St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-25
sLANDERING SPARKS.
Ex-Oommissioner Williamson Asserts That
Sparks is Only Three or Four Re-
moves From Idiocy,
And Makes His Charges of Land Depart
ment Frauds Without Proper
Investigation.
The Strange Mistake Which Made Mr..
Boynton of Dakota Urge Him.
self for Governor.
American Steel Good Enough for
American Cannon Says the
House Committee.
Almost an Idiot.

Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2t.-Systematic as
saults upon Land Commissioner Sparks con-
tinue in the Eastern Republican press. The
New York Tribune has an interview with ex-
Commissioner Williamson of New York, in
which he says of Gen. Sparks: "Sparks;
why he is only three or four removes from an
idiot. He went into office one day and the
next day he had formed the conclusion that
all his predecessors in Office were thieves. He
announced his conclusions before night in or
der, presume. to prove himself an honest
man. Why, the man doesn't know the first
principles yet of the land law He then
proceeds to relate how congress and the SUI
preme court confirmed the Maxwell grant.
Did not the Maxwell party get more than
they were entitled tor" 1.-THE old Mexican
grant entities them, 1 think, to about
ninety thousand acres of land.
The confirmation Of congress made it some
thing like 100000. If there were any thieves
in that transaction, it was the members of
congress who voted for the confirmation. 1t
has been my experience with some congress
men that they are always standing in with big
steals, and always yelling thief at some one
else. Sparks was in congress. He hadn't
been in Office but nine days when he yelled
fraud about this Maxwell grant. 1t would
take thirty days of ten hours day merely to
read the papers through. 1t would take
three months for any lawyer to go through
them as he should to prepare an opinion upon
the facts, yet this crazy gentleman was able
TO call his predecessors thieves in nine days
on case of this weight and character. Let
me say right here, too, that while | regard
Carl SchurZ, politically, as wrong, there was
never Il purer man in the public service, so
far as his official acts are concerned"
BOyntOn Didn't Refer to Himself.
Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.-Your correspond
error in the transmission of his interview
with Mr.. A. Boynton, published in the GLOBE
of Tuesday last. In it Mr. Boynton is quoted
as saying, Il believe his GOV. Pierce's resig-
nation could be easily had if the right man
were selected by the president as his sue
cessor, such man as myself This repre-
sentation of what Mr.. Boynton said does him
injustice. He did not in the interview refer
to himself, or indicate in any way that
he thought of himself in such con-
nection. What he did say was, Il be-
lieve his Gov. Pierces) resignation could
be easily had if the right man were selected
by the president as his successor, say such
man as Mr.. Sheaf. To the experienced news
paper writer it is easy to see how the words
Mr.. Sheaf,' written hurriedly and trans
mitted by telegraph, passing through the
hands of four operators the telegraph editor,
the type-setter and proof-reader, might easily
be metamorphosed into the word myself
but it is due Mr.. Boynton that the public.
who doubtless read his alleged remark with
some surprise, should be more acquainted
with the facts. Mr.. Boynton did not in any
way allude to himself in the interview, or in
innate that he had ever thought of himself in
connection with the gubernatorial contest.