Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-07-17
especial washington Letter. ]

Especial Washington Letter.]
- T Is told by veracious chrontcler
that Philadelphia files fastened
the Declaration of Independence.
The way they played the patriotic
part was this: Close to Independence
hall, where the Continental congress
held Its sessions was a livery stable
much infested with fies. These swarm
ed upon the fathers and, biting through
their long stocks, rendered their condi-
ton intolerable," as the divorce petit
tions say. Consequently the pestiferous
insects had more effect In Fastening
the making Of the Declaration than had
even the hot eloquence of old John Ad-
ANS, whom his immortal rival, Thomas
JEFFERSON, characterized as the "colos-
sus Of debate" for the Declaration.
Thank God for those flies!
Everybody knows that the sudden
rise in the river Yadkin saved General
Nathaniel Greene and his heroic SOL
diers from capture by Lord CORVALLIS
and thereby made the surrender Of
the British at Yorktown possibility.
God be thanked for the rains which
swelled the usually placid Yadkin into
an unfordable torrentl
1t Is also believed by many historians
that Napoleon would have gained the
battle Of Waterloo had not the heavy
rains Of the preceding day and night
rendered 1t impossible for him to use
artillery before noon on the memorable
18th Of June. Military critics say that
had the ground been firm Napoleon
would have attacked Wellington at
dawn and completely routed him be-
fore Butcher could arrive with his re-
enforcing army, but 1t did rain, the bat
tie was delayed, Butcher did arrive In
the nick of time destiny dissolved part
nership with Napoleon, and, to quote
Victor Hugo, he left the field the mighty
somnambulist OF a shattered dream.
30 II seems that the weather cuts a
big figure in even the most important
human affairs. verify believe that
congress would have dawdled July
away IN Washington II the heat had NOT
become absolutely intolerable. Men
| grew irritable. sick and listless. Life
became misery and work burdan
II the appropriation bills had beer
passed before the hot wave STRUCK
Washington everything else would have
been postponed to convenient season
and adjournment would have been haG
| on the 25th Of June and the grand ex
odus from the delectable city would
have been made that night
On the Run.
The g. O. P. is on the run every
where. Even In Pennsylvania, hide
bound and rock ribbed in her Repub
licanism, things are sadly out of joint
with the G. O. p. At the Republican
state convention Senator Boies Pen
rose, who has been trying to wear the
mantle Of Matthew Stanley Quay. had
things his own way and nominated o
ticket Of his own choosing, but the
signs Of the times indicate that 1t wal
much easier for him to nominate {
ticket than to elect It. There is revol
from one end Of the keystone State tt
the other. The Democratic state con
vention Endorsed the Lincolnite, OF re
form Republican, candidate for gov,
ernor, which seems to insure his cleo
ton. The state already has most Gu
pable treasurer, Democrat, in the
person Of Mr.. Berry. The chances are
that q perfect fusion will be agreed
upon all along the line, including repre-
sentatiyes in congress. If there Is fu
sion on congressman the Democrats
ought to land eight or ten Of them In
stead Of only one, as they now have
Somehow Quay's mantle does not Al
Penrose. It's too big for him, and II
the fusionists elect state ticket the
probabilities are that they will at the
same time elect legislature which
Will retire Penrose to private life
That's almost too good to be true, but
stranger things have happened.
Up In Maine the Republicans are
lighting tooth and nail to prevent q
slump. Consequently when they held
their state convention recently they
drafted Hon. William P. Frye, United
States senator, to leave Washington at
the busiest season Of congress to go tc
the Pine Tree State and preside. The
legislature elected this fall elects bis
successor, and Of course he is anxious
to succeed himself. He has been in
congress 30 long that were he defeated
he would be like fish out Of water
Do he does not propose to neglect the
campaign. He remembers only toe
well what happened in the Pine Tres
State about quarter Of a century ago
In Vermont Proctor pere is in the
senate Of the United States. while
Proctor fils has just been nominated
tor governor. AS result nll over the
Green Mountain State the cry goes VI
Of "Too much Proctorl" There, too, the
Democrats and independent Republic
ans are talking Of fusing, which bodies
no good to the regulars"
In Rhode Island they have already
fused and are putting forth every ex
srtion not only to elect state ticket
but also to elect q legislature which
will retire Senator Wetmore as a pre-
lude to retiring Senator Aldrich two
years hence. If every man in Rhode
Island could vote and If they had ar
apportionment based on population the
Democrats would have no. trouble
whatever In carrying the state without
fusion.
In Indiana since the state convention
the Democrats have taken heart and