davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
OFFICIAL PAPER OF COUNTY
A Man With the Muck Rake.

Mr.. Roosevelt'S heralded speech on
"the man with the muck rake" de-
pends for Its interest upon the fact
that he is President of the United
States, and derives its significance
from the fact that it is timed to di-
vert attention from recent exposures
OF crime in high places, and energy
from social reform. In itself it is but
string of platitudes to which every
one assents. Who would deny, for
instance, that there should be relent-
less exposures, but they must be true?
Who would deny that tits wrong to
steal from poor men, but also from
rich men? Who would deny that bri-
berry should be denounced, but also
biackmail? Who would deny that
practical reform work needs pulling
forward, but also some holding back?
Yet the Whole speech, apart from Ger.
tain economic recomenda tions, is
composed OF just such platitudinous
observations expanded until they are
OF almoSG gaseous consistency. Why
all this careful balancing of moral
antitheses at just this time? The or
gans of plutocracy refer to it not un.
naturally as an attack upon Lincoln
Steffens; yet Steffens's exposures are
without a flaw in their veracity. II
he has attacked with severity, his at.
sacks have been absolutely truthful.
But whether or not the President was
slanting at Mr.. Steffens is of little
moment. The only important thing
in this connection, and that is not
very important, is the fact the speech
was made at time and with an en-
phasis which warrant the assumption
OF the benetciaries of great graft that
it was made in their behalf. The
Public.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
They Assume Too Much.

That the wave of public sentiment
toward a democratic Democracy is
carrying Bryan upon its crest is one
OF the most obvious OF facts, notes
The'Public. $50 obvious is it. that
enemies of genuine Democracy and
enemies Of Bryan are protesting a
friendliness which they do not feel
and by which no one can be deceived.
One of their transparent tricks is toi
assume that Bryan is becoming con-
servatiye, or, as one of them puts it.
rebuilding his reputation" But Bry-
ans reputation needs no rebuilding.
He is not becoming conservative: he
has always been conservative in the
right sense of that much abused term.
Ills conservatism is of the kind that
would have his country hold fast to
what is good; his radicalism of the
KIND that would have it strive for
what is best Though he is changing.
IN the sense that he is growing, he is |
not changing in the sense of reaction
" VI iepullulng or recant1ng. The
masses OF the people are advancing to
ms side and looking forward to ideals
OF democracy. There is no retreat on
MS part toward the commercialism
out OF which his voice has been lead
ing the people these ten years past
Those conservatives who sincerely
think he is altering his course to 20
their way, will realize, If they reflect
upon what has really happened, that
tney have altered theirs to go his.
Ihe plutocrats who only pretend to
think he is rebuilding on their pat
tern will find him the same vigorous
and effective enemy of plutocracy who
mas here tofore threatened their un-
just privileges and filed them with
anger"
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
Uses Gun, Rope and River.

Despondent because he feared that
he was becoming insane, H. +. Cotton
of Anamosa decided to commit sui
eide. He went to the home of John
Means, near the Wapsipinicon river,
and, calling up an undertaken on the
telephone, notified him to go to the
river and get his body. He then shot
himself in the head before Means
could interfere, staggered to the river,
tied rope about his neck and, fasten-
ing 1t to a tree, jumped into the
stream. He lived ten minutes after he
was pulled out of the water. He was
sixty-fve years of age, well-to-do, and
II survived by a family.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
Mother and Girl soaIded.

The infant daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs. Norman Smith Of Waterloo was
seriously scalded and its mother al
SO received number of bad burns as
a result Of the overturning Of a boiler
filled with boiling water. The little.
girls head, face, back and thighs were
terribly burned while the mother was
burned about the hands and arms.
Physicians who were summoned
thought the child would recover, al
though its condition at present is crit
ical.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
ROCKER AGAIN INDICTED.
Strange Story of Murder Case at Rock
Rapids

