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THE PRINCETON UNION
BY R. C. DUNN.
PubliaHed Every Thursday.
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OFFICE! FIRST ST.. EAST OF COURT HOUSE.
Q. I. STAPLES.
Baslness Manager.
THOS. H. PROWSE,
Editor.
And now there is a rumor in Lon
don that the militant suffragettes were
supported in their depredations by
the plate glass trust.
Frank Day has married again and
is coming back to Minnesota to settle
down, eschew democratic politics and
become a respectable citizen.
Respectable Mexicans are heartily
wishing that Porfirio Diaz would re
turn to Mexico and resume his place
as president and dictator of that dis
tracted country.
Why unload securities of the state
on a depressed market? Who is it
that is clamoring for the sale of the
Virginia bonds held in the permanent
funds of the state?
If the half-tone pictures in the
dailies faithfully portray the looks of
Carnegie's "most beautiful girl in the
world," it is evident that the laird of
Skibo possesses exceedingly poor
taste.
Kaiser Wilhelm, of course, has his
enemies, but the worst type are those
who have presented him with aero
planes with the request that he
personally test their practicability.
When the democratic state conven
tion meets in Duluth next June the
delegates will find that they are well
taken care ofhospitably entertained.
No better natured citizens than those
of Duluth can be found under the face
of old Sol,
Immense areas of land in the south,
where early potatoes are usually
raised in large quantities for the
northern markets,have been inundated
and will be flooded for some time.
The indications are that new potatoes
will command unheard of prices early
in the summer.
"If a man is arrested for the com
mission of a crime and is guiltless he
should demand a trial by the judge,"
says a court habitue, "but if he is
guilty he should insist on a trial by
jury." Verily, there is a good deal
of philosophy in this.
It is suspected that Senator Knute
Nelson's friends are behind the move
ment to make Fred B. Snyder of
Minneapolis the republican nominee
for governor. For obvious reasons
Senator Nelson would like to have the
governorship go to Hennepin county.
Announced and active candidates
for the republican gubernatorial
nomination up to date: A. O. Eber
hart, Wm. E. Lee, S. Y. Gordon,
Edgar Weaver and L. C. Spooner.
Received favorable mentionlack of
space prevents the mention of their
names.
There is one thing certain: As a
"contributing editor" and a lecturer
Dr Wiley will prove of much more
benefit to the public at large than has
Theodore Roosevelt. Wiley's sub
jects will be pure food and health
while Roosevelt has confined himself
largely to big game butchery and
slippery politics.
Why not dispose of the $2,725,000
Massachusetts 3 per cent bonds held
the state's permanent school and
permanent university funds at any old
price that a Wall street broker may
see fit to offer, and invest the pro
ceeds Minnesota 3 per cent ditch
bonds? It would be just as sensible
as selling the Virginia bonds at $300,-
000 below their par value.
Roosevelts' manager, Senator Dix
on, charges that postmasters in Ken
tucky have stolen districts for Taft.
The general public is becoming weary
of the continual and vociferous cries
of fraud by Teddy and his henchmen.
The real truth of the matter is there
is no general demand for Roosevelt's
candidacy. He mistook the croakings
of a few disgruntled politicians of the
Pinchot stripe for the voice of the
people, and now when the people are
beginning to express their real prefer
ence for presidential candidates he is
sorely disappointed.
Roosevelt is & strong candidate,''
says an exchange. It certainly looks
that way when in bis old home state
of North Dakota a comparative
strangerBob La Follette of Wiscon
sindefeats him in the presidential
preferential election by nearly 10,000
plurality!
The United States supreme ^court
upholds the right of the government
to bring action to have set aside the
conveyance of 3,000 Cherokee Indians
of their allotted lands. The govern
ment should have taken this action
ere the lumber sharks had grabbed off
all the timber.
If the constitutional amendment
authorizing the loaning of school
funds on farm lands is adopted, some
one will propose the sale of all the
bonds in the permanent school fund
ati any old price and the reinvestment
of the proceeds in farm lands at a
higher rate of interest.
In reply to the Union query,
what is the matter with Tom Davis?
the Belview Independent intimates
that we might as well have Billy
Hamm for lieutenant governor. That
is matter sufficient if true to preclude
the nomination of Mr. Davis. But
the allegation is groundless.
