Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-05
WHEN THEY FALL CUT.

Wnen rOuSeS IAu out uOHcaI HSh eSN
their dues" S All old adage which
adapts itself to many conditions and
circumstances. It is not altogether true
as to the honest men for as usual
thing the past dues of honesty have
passed beyond hope Of redemption but
row among grafters assists nightly
as a preventive of future misappro-
priation In short a falling out among
the one class makes to advantage OF
honesty and decency. Some OF the IN
side facts come out. And with facts
in their possession the ordinary citi-
zens usually wake up long enough to
make trouble. In short row is not
always confined in it's consequences to
charge of disorderly conduct and
fine in the police court.
A row at Keokuk has aWaK-
ened vicic decency to take no
tee. According to the neWspa-
per accounts a police captain who had
been reduced by the commissioner OF
public safety for that city, brings
counter charges against the commits
sioner which are responsible for tn
sitting up of the public to take notice
The captain involves the commission
ers in close relation to the gamblers
which infest keokuk and operate with
freedom and without molestation on
the part of the police. according to the
ca plain. The commissioner of safety
ccnfesses that be owns an electric
piano which he rented to reg
Wheatley. the recognized boss OF the
gambling fraternity in Keokuk and for
which he receives a sum Of money in
monthly payment. He says he akso
owns other electric planes on which ne
collects rental but denies that he IS
II collision with the gamblers
Perhaps this commissioner Of safety
is pure as the driven snow and the
eminently proper parsonage to haV'
charge Of pubic safety 1t may be that
he is sufficiently innocent and I'M
sophisticated to look upon Peg as
business man who assists to make the
town lively" and help business. On
the other hand, in this cruel and sus-
picious world there are many who VIII
dismiss this charitable hypothesis In
favor Of another to the effect that a
guy who is strong enough TO rent cleo
trio pianos to resorts Of one kind and
another is wise enough to be hep to all
that is going on, from dice with the
ace wild to a faro layout and brace
box. What would you think If your
commissioner of safety were getting
part Of his income by renting electric
pianos to gamblers?
row isn't always a bad thing IN
it's results upon the public welfare. Inc
fuss at Keokuk has brought the mat
ter of the gambling and the rest OF II
M 70 the attorney generals office, and
George Cosson, which is pretty good
assurance that an inquiry will be to
the benefit of Keokuk and the en-
coura cement of other cities that desire
to abolish gamblers and make graft
afraid And here again the old adage
suggests itself.
Of course it will be hard on the COM
missioner of safety if he has inno-
Gently mistaken wolves for shepe. II
NAV he that he has stayed at home
nights, going down now and then to
collect his rent when 1t was due ano
thns remained ignorant Of Pegs
profession and commanding position
among his peers. But even at tnat such
.wee, innocence would indicate unit
ness for his job, don't you think? the
captain? Oh, the captain seems &c
have known all about it and to nave
been perfectly satisfied so long as ne
wasn't disturbed. He hasn't anything
coming but the qualification Of getting
even with the commissioner. II 1t all
turns out as he says, he and the COM
missioner might get job on the ne"