The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-08-18

even faster than the truah. For som.
time he was criticised for supporting
| what the insurgents delighted in call
ing the ''robber tariff.'' They forgo
, that every tariff law that the Repub
licans ever passed was called rob
her tariff by the Democrats.
The Republicans were used to thu
term and evidently did not get STAN
peded. They seem to endorse 4
whenever they get together. l
Speaker Cannon had yielded to the
pressure of some newspapers and hat
voted for free paper and free pulp
no doubt he would have been a great
favortte with them instead of pub
lie enemy. as those same papers rep
resent him now.
II he had been an insurgent nc
doubt he would have done so, because
we have yet to hear of case where
a full grown insurgent ever insurget
against anything that printing
press wanted.
Assaulted Without Cause.
Joe Cannon had been in congress
for many years before he was elected
speaker. He served as the chairman
of the committee on appropriations
In that position he had charge of the
appropriations of many billions o.
the peoples money In his entire
career the finger of suspicion never
pointed to him. Even his political
enemies referred to him as Honest
Old Joe.
We talk about fair play. square
deal" etc. Most of us demand it fol
ourselves and kick when we don't get
it. When man has given his coun
try long and honorable service, 1t is
not fair nor is it patriotic to besmirch
his reputation with a lot of general
tiles, half truths and falsehoods.
If the insurgents can produce any.
thing that is damaging to Mr.. Can
mons reputation. let them bring il
forth, and we will praise them for
their vigilance, but let them be
specific.
If they can say nothing worse than
that he conducted the business of the
house of representatives under such
rules as the house provided and that
he has some ideas of his own about
the conduct of public business, in the
interest of the government with which
he has been SO prominently ideati,
fed they should stop abusing him..
Former Badgers Leaders.
Senator Aldrich is another person
that it is profitable to attack under
the system that we have seen used
here. Of course. he Is rich man,
and that, according to the catechism
OF reform, condemns him at once. He
is the senator from Rhode Island and
it is fair to assume that common
wealth will not consult us about his
return.
1t is Historically true that this is
the first instance when our members
In the national congress have found
1t is necessary to come home and
whine about the leadership of mem
bers and senators from other states.
When our state was represented in
the senate by men like Doolittle, Car.
penter, Howe, Villas and Spooner, in
stead of growing about the leadership
OF Others they led the senate them
selves.
Leadership in either branch of con-
gress is purely matter of ability.
That does not mean the largest lungs
or the biggest vocabulary. 1t means
superior practical sense and knowl-
edge regarding the requirements OF
government, and the ability to win
and hold the confidence of men. If
our delegation will develop those quail.
tiles, they will have no cause to com
plain about TIE leadership of others.
Is Menace to Nation.
What this country suffers from
now more than anything else is not
the avarice of the so-called special
interests, but the campaign Of mis-
representation that is being carried
on by slfish political interests.
Too many half truths and false
hoods are told concerning our govern
ment for the nations good. I want
to ask every well disposed, patriotic
father WHO is raising son, what
kind of citizen do you expect him
to be If you permit him to read some
of the yellow literature that is passed
around nowadays? Do you expect
him to be a loyal citizen under gov
eminent he is taught to mistrust and
hate? If this system Of misrepre-
sentation is to continue, will we not
soon be confronted with the question.
whether free government in bad re-.
pute with its citizens can live? And
all OF this in spite of the fact that
We are the least, as well as the best.
governed people on earth.
! am not advocating that our gov
eminent should not be criticized
Friendly criticism of government 10
necessary for its own publication. n
IS the swapping, snarling critic. the
man who would have us lose conf
dence in all men, who can see no
nod To-