Because his horse refused to pro
ceed as rapidly as he desired, a black
guardely Minneapolis teamster tied
the tail of the poor beast to the
singletree of the loaded wagon which
it was drawing and lashed it severely
with a whip. As a consequence every
hair in the horse's long tail was torn
out by the roots. The brutal driver
deserves 100 lashes with the old-time
cat-o'-nine-tails.
The police commission of New York
has decided to publish daily a list of
crimes committed in the city for the
preceding 24 hours together with the
names of those arrested for such
crimes. A list of this sort published
by the police department of Minne
apolis would make interesting reading
for the public but not for the cops.
The crimes would show up conspicu
ously but the arrests would make an
odious comparison.
Major Archibald Butt, President
Taft's aid, is in Europe butting into
court circles for the purpose of
familiarizing himself with the various
styles of etiquette. It seems to us
that Archie is a trifle hasty. He
should have waited until the general
election is over, for if a democrat be
comes president all his acquirements
will come to naughthe will lose his
job and probably never be called
upon to display his great knowledge.
St. Paul's town meeting occurs on
the 7th of next month and there is a
lively campaign on. Mayor Keller
has given the city a good business
like administration during the past
two years and ought to be re-elected.
But he has offended some of the im
practicable law and order people and
"Cardinal" O'Connor's gang is
putting up a great fight. The out
come is in doubt but the odds are in
favor of Keller.
According to Dominick Pasquale,
an alien who appeared before Judge
Kapper in New York to be examined
as to his fitness to become a citizen of
the United States, Roosevelt is the
mayor of Gotham, governor of the
state, president of the United States,
both houses of congress and the con
stitution. To every question asked
him by the judge he replied, "Roose-
velt." And the judge admitted him.
The recall would be a good thing in
Kapper's case.
On the floor of the national house of
representatives last Friday Congress
man Randell of Texas thrust this
javelin into his colleagues: I make
the assertion that nearly every
member of this house is in the employ
of some interest or is subject to some
influence, and what holds true of the
house is equally true of the senate. I
say this with the hope that I may hurt
no one's feelings." Naturally, a
protest was made by some of the
members, but Randell refused to with
draw his assertions. There are few
congressmen so frank as the gentle
man from Texas, especially when it
comes to telling the truth in so deli
cate a matter as this.
One branch of the state legislature
went on record last winter as being
unanimously opposed to the sale of
securities held in the state's perma
nent funds.at less than the face value
of the same. The other branch of the
legislature would have done likewise
had the members understood the
proposition. State officers who
favor the sale of Virginia state bonds
at $300,000 below par had better be
ware.
"As we expected, Governor Eber
harb has taken a stand against a
special session for the enactment of a
presidential preferential primary on
the ground that there is no particular
call for it. Of course the organiza
tion does not want it, bub the people
do, but it seems that they don't
count."
The above extract from an exchange
is a fair sample of the silly and un
just criticism that is being indulged
in bv newspapers unfriendly to the
governor. The Union does not
know neither does it care what the
organization or the politicians want,
but we do know that there is no
general demand for an extra session
of the legislature for any purpose
whatever.
When Morse, the ex-banker, was
discharged from Leavenworth peni
tentiary upon orders issued by Presi
dent Taft, government physicians
said he was suffering from a multi
plicity of incurable diseases and pre
dicted that he would die within ten
days. The defaulter is now in Flor
ence, Italy, and, according to press
dispatches, is in the best of health
and having a high old time on money
which virtually belongs to his vic
tims, many of whom he ruined.
Strong public sentiment prevailed
against the liberation of Morse and it
is now evident that he should not
have been released. Were the doc
tors who diagnosed his case incompe
tent or did they profess to find him
near unto death for ulterior reasons?
THE PRINCETON UNION: THUBSDAX, APRIL li 1912.
The Union has been asked who its
favorite candidate for president is.
Like our good democratic friend,
William J. Bryan, we have not yet
arrived at a definite conclusion.
However, we would not be inclined to
throw any obstacles in the way of
Charles E. Hughes. But he is not a
candidate.