Rapids.
After being sentenced to life i'm
prisonment on the testimony Of his
wife, who was the widow of the man
he Is accused of numbering, and being
given his freedom by the supreme
court, Charles Rocker of Rock Rapids
is again indicted for the same crime.
The story is most extraordinary. In
1900 August Schroeder, farmer near
Rock Rapids, was found hanging in his
barn. Charles Rocker, his hired man,
found the body, and the coroner said
1t was suicide. When Mrs. Schroeder
received the insurance on her hus-
bands life, she bought farm in
Union county, South Dakota, and
moved there with Rocker to run the
farm. The two were later married.
One night Mrs. Rocker was awaken
ed by her husbands rude grasp on her
throat and heard him say, angrily:
Damn you, August, I've got you
now"
The woman claims she never, until
that time, suspected Rocker of having
any part in her former husbands
death. She later accused him to his
face with numbering Schroeder. She
declares that he replied by threaten
ing to kill her If she ever revealed
what he had said.
The woman, in terror, said nothing
votil, as she says, she could bear the
thought of living with her former hus-
bands murderer no longer, and wrote
the awful secret to the sheriff at Rock
Rapids. Rocker was arrested, indict-
cd and convicted at the trial The evil
denoe of the woman was disputed The
defense claimed it was case of the
wife testifying against her husband,
which is forbidden by law. The prose-
oution established the fact that Rock
er had another wife in Minnesota,
whom he had married before he wed
Mrs. Schroeder, and that he had
never been divorced, consequently it
was not case of the legal wife tssti-
flying against her husband The lower
court upheld this view and Rocker was
convicted and sentenced to life i'm
prisonment.
The supreme court reversed the case
on technical grounds.
But the county attorney claims he
has new evidence sufficient to convict
| Rocker.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
Sunerfluous Rother.
Free Denatured Alcohol.

Our Republican friends are grabbing
ut straws after the fashion of drown
Ing men. They are now laying the
hattering JUNCTION to their souls that an
imaginary feud which they imagine
to exist betwixt William Jennings
Bryan and William Randolph Hearst
will enable them to elect their own
nominee in 1908. They lie awake of
nights inducing insomnia by pestering
their heads to devise ways and means
to help that feud along. That is su-
psrluous bother, for while ! am au-
thcri2ed to speak for neither Bryan
Hsr Hearst ! have discovered that.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
Arrests safebIowers.

In q single handed battle with safe
blowers one night last week at Mar
shalltown Officer Frank Haas shot and
seriously wounded one Of a gang that
had blown up the safe of the Marshall
Vinegar company. The officer heard
the explosion, and came upon seven
men leaving the factory. A battle en-
sued, and four Of the gang were ar
rested on the spot. Two others were
captured later.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
For Sale.

1e0 acre farm 8 miles from Littl1
Falls, Mimi, II miles from Fr1edhe ~,
postonace and creamery. About IN
acres broke, fine large meadows, some
timber. A fine place for dairy farn
Cheap II taken before April 1st. Al.
owner. tos 7th street N. D., Little
1Alls, kinss
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
RepublIcan state Convention.

The Iowa Republican state conven-
tion will be held at Des Moines on
Wednesday, Aug. 1. The state central
committee met at Des Moines and
fixed the date and named Judge Hor-
Gee M. Towner of Corning as tempo
rary chairman. There will be 1,640
delegates in the convention, requiring
821 to nominate.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
81 - 81 81 y u u ~ u u ~ n u "
n !: Champ Clark $ =
Letter !: ;::' :
# IS = Is IS s. s. ~ # IS s. s. s Il
II ** +. 81 s. t*

ker and Fairbanks will all enliven their
remarks with wit and humor. a. five
oornered joint debate among them
would be worth long journey to hear
In addition to improving as a speak
sr, the vice president has become a
much better mixer and handshaker,
thing not to be despised.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
Packing Plant Burned.

The Webster City Packing COM
pany's main building was burned to
the ground one night last week, entail
ing loss Of about $4,000, insurance.
$1,500. The fire was probably of in
csndiary origin. The plant is located
outside of the fire limits OF the city.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
Hanged for Murder.

Joseph g. Smith, colored, was
hanged at Fort Madison Friday for
the murder of Mrs. Ida Canaday at Bux-
ton, Ia, on Oct. 16. 1908. About sew
.enty-five spectators witnessed the ex-
ecution.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
Miners, Scale sianad.

