The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-10-22
BIG STICK IN
EIGHTH DISTRICT.
Political Punishment Admins
tered to Anti-Hepburn Editors.
One EDITOR Hailed TO COURT
Parry Discipline Must Be Main
tanned at Any Cost.

Eighth congressional district 1t is
being used to bring into submission
some of the men that have been SHOW
ing little too much independence.
In no event are the voters OF this dis
trict to be allowed to get it into their
heads that they rule. independence
must be pounded out of them and they
are doing it by attacking the editors
OF the district that dare to oppose
Hepburn and his organization.
Il. V. Lucas, a son-in-law OF Hon. j.
P. Flick Of Bedford and editor OF the
Bedford Free Press, which paper has
been progressive Republican and sup
ported Smith for congress before the
primaries in June, is being made a
horrible example to any one that may
think OF showing political independ-
ence. Mr.. Lucas has been arrested
and is held to appear before the fed
eral grand jury in Creston in Novem-
Der. Mr.. Lucas tells OF his predica-
ment in the following language:
The proprietor of this paper ap-
peared before United States Comms-
sloner Hanna at Creston, Monday to
answer charge Of carrying an adver-
tlsement for lottery. The complaint
was not for the advertising as it now
appears, but was based on the first is
sue in which a $40 reward was OF
fered to the person nominating the
winner Of the piano. The complaint
was filed by Postoftice Inspector Rang
er, his attention having been called to
it. The case will probably come up
for trial in November, il it is not dis
missed.
This will have no effect whatever
on our contest, however, and it will
continue just as though nothing had
happened. In fact the minions of
Uncle Sam told us there was not a
thing Objectionable to the contest and
by no construction could it be deemed
lottery. We realized at the begin
ming that trouble would be made for
US II it was possible and we secured
a ruling of the postof1ice department
to the effect that the contest was per
fectly legitimate. We have CLIP ,.ngs
from probably 100 newspapers that
are conducting similar one.
Why the Free Press should be
singled out is matter for our readers
to draw their own conclusions. We
have ours already. Who is the pos
ecuting witness? A postoffice in
spector and a postmaster, both in
Hepburn's district. Who is the pros
ecuting attorney? Colonel Temple of
Osceola, so made by Hepburn's in
t1uence. Who is the United States
marshal? Wesley Bryant of Creston,
an appointment made by Hepburn's in
fuenee. Who did we appear before?
Mr. Hanna of Creston, also holding
his position through Hepburns in
1uence? Has the Free Press been a
Hepburn advocate? Has any one ever
heard of the Free Press editor Click
ing salt from the hand of Peter?
Hardly, and that is but small por-
ton of it, they never will. The Free
Press has fearlessly advocated that
which we think is right. We do not
think Hepburn Republican. He adj
'SSetSSS sAooS pl1dSlp1So UcCduS0 luOy
are popular in the district and he
could not secure the Office without it.
1t has not been many years ago that
Fhe said the Republican party was so
corrupt the man in the moon had to
hold his nose when he passed over
Washington. We believe he is earnest
ly working for the interests of the
corporations and not the people, and
while making plenty OF noise about
his efforts in behalf of the dear peo-
ple," it is only cloak to cover his
real efforts in behalf of wealth. We
believe a conscience is entirely too
elastic that will permit man who
has been elected at $4,000 a year for
| two years to raise his own salary to
| $1,000. We believe it is wrong for a
man to advocate temperance bill be-
fore election by which he secures tenn
perance votes and then turns it down
and abandons it after he secures 1t.
We believe that if he did not know
| the Esch-Townsend bill, that he
palmed off on the public as the Hep
burn bill, was unconstitutional he
should have known it. We do not be-
lieve that man can grow as wealthy
as he has on $4,000 per year living in
style in Washington; in fact, he ad-
mitted it could not be done when he
makes the excuse to raise his salary
/ by saying he could not live on what
he was receiving. We believe perpetu-
ity in office is wrong in principle and
vicious in practice and leads to build
ing up an office holding monarchy.
We believe he has placed in the best
office in Bedford a man who was never
Republican and has continued him
IN that Office to the exclusion of good
and deserving members of the party,
who have labored early and late for
the success Of the party without
thought of compensation.
Believing these things to be true.
we would richly deserve the scorn and
contempt of all right minded people.
regardless of politics, and while we
may never accumulate fortune we
will maintain our own honor and self
respect.