At a meeting in Morris last Satur
day evening Hon. Lewis C. Spooner,
in response to numerous letters and
petitions, announced himself a candi
date for the republican nomination
for governor. Mr. Spooner is an ex
ceedingly able man, understands state
affairs, and would make an excellent
chief executive. In his announcement
speech Mr. Spooner said in un
mistakable language that, if chosen
governor he would be free to act for
what he believed to be the best inter
ests of the people of the whole state,
and that he would be governor in fact
as well as in name. Anyone who is
at all familiar with Mr. Spooner can
readily believe that he spoke the truth
when he said that if he were chosen
governor he would be governor. No
question about it.
An instance of the grasping, greedy
nature of the express companies was
manifested last wek at Hickman,
Kentucky, when 200 army tents ar
rived at that place from the war de
partment to furnish temporary shelter
for the homeless flood sufferers.
There was a charge for expressage on
these tents of $820, and the company
refused to deliver them into the hands
of the citizens' committee until this
amount was paid. As a consequence
of such proceeding the committee was
compelled to borrow the money from
a local bank in order that the situa
tion might be relieved. Express com
panies are "soulless corporations"
in the true sense of the word. Even
in a case of dire npcessity, like the
one at issue, where hundreds of
people were compelled to sleep out of
door, the combine insistently de
manded its money. Humanitarianism
has no place in the heart of this
voracious, extortionate trust, to
whom the carrying of the tents free of
charge would have been bub a small
matter. Blame, it seems, also at
taches to the war department for not
prepaying, under such circumstances,
the express charges. At any rate
there is no excuse for the despicable
action of the express trust.
yvr THOSE VIRGINIA. BONDS.
At the last session of the legislature
a bill passed the house which provided
that the state board of investment
might dispose of the bonds of other
states held in our permanent funds
in committee of the whole on motion
of R. C. Dunn the bill was amended
so that no securities could be disposed
of for less than par and accrued in
terest. The bill was killed in the
senate.
Perhaps the wise senators who
could not see the necessity for such a
law will realize their mistake when
they discover that the sale of the Vir
ginia bonds held in our permanent
funds is again being agitated. And
what is the proposition? The state
has in its permanent school, perma
nent university, internal improve
ment land fund, and swamp land fund
Virginia state bonds to the amount
of $2,145,000that is their par value.
Those bonds cost the several funds
$1,867,748.80. The state treasurer has
an offer of ,$1,850,062.50,$17,686.30
less than the bonds cost, and $294,-
937.50 less than their par valueand
we understand some members of the
investment board are in favor of ac
cepting the offer'
But there are other members of the
investment board who will never con
sent to such an unbusiness-like and
unprofitable (to the state) transac
tion.
Those Virginia bonds have been
sold at par, and they will go to par
again. There has not been a large
demand for low interest-bearing se
curities during the past few years,
and this is not the time for the state
to dispose of its holdings in Virginia
bonds.
The argument advanced in favor of
selling the Virginia bonds at a loss
at nearly $300,000 less than their
par valuethat a higher rate of inter
est might be obtained from home
municipalities is rather far fetched,
At the present timesome of the capi
tal certificates bear only 3 per cent
interest, and ditch loans are author
ized at 3 per cent. The next or some
subsequent legislature may fix the
maximum rate at 3 per cent.
Why is it that Virginia bonds are
always singled out for sale? Is it be
cause there is a larger prospective
profit in the transaction for the
broker? We have $2,725,000 of Mas
sachusetts 3 per cent bonds in our
permanent school and permanent uni
versity fundsthe Virginia bonds
pay 3 per cent interest. Why not dis
pose of the Masaschusetts bonds as
well as the Virginia bonds?
The next legislature should enact a
law governing the sale of securities in
our permanent state funds similar to
the one that passed the house but
failed in the senate at the last ses
sion, and the proviso that no secur
ities should be sold at less than par
and accrued interest should be incor
porated therein.
Considerable is being said in the
newspapers with reference to the in
crease in state expenses. The Union
called attention to the matter more
than ten months ago. The large in
crease in state expenditures com
menced with Governor Johnson's first
administrationmore especially the
increase in the number of office
holders and the salaries paid. But
in making comparison with other
states it would be well to remember
that Minnesota paid out to the schools
of the state in the March and October
apportionments of 1911, $1,197,416.90.