The scale committee for Iowa opera
tors and miners has signed the scale
on the 1903 basis. 1t was ratified by
Joint convention later.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27

'
efforts to expose the mon
strosities of the Dingley teriff bill. He
has introduced measure after measure
to cut down rates that are excessively
high. OF course none of his measures
or mine or any other looking toward
tariff revision, wholesale or piecemeal,
is ever reported favorably. When we
call them up in committee Hon. Serene
q. Payne, chairman Of ways and
means, puts on smile that is chfldlike
and bland, which is the signal for Mr.
Dalzell or General Grosvenop or some
other stand patter to move to indef-
nitely postpone. But, nothing daunted,
Williams returns to the assault at the
next opportunity. His latest effort to
improve things was proposition in
substance as follows: That whenever
the tariff duty is more than 100 per
cent on any article it be reduced to 100
Ia proposition which ninety-nine peo
pie out Of every hundred will say is
plain common sense OF course he
framed it that way in order to show
geous rates. Did the stand patters look
kindly on this sane and safe PROPOSE
ton Of the sane and safe Mississip-
plan? Not bit Of 1t. On the contrary,
Hon. Serene b. Payne, house floor
leader for the Republicans, assumed
an air Of righteous Indignation and in
5ured innocence and roared out furi-
Gus denunciation Of Williams and all
his wicked coadjutors amid stand pat
applause.
It ought not to be forgotten in this
connection that when Williams first
made his proposition it was boldly as
serted that there was no tariff rate in
excess Of 100 per cent, but he went to
work and dug up the facts, which show
that there are scores of such rates.
outrages all. Then Brother Payne cut
his righteous Indignation caper, but
somebody else may become Indignant
to wit, the American people. Truly
they have been slow to wrath, but they
are certain to wake up at last and hurl
the stand patters from power and cast
them into that outer darkness where
are weeping, Wailing. gnashing Of
teeth and much cussing. They have
had long lease Of power and have
lordsd it over the masses after the ruth
less manner Of feudal baron of the
dark ages, but it's a long lane that has
no turn, and the signs of the times In
dioate that the turn is In sight. There
is much unrest among the Republican
masses. They are beginning to con-
clude that If the Republicans will not
revise the tariff when they have such
whopping big majorities in both houses
Of congress that they can do precisely
as they please they do not intend to re-
wise it at any time. So believing and
desiring revision, they are sure to con-
elude that the only chance to secure
revision is to elect Democratic con-
gress and president. The signs Of the,
times indicate that that is precisely
what they intend to do at the first op-
portunity.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
ATariH Ephraim.

One of Uncle Joes correspondents
made public one of Uncle Joe's letters
which was not intended for publica-
ton. 1t revealed the speaker as one of
the most ultra stand patters in the
land. 1t needed no letter, private or
public, to do that, however, for the
speaker has it absolutely in his power
to have the tariff revised. True, other
stand patters would kick, but the Re-
publican tariff revisionists in the house
added to the Democrats undoubtedly
constitute majority; but unfortunate
ly, the Republican revisionists will not
lift finger to secure what they want
and what their constituents want till
Uncle Joe says the word-which he
will not say. He is veritable tariff
Ephraim. He appears to be incor-
rigible If he doesn't look out crop
Of congressman will arise who know
not Joseph, and then the deuce will be
to pay.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
rho Yloe Presldant.

candidates more extensively doomed at
present than MY. Vice President
Charles Warren Fairbanks, but it may
be we'll doubted whether any Of them
has really enhanced his chances more
during this session Of congress than
has the tall Indiana statesman. He at
least has made no mistakes and has
therefore brought upon himself no ad-
verse criticism. To use slang but lu-
minous expression, he has put in much
time Saving wood" which perhaps ID
the wissst plan in these parlous days.
One virtue the vice presidents boomers
can claim for him without fear of sue
cessful contradiction, and that is that
there IL no sort Of danger Of his going
OF half cooked. He has no fads, in
dulges In no fancies, rides no hobbies.
Dr. Osler ought to visit Washington
long enough to gaze upon the vice pres
idsnt and to be disillusioniEed a. to the
age at which men should be chloro-
formed a. useless. The vice president
will be fifty.four years old on May IL.
ana 1t would require months journey
to discover a better preserved speci-
men Of the genus homo. Not only that,
but there Is not public man in Amer
ica that has grown more in two years
than Mr.. Fairbanks. Swinging around
ths circle az one Of the principal cam
paign orators In 1904 did him world
Of good and improved his style Of
speaking very much. Az q speaker the
Fairbanks Of April. 1905. 10 vastly su-
psrtor to the Fairbanks Of April. 1904.
unsti quite recently. while admitted on
Al sides to be an able expounder of
his party's principles, his style was too
stiltsd. too didactac, too solemn, to be
snttEely pleasing to the multitude. The
campaigning Of the continent modified
bis style greatly to bis advantage. He
mas even developed latent faculty of
numor. great gain in any orator.
Rot long since heard him speak in
composition with some Of the much ad-
vertlsed wits Of the capital in place
"nsre speeches are newer reported.
an not reporting his and therefore am
not violating the rule, but am per-
mitted to give 1t as my opinion for
mnat 1t is worth that on that occasion
20 surprised his auditors by holding
bis own With the best of them in wit
IND hum0r. he is the fourth public
man past the half century mark to ex-
niblt urisuspected facility in wit and
humor. The three others are Grover
Cleveland, Benjamin. Harrison and
William Mckinley. repeat that that
u 10 much clear gain, for, while GER
tfdn dyspeptics hold that all public
men should be solemn as owls, the av-
erage citizen does not object to little
humor now and then. On the contrary,
he enjoys it. So, as mere locker on
IN the Republican Vienna, l most
heartily congratulate the vice presi-
dent on this new element in his ora
tory AS the field now is, there is not
q Dryasdust among the known aspi-
rants for the Republican presidential
naa1tuataaih Shaw Root. Tart, FSfa.
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27

