The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-01-19
.sGGNE BACK ON HIS PRENCIPEs.,
a. pure Specimen Of ERterEa2 gusseE-
mess.

a. pure Specimen Of Hnterna2 gusseG-
mess.
The following was the leading editorial
which appeared in the Northuestern NsDs
Davenport, Ia, Of Dec. 30:
eve clip the following bit of surprising news from
the RIVER Press, published at Fort Benton. Mon
tana:
sThe mystery of that neat and convenient little
brick house, which was recently built by Mr, r. y.
Price, was solved by the appearance in our sanctum.
last Wednesday, Of a basket OF champagne and a yery
nice cake, accompanied by a neat piece Of stationery,
bearing the following legend:
Compliments OF Mr. and Mrs. r. S. Price to the
RIVER Press
"Mr. +. S. Price, whose name appears in the above
as the unquestionablY happy and m%anifestly generous
| groom, will be remembered as the Mr.. r. S. Price,
who formerly resided IN this city, and who, while
here, was an honored member of the Baptist church,
aud professedly a strong temperance man. The sur
prising part of the aboveis not that Mr., Price has left
the lonely walks of single life and chosen himself a
companion; nor that he should have prepared SO neat
a cage for the aptrous bird which he was SO successful
in capturing; but it is inexplicably surprising to all
who knew Mr.. Price while he lived il Davenport that
he should SO Tar forget his Christian and temperance
principles as to present a demijohn of the devils
drink to a set OF ungodly printers, and thus favor and
encourage the very things that, as a temperance man
and Christian, he should have discouraged and de-
nounced.
sit IL safe to presume from the facts before us that
champagne was freely drank at the wedding, and that
Mi. Price himself was q literal participant of the IN
ebriating draught. Had Mr.. Price been in the city Of
Davenport at the time of his marriage, he doubtless
would have interdicted the use of all intoxicants at his
wedding, and would probably have sent the printers
the cake. minus the champagne; but being in Mon
+ano* q am M from, 4ba Iin0tp of biG 4an,y,nr uylon
career, he sought TO fatter the vanity Of the press by
favoring the drinking customs Of the people.
'It is plain to be seen that this departure from his
professed principles, both as o Christian and a temper-
anee man, was a bid for public favor, and a most con-
%tenptible route to popularity.
sit is possible that MI. Price thinks that neither the
laws Of God nor the restraints Of conscience have any
legitimate jurisdiction over those who sin IN the far
off Montana; evidently both rested lightly on him
when he presented a basket Of champagne to the pub
fishers Of the RIVER PRESS"
We will state for the edifcation of the ed1-
tor Of the Norha0estern Ne2os that Mr.. Price
was at least five hundred miles from Benton
when the typical cake and wine was brought
into the RIVER Press Office, and it was sent
by one of his friends, who is a retired news
paper man, without the knowledge of Mr..
Price, merely as an exhibition Of good feel
ing, and in pursuance Of Q common custom.
Mr.. Editor, do you really think yourself a
Christian, when you can malign the charac-
ter Of 9 man about an event Of which you
had no knowledge whatever, without consult
ing him, or giving him opportunity to defend
himself? Do you not rather consider your
self one of those despicable creatures who
only wear the livery Of heaven to more faith
fully serve The devil. Do you not rather re-
semble one Of those Pharisees, who talkfrom
the high places, and thank God they are not
as other men are. There is no doubt but tina
you are the only person in 1881 years whose
record is so clean that you can cast the first
stone. There is 10 doubt but you are as bad
at heart as the devil, and more contemplate.
You say, cit is PLAN to- be seen that this
departure y x : was q bid for public IA
yor, and a contemplate route to popularity
It is also plain to be seen that you are not
only not q Christian, but are utterly deficient
either in common sense or good manners.
Sir, If you had even a widows mite Of the
Christian principles you profess, you would
have displayed a little charity for your erring
"brothers" the ungod|y printers but you
have not enough of the man, the god or the
devil in you to entitle you to credit with
either. Please take a good look at yourself,
il you can spare time from looking after the
sins Of your fellows, and if you will, we will
wager another basket Of champagne that you
will see the meanest and most contemplate
man in Iowa. All we can imagine in your
justification is that you were suffering from
the "bust head after q night spent in secret
dissipation. Ed. RIVER PRESS.