Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-05-12
The Combination Game of Falsehood.


When a man tells one lie it is usually the
case that whole troop of falsehoods follow
to bolster up the first misstatement. Mr.. w.
D. Washburn's fioundering attempts to show
that he has not sold out Minneapolis railroad
interests have put him in fairly pitiable
dilemma.
He has now written "private letter" which
is conveniently made public in a Minneapolis
paper wherein he piles Ossa upon Pelion Of
falsehood In this style:
1.-THE Minneapolis & st. Louis road has not
been sold to the Rock Island road as the news
papers seem determined to have it understood.
The parties interested in the Rock Island road
who are now interested in the St. Louis stock
came IN only at the last moment. My denial
that we had sold the road to the Rock Island,
or that negotiations were going on IN that
direction was absolutely true. The parties
with whom negotiations were commenced are
gentlemen heavily interested in the Omaha
road, and the change of stock was made with
the view of bringing the two roads more in
harmony"
In publishing this the Journal kindly
comes to his rescue with this statement:
"He simply denied that they had sold the
IOdu W tEc hOCh Iolduu COlupduy3 VI COu-
templated doing so. He was very careful to
make no statement that was not absolutely
true
falsehoods in order to make them consistent,
at least. On the 22d of April he thus spoke
in the Minneapolis Tribune:
"Not only has there been no sale but not
euen orertures looking to that end. My visit
home had no reference to any such transac-
ton. | cannot understand how such rumors
originate. No sir, there is nothing in it,"
On the I'd of May he telegraphed over his
own signature as follows:
"a large block of our stock has been sold
to New York parties interested in the Chicago,
st. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha road and in
the Chicago G. Rock Island, who are now
represented in our board"
On the 7th inst, the Minneapolis Tribune
quoted him as saying:
"We have disposed of large block of the
Minneapolis & st. Louis stock to the Omaha
line and the Rock Island road. When went
home q .fetc days ago, held consultation
with the largest stockholders, and it was
deemed best to sell a pro rata amount OF our
stock"
Now let the reader follow this chain of
falsehood moment. On the 22d of April
Washburn denied that there had even Deen
oyertures for sale and plumply stated that
his visit home had nothing to do with the
matter. On the I'd of May he announces the
sale and on the 7th repeats the announcement
with the additional statement that the
sale was agreed upon when he tDos at home in
April, the stockholders having been called to
consult in the matter.
Still there were "no overtures," and his
visit home had nothing to do with the matter.
Just so.
Now comes his "private letter" claiming
that he never denied the contemplated sale,
but only denied that it was to be sold to the
Rock Island road.
How does this comport with the 22d of
April denial that any sale was contemplated
to any road?
If he had kept diary of his falsehoods he
would have seen also, that his small hole.
that he had denied the sale to the Rock Is
land but not to any other company, would not
bear inspection for he telegraphed On the I'd
of May that the sale was to the Omaha and
Rock Island. Again on the 18th he repeats
the statement, mentioning both roads. AS
further evidence that the Rock Island was
one of the purchasers it can be noted that Mr..
Cable, vice president of the Rock Island was
chosen president of the re-organized Mime
apolis & St. Louis.
He should either have sealed his lips or else
have frankly stated that he was engaged in a
transaction where it was necessary TO keep
the matter private by fair means or foul ard
that he simply followed the custom
of Wall street. In other words, he
should have pleaded "they all do it' when
running a deal. His anxiety for votes has
overcome his discretion and placed him in an
awkward position if he should ever receive a
call to fill the chair of Professor Of Truth in
the State University.