Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-24

not all on the postmaSter's political
activity"-would his continuance in the
postoffice depend. 1t has been a debat-
able question for some time, and Cur
It's letter brought to him many inquir-
les from interested postmasters He has
referred these anxious inquiries to
some one whom he describes as "a
very high authority" but doesn't name:
and he reports the answers re-
ceived. According to the very high
authority, postmasters are to remem-
Der, first. last and all the time. that
they are public servants and that it is
up to them to serve the public to the
very best of their powers. They are
expected to take part in the primaries
and to vote on election day: that is
their duty as citizens. If they choose
to write political letters to the news
papers or to make campaign speeches.
nobody is objecting. They should not
be conspicuously engaged in factional
quarrels. or in the personal rivalres
and antagonisms of politics; they are
expected to abstain from these un-
pleasantnesses They should not he
members of political committees. They
should not go as delegates to political
conventions. THE reappointment of Il
postmaster" says the very high au-
thority as reported by Curtis" will not
depend in the future upon the In
dorsement of n senator or even of the
local party organization but upon his
record as an efficient officer and his
reputation among the patrons of the
office. without regard to politics or
party. He is the servant of the peo-
pie. carrying out the instructions of the
department, and will be judged by the
satisfaction he gives in that capacity
rather than by his popularity with
senators, representatives, or political
clubs"
This is certainly explicit enough for
anybody; and it has the look of being
rather more than semi-official in its
source and character.
This would seem a sensible view.
Here in Iowa many postmasters are
the owners and editors of several week
ly papers, and it would seem to strike
a blow at the right OF free speech, to
"the freedom of the press If these ed
itorial- cannot openly JOIN
the ranks of the Cummins and anti
Cummins papers. or course "we'uns'
regret that some of these erring edi-
torial- postmasters line up with the
Perkins crowd, but they can have the
satisfaction of retaining the self re-
spect if they speak out In meeting and
take an editorial position in favor of
one candidate or the other.
In Latimer the other day, the writer
ment q travelling horse buyer, that ten
years ago wasl in business in that
town. He said that at that time he
sold a horse for $40 cash to a horse
dealer; today he was paying $125 for
horses of such age, style and weight.
The continued soft weather" is
running the price for Iowa corn. Tween
ty-five cents per bushel for shelled or
ear corn is now the prevailing price In
many towns. The dealers have been
hit hard Many cases are reported
where a single car Of corn has lost
the shipper $40 to $50. And now the
dealers don't want it at any price.
To offer mo grade" prices to ship to
the Chicago market Is almost an In
SILL TO lHe dbSIa6S AoiiiSA. 81 ''N~s
1T to hold for better prices is an equal
ly hazardous operation. 1t is curious
condition of affairs. Ninety days ago
we were Boosting .'corn was safe I'VE
had a bumper crop of sound corn
this year we had a corn crop that
we could keep in the cribs as long as
we pleased" "this years crop in quail
itv was the best for ten years" But
for some reason the corn crop Of 1905
did not dry out 1t has gone from bad
to worse. until now the farmer or spec
ulator in this crop will have to sort 1T
over" if he has it in cribs after warm
weather comes. Meanwhile the own
ers of the drying houses in Chicago
and elsewhere, must be making "a bar
rel of money" Dealers say that the
wet corn we are now putting on the
market when it comes out of the
dryer" will keep indefinitely and bring
the top price.
n