Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-08-19

was never accused of dishonesty o
of quibbling about where he stoo
on public questions. The Thirty
seventh senatorial district had chos
en- as it's candidate, a man of com
handing appearance, full of courage
honesty and vigor.
| In personal appearance Charlie
Aldrich was an entirely differen
type of man. He was rather small
in stature, but he, was full Of ner
vous energy. He had founded thu
Freeman, held number of import
ant government commissions, fol
he was known throughout the state
and was acknowledged to be one OF
the best informed men in Iowa. Fol
some years he had lived on his farm
in Fremont township, but he was
more Of student than farmer. In
spite of his superb qualifications, he
was not personally popular with the
masses, and the campaign against
him was most distressingly person
al and vindictive. He was elected,
however, by a safe majority. On be-
coming a member of the legislature,
Charles Aldrich lost no time in
showing that he was thoroughly in
dependent and progressive in his
tendencies.
THE ALDRICH FREE PASS BILL.
One of the political evils of the
day was the free pass which the
railroad corporations insinuated in
the pockets of all public officials, in
Guiding judges and jurymen and
some claim Aldrich himself was not
exempt. While this was eminently
inappropriate, little was thought of
it, for passes were almost universal
ly offered as compliments to officials
and were generally accepted. AID
rich, over twenty years ahead of his
time, introduced bill to prohibit
the giving Of passes to public offic-
ials and urged it consistently, but
to no avail, for the committee to
which the bill was referred, report
ed that it do not pass"
D. c. CHASE TAKES A SHOT"
AT ALDRICH.
The Argus, recently purchased by
Pray and Chase, in the spring of
1882 came under the sole editorial
management of D. G. Chase and be-
came an "anti-ring' republican pa
per, which meant the organization
of a new ring to take the place of
the old ring in case that institution
could be knocked out. There now
followed series of newspaper con-
troversies between the Argus and
Freeman. This was started by q
criticism of Aldriohs free pass bill,
which appeared in the Argus. While
in the main, it was admitted that
some features of the bill were COM
mendable, and worthy of serious
other features were
made light of. This criticism was
regarded as "lese majesty" by the
ring and brought a vigorous call
down" from the Freeman. Chase,
then a young man of about twenty
one, was not restrained by either
fear, awe or discretion, and his at
tackS bristled with the keenest rid
icule and irony. The style and Wig
or of the articles we're SO unusual
that we give the following sample:
RECK YOUR OWN READ
"Do not, as some ungracious pas
tors do,
Show me the rough and stony way
to Heaven;
Whilst, like pulled and reckless
libertine,
Himself the primrose path of dali
lance treads,
And recks not his own read. -
Hamlet.
When any man undertakes tol
teach his brethren morals, it i'm
plies in him the existence of super
ior moral qualities and superior NOR
al conduct. In pointing out the
notes in his brothers eye, it Is es-
sential that he should have no beam
in his own. Man, as general rule.
has little cause to complain as Cas-
sius did:
All my faults observed, set in a |
note book,
Learned and conned by rote,
To east into my teeth"
Yet when he makes an assumption
OF superiority-places himself on a
pinnacle of Righteousness, and from
that exalted height looks down in
compassion on humanity, II there is
any considerable variance between
his conduct and profession, it Is very
likely to be noticed and receive Wig
Sr