Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-03-01

The Cedsr Rapids Republican. which
has been defending the pardon OF
Raihhan nox demands that the gov
or,or explain thoroughly has oonnec-
t.on wi h the Ida Grove pardon scan
dial. The Sioux City Journal, the gov
srr'rs friendly homf paper some time
lga took similar ground The matter
he's now gone % far that those friend
~ newspapers in the interests Of the
nubl.e. Tor their own self respect and In
he interests OF the governor himself
find Il necessary TO offer him the en-
cellent advice TO make the, full eN-
plantation demanded by the public SER
vice.
Referring to the affidavit in which
il is reported that Rathbun's father
says he gave Rathbun's lawyer $4,000
TO be used in obtaining a pardon and
that the lawyer told him that part Of
the money would go to the governor,
the Republican sage:
Can the lawyer in that case claim
that the money was for professional
services and that it was professionally
ethical? Does 1t not look more like
taking money for exercising some sort
Of a pull" The lawyer in that case
was entitled to charge the afflicted
father OF the erring boy for his time
and his talents as actually employed in
drawing up the papers for the pardon
petition--and all over that looks like
some imposition.
1T is impossible 10 believe that a
governor would stoop so low. But he
might as well realize that he has 10
meet these insinuations which will be
kept in circulation by his traducers.
But if il can be shown that the gov
ernor was influenced even to the extent
Of desiring 10 help the attorney earn
his fee-then he ought TO be impeached
and If any of the money found its way
into his hands. then he ought to be put
into the stripes that the gang in the
name of justice have forced on the
20-year- old boy. II is unbelievable
that a governor should do such a thing
anu We 10 ltDl ttl4tNt II, pul Inc SON-
ernor can not afford to demand less
than that all here is '" he told shall
be told"
The Sioux City paper says in the
same connection:
1T seems to The Journal that the
governor dare not permit such an i'm
piicatlon TO go unchallenged. He may
assume that it is unnecessary for him
to make denial, but frank statement
would do much TO disarm his critics
and reassure the state. To The Jour
nal il is unthinkabie that governor of
Iowa would accept or would permit
himself to be influenced in such mat
ter as this by money. II is a very grave
-harge TO make against the governor
Of Iowa. The governor owes il 20 him
self and TO the state now TO be entirely
frank. to the end that all mean suspi-
c.on shall be quoted and that We shall
have an end TO this miserable bust
ness"
Attorney General Havner. who is re-
ported 10 have obtained the affidavit,
is quoted IN the governors friendly
home newspaper. the Sioux City Jour
nal, as saying that he would lay the
facts before the Legislature" while in
the meantime Il will continue investi-
eating the transactions in the banks TO
see if l can find any trace of where the
money given Clark has been used
1t is more than likely that neither the
attorney general nor the legislature
will be able to prove that the governor
got any of the money if Rathbun's law
yer chooses to claim that he kept ii for
his fees II is so impossible to disbar
an attorney when tried by a lawyer
judge or 10 convict a doctor Of mall
practice by the testimony Of other doc
tors that the governor can afford to let
'em rant and rail at him. However. the
Republican is really giving him the ad-
vice of a friend when it insists that the
governor should welcome and aid in
vestigation in order TO free himself
from public suspicion.