The appropriations for educational
purposes for the fiscal year ending
July 31, 1912, will amount to $1,332,-
900this is in addition to the March
and October apportionments and does
not include a dollar for the Universi
ty or Normal schools or the several
state agricultural schools. One
reason why the per capita expenses in
this state is apparently so high is be
cause of the liberal provision made
for educational purposes, especially
for the common schools of the state.
The agitation about fly swatting
will soon begin. Now is none too
early to begin the agitation about re
flucing the premises to such a degree
of cleanliness that the fly will not be.
Clean up and save much swatting
later in the season!Little Falls
Transcript.
Better discontinue knocking the
grand army of suffragettes, Sister
Fuller, or Sister McFadden may camp
on your traik
-^fa^f^^^ii#W|f' mm
t?**%
WHAT CAN BE DONE.
Hon. E. Adams of Fergus Falls
favors the issuance of a quarter of a
million dollars' worth of bonds by
Otter Tail county for road-improve
ment in that county. Mr. Adams
wants roads nownot ten or twenty
years henceand Mr. Adams, as
usual, is right.
If the one-mill tax constitutional
amendment is adopted next Novem
ber, a year hence there will be nothing
to prevent Otter Tail county from
issuing road bonds, if its people are
willing, to the amount of $250,000, to
run for ten years, and the state would
pay half the amount$12,500 a year
for ten years. The state would also
make the loan out of its permanent
funds at four per cent. Then Otter
Tail county could have two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars' worth of
good roads right away. If the one
mill tax amendment is adopted a law
will be placed upon our statute books
which will enable Otter Tail and every
other county in the state to do as we
have briefly outlined.
Mr. Adams simply voices the senti
ments of all who have given the ques
tion of road improvement any intelli
gent thought when he says: "If we
could have intelligent engineering
and abolish the plan of working out
road taxes in Minnesota, we would
very soon make great progress in im
proving the roads, but there will not
be much progress until there is a
change in the method of doing the
road work. So long as the roads are
made in the present haphazard way
and taxes are worked out at any time
when it is most convenient, there will
not only be a great waste of money,
but we will continue to have poor
roads."
At the last session of the legislature
a bill passed the house in which were
embodied the ideas set forth by Mr.
Adams, but it failed of passage in the
senatei Minnesota has just com
menced to place progressive road
legislation upon its statute books. A
good beginning has been made. Let
the good work be continued until Min
nesota leads all its sister states in the
number of miles of good roads within
her borders.
ED. 1VE4.VER WITHDRAWS.
Ed. Weaver is no longer a candi
date for the republican gubernatorial
nomination. He has given out the
following statement to the press:
"About two weeks ago, after re
peated and earnest solicitation by
many friends throughout the state I
permitted the announcement of my
candidacy for nomination for the
office of governor by the republican
state convention. During the interval
I have made a careful canvass of the
situation, the result of which, with
other developments that have taken
place, has caused me to alter my de
berminabion.
''I, therefore, take this opportunity
to announce my withdrawal from the
contest, and to request that no further
consideration be given my name in
connection with that or any other
political office. This announcement
is made only after mature delibera
tion, and is influenced solely by a
sincere desire on my part to promote,
so far as possible, that harmony so
essential to success, and in the belief
that the interests of the republican
party should be made paramount to
the personal exaltation of any indi
vidual member.
I am thoroughly sensible of. and
fully appreciate, the great honor my
friends would confer upon me. For
the interest that has been manifested
in my behalf, especially the kindly,
unsolicited support that has been ac
corded me by the press and particu
larly by that of my home county, I
shall always be truly grateful."
Had Mr. Weaver remained in the
field in all probability he would have
carried Blue Earth and more than
half the counties of the second district
against the governor, and if the
governor were to lose his home
county and home congressional dis
trict it is hardly probable that be
could be nominated. But while Mr.
Weaver might have defeated Governor
Eberhart wherein would he have been
the gainer? Mr. Weaver showed good
judgment in withdrawing from the
race. The governor's good luck still
attends him. He sure is a man of
destiny."