On dit that the Massachusetts Re-
publican tariff reformers in congress
felt the pulse of their congressional
brethren as to signing call for Re
publican caucus to consider the tariff
md that they could find only nineteen
righteous men in the Republican Sod
ON who possessed grit enough to fly in
the face of the hou Sc machine Poor
Bay Staters!
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27

Especial Washington Letter.l
~ ON. JOHN SHARP WILLIAMS
of Mississippi, the Democratic
house leader, is increasing his
Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-27
Etkins and Dawson.

ElkinS and Dawson.
Democrats everywhere will be pleas
ed to learn that West Virginia Repub-
licans are now indulging in a feud.
One faction is led by Senator Stephen
B. Elkins and the other by Governor
Dawson, to whom the Elkins toga
looks good and who has no conscien-
tious scrnples about violating the COM
mand touching covetousness. Dawson
lately enraged Elkins, Scott & Co. by
clubbing Senator Benjamin r. Tillman
Of South Carolina 'the third senator
from West Virginia" There are many
signs indicating that certainly one,
probably two and possibly three of
the West Virginia districts will send
Democrats to the next congress.
It is rumored now that Ex-Governor
Benjamin B. Odell and Governor Hig-
gins of New York have buried the
hatchet and that all is lovely on the
banks of the Hudson. 1t is also said
that part of this arrangement is that
Odell is to hold on to the state chair
manship, while Higgins is to be re-
nominated for governor. Then it is
added that the president smiles" on
this new coalition. Rather queer, isn't
it7 Only short time ago all the states
men named above were at each others
throat and filling the atmosphere with
hair and bits Of cuticle. Now they are
getting sweet on each other. And
wherefore? The signs of Democratic
success are 80 rapidly multiplying that
they are scared-badly scared. Fear
10 drawing them together.
Clearly there is either too much care
lsssness or too much incompetence, or
both, in our great and glorious navy
Our ships are blown up too frequently
and get stuck in the mud too often or
run into each other. A little investiga-
ton into the manner in which our tars
perform would undoubtedly save many
lives and much treasure A battleship
costs too much to be intrusted to in
competent or careless management.
On dit that the Massachusetts Re-
publican tariff reformers in congress
felt the mise of their conversational
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-06
DIVORCED, MARRIED =.
AGAIN In A WEEK
$50 y =. !"
South Dakotan Advertises the
Changed Conditions and In. .
vites Neighbors to Call.
Snecial to The Journal,

