offenders against
the land laws shall be the real thing instead
Of being merely perfunctory, but there is
nevertheless feeling that the judge of the
court is really more blamable than either
the marshal or the district attorney.
Norfolk News: The removal Of /. F.
Baxter from the Office of United States
district attorney does not strike the aver
age Nebraskan as lacking the elements
of square DEAL so much as the dis
charge of Marshal Mathews. 1t is not ap-
parent in this state that there was any
square DEAL about the Mathews matter,
but 1t is believed that Baxter might have
brought about a different result In the land
fencing cases had he prosecuted Richards
and Comstock with the same vigor that he
would a poor devil who might have used a
cancelled postage stamp to send letter to
the old home with an appeal for money to
pay his board.
Bancroft Blade: Irving +. Baxter. United
States district attorney, has been requested
by the president to resign as a result of
the inadequate sentence inflicted on Rich
ards and Comstock, the wealthy cattle
men, who pleaded guilty TO the charge Of
fencing and using government lands. In
last weeks issue we stated that 1t seemed
rather severe that one man should bear
the burden Of the whole federal court.
Now 1t begins to look different and Baxter
received just what he deserved. The only
thing that there is to regret is that there
is no way of reaching the federal Judge.
A clean house at the federal building right
now would have wonderful effect on the
railroad tax cases now pending.
Fremont Herald (dem.): Baxter. Irving
Baxter, the immaculate young man who mas
been acting as lawyer for Uncle Sam at
Omaha, has been asked TO resign. At last
President Roosevelt appears to be getting
his eyes open to the real situation in
Omaha. II anybody connected with Judge
Munger's court was responsible for the
baby sentence melted out to Comstock and
Richards II must have been Baxter. He
ninfF 10 xvhn Giara
very close to the cattle interests in western
Nebraska. Baxter knew all the evidence
in the cases against the cattle barons. He
knew the measure of their guilt, but admits
that he gave Munger no advice on the sub
ject. While the Herald has very little sym
pathy for Baxter. believing him not at all
qualified to hold the position, yet we still
believe he was entitled to a hearing before
the fan Of the oficial axe. The president
OF the nation ought to be bound by the
rules OF common decency, even when fight
ing republican offcials in Nebraska
Beatrice EXPRESS Once more the Roose-
welt axe has descended and the head of
Irving Baxter, United States district at
torney, is IN the basket. The of1cial is be-
headed because OF his actions in the cattle
fencing case. This will be good news in Ne
braska. 1t was well known that Baxter was
the chief offender, when Mathews was fired
and the general hope was that Mathews
should not be allowed to suffer alone Now