THE RESULT JA ILLINOIS.
At bhe primary election in Illinois
on Tuesday, Roosevelt received 230,-
000 votes, Taft 119,000, La Follette
37,000. On the democratic side Speak
er Champ Clark had 220,000, and Gov-
^a- ^Pff? i^^S-^^J
ernor Woodrow Wilson only 80,000
votes. fc
The result in the great state of Illi
nois should eliminate both Roosevelt
and Taft from the contest for the
republican presidential nomination
Neither of them can be elected if nom
inated.
The republican state convention of
New York was overwhelmingly for
President Taft, but refused to instruct
for him.
The man who can lead the repub
lican party to victory next November,
if any man can, is Justice Charles
E. Hughes.
Minnesota should send an unin
sbructed delegation to the republican
national convention, but if instructed
the instructions should be for the man
who can command the support of all
factions of the party, that upright,
fearless juristCharles E. Hughes.
James Wilson, secretary of agricul
ture, defends bhe department's action
in connection with its Florida Ever
glades report. This report oc
casioned much adverse criticism of
Wilson and his department throughout
the country. The secretary declares
that the excerpts from Major Wright's
favorable report on the Everglades,
which have been used by land sharks
to aid them in selling their alligator
swampsor words to that effectwere
given out without his consent. If this
is true it shows on its face that Wilson
is not the proper person to preside
over the agricultural department. It
shows a laxity, apd even an incompe
tency, on his part. As he is re
sponsible for the official acts of his
subordinates, his statement is obvi
ously a lame excuse.
FKOD!FBOU!FROL!
Frod!f rod!f rod!"
Yells the raging, ranting Teddy,
"To a frazzle" licked already
Frod!frod!frod!"
And his howling, hungry squad,
Fightin' for free-lunch,
And their fetish demi-god,
In shattered ranks unsteady,
"To a frazzle" licked already
Echo "Frod'frod Ifrod I"
But the people only grin
At the rattle of his bin
Chinee gong, and wild "chin-chin,
As he swings his old "big stick,"
Now a bent and broken rod,
And gives his pants a kick:
And they shout in phalanx steady
"We're onto you, ole Teddy
You're the'Frod.'
H. L. Gordon.
Los Angeles, Cal., March 28. 1912.
s*
H?
A
*%*ae*a**
OPINIONS OF EDITORS I
Roosevelt, For Instance
Usually a man is a poor judge of
his own importance.Belle Plaine
Herald.
$-
Would Make an Ideal Governor.
The Anchor would be sorry to see
L. C. Spooner of Morris get into the
fight for governor. We- believe that
he is worth more to the state and his.
district in the legislature than he can
possibly be in the governor's chair,
although we haven't a doubt but what
he would make an ideal executive.
Dassel Anchor.
4* 4* 4*
The Only Ideal Life.
"Back to the Farm" sentiment is
gaining ground. No wonder, when
every farmer can have his lawns and
modern improvements in his house,
his telephone and mail deiiveiy, and
enjoy the big, airy privacy of an iso
lated home at that. Life on the farm
is the only ideal life anyway. And if
you don't believe it try living through
a summer in a city flat.Mary Mc
Fadden in Duluth News Tribune.
Bryan the Best ot 'Em A
We don't want to be accused of
butting into the politics of our
friends, the democrats, but why
should they seek further than W. J.
Bryan for a presidential candidate
Mr. Bryan is the leading democrat
of the times. He has done more for
his party than any other man, and in
spite of his three defeats he retains
his premier position. It takes a really
great man to retain the respect of the
people after thrice meeting defeat.
Winnebago Enterprise.
s* $- $-
Committee Acted Wisely.
The prevailing hysteria as to pref
erential primaries does not seem to.
have hit the state central committee
very hard. *The proposition was
turned down on a vote of 28 to 7 even
after all the fireworks of the most ar
dent "progressives." There is a good
deal of noise about the primaries
which reminds one of the characteris
tics of the coyote. One makes as
much noise as a regiment. The com
mittee did the proper thing in turning
it down cold.West St. Paul Times.
I
is.
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