Special to The Journal.
Sioux City, Iowa, Dec. 6.--Within a
week d. L. Westover, wealthy farm
er of Charles Mix county, South Dako-
ia, was divorced from one wife and
took another, but notwithstanding,
sees no reason why his neighbors
should gossip or why he should be
barred from the society of his home
town. ! :.
In the hope of heading off any talk
that might embarrass his new domestic
and social relations he had an an
nouncement of his divorce and mar
riage published in his local paper. For
this announcement he paid the regular
advertising rates. In it he tells that
his first wife has gone to live with his
own parents, and he gives his friends
and relatives an invitation to come and
visit him and his newly-found helpmeet
in the following words: .-~-
>"B. L. Westover wishes to announce
to the public that on Nov. 16 his wife,
Eva MISSIONER, secured a divorce from
him at Yankton. There was no trou-
BILE between us. She wished to be sin
gle, hoping to regain her health more
speedily. She has now taken our son
and gone to my parents home in Ohio
to live for while. ~ ~ ~.
ct also wish to announce that on
Nov. 81, I was quietly married to Lois
/. Smith, at the home of G. H. West
over at Yankton. We now extend a
cordial invitation to our friends and
relatives to visits us at our home. -
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-06
PRIMARY LAW FOR ILLINOIS
Direct Nomination Plan Almost Sure to
Be Adopted at Springfield.
Special to The Journal,

Special to The Journal. ....-.
Chicago, Dec. 6.-Many Of Illinois ;
republican leaders who will participate
in the management of the. forty fifth
general assembly assert that the adop-
ton of the direct primary election law
this winter is inevitable. Down-state
republicans are joining with the demo
Gratis in a demand for the La Toilette
system of nominations and the fact that
the Chicago charter convention by a
vote Of A to has declared in favor
OF the direct primary system, for the
nomination Of candidates for city Of
fees has done much, apparently, to
strengthen the radical movement.
Last spring Governor Deneen and his
aids by desperate effort defeated the
.so-called Daley amendment to the
shurtlef -Trautmann primary bill. Cook
county republican politicians looked
upon the direct primary system as de-
structive Of political parties in Chica-
80. But this year there is little likeli-
.hood that a direct primary bill can be
stopped in the house, but 1T may be
smothered in the senate.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-06

Representatives. "
Special to The Journal. !
Des Moines, Dec. 6.-The Iowa house
of representatives will start out on a
harmony and business program again
next month by selecting speaker. by
unanimous vote. The last two house
sessions had the advantage Of a pre-,
siding officer who was the4 choice mot.
only of every republican and every,
standpatter. but of every democrat.
Such excellent results were obtained. in
this way that the next house will try
the same thing.
Nate E. Kendall of Abba is to be
the speaker, and announcement will be
made in few days that all opposition
. to him among republicans will cease.
l.. D. Teter of Knoxville is as yet a
candidate, but will withdraw and make
it unanimous for Kendall. f. F. Jones
Of Villisca was a candidate, or was be-
ing considered by the standpatters as
such, but he will not go into the caucus
against Kendall. 1t is also probable
the democrats will refuse to put up a
candidate against Kendall. =
AS result Of this harmony pro-
gram, Mr.. Teter will probably be given
means committee of the house, and Mr..
Jones will take appropriations. Both
are well fitted for the places. Il. W.
Weeks Of Guthrie will be the chairman
Of the judiciary committee Of the house,
Mr.. Kendall is the only republicans
member who will this year have his
fourth term in the house. The dean of
the house is a democrat, George W.
Koontz, of Iowa City. Mr.. Kendall be-
came a candidate for speaker three
years ago, but withdrew early in favor
Of G.. W. Clarke and accepted the chair
na nship Of the judiciary committee.
He was called number of times, how
ever, to preside over the house. and
did so with satisfaction to everyone.
He is regarded as the most eloquent
man in the legislature, 1855
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-06
fourteen boxes exploded. Remarkable
as it may seem, the Finn was not in
jured. The shock shook the ground for

fourteen boxes exploded. Remarkable
as it may seem, the Finn was not in
jured. The shock shook the ground for
The men who We're injured were on
the twenty-second level. They heard
the alarm and went to put out the fire.
They had just reached the twenty first
level, when the explosion occurred, kill
ing Goggin and throwing Shea and Sui
Ivan 200 feet to the twenty third level.
Shea was struck by rocks and timbers,
a big piece of rock remaining in his
skull. 90. ~ .~f.. -. -
The shaft is badly damaged. from the
eighteenth to the, twenty fourth, level
and will be out of commission temporar-
lily. Rescue parties went down the
Mesnard and Pewabic shafts and
brought up several suffering men thru
an opening from the Mesnard into the
Pewatic. At 1880 last night another
party brought up eight men thru shaft
No. 6. How many are yet down is not
known. It is feared that some Of those
rescued may die -"
The fire burned itself out before mid
night. The first rescuing party went
down, while the fire was burning. Had
they not done 50 the loss Of life would
have been much greater.