The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-02-27
A Bad Business.


ness, as far as it has been made public,
has not fi:a.erially benefited mankind,
or raised the average mans estimate
of human nature.
There has been a general btahdish.
ing Of var clubs, and threats Of what
might be proven; II things were differ.
ent, and funny regard for eontiden.
tial communications, and ut the same
time lavish publication of private
letters and kilograms. But, as we
have said, nobody concerned has risen
in public estimation.
Mr.. Clarkson, months ago; and
before the presidential election, CAME
into possession of information thai
convinced him that st. John was q
mercenaty and hypocritical rascal.
Had he published his news when fresh,
it might have done sSme good; but
his sagacity seems to have B1efslept
itself. He is now driving around the
track, after the race has been declared.
1t does not make any practical differ.
cnce now whether he proves that St.
John tried to sell himself or not. Nc
belated revelations can add to the
contempt with which st. John is Ic'
garded by all democrats and q major
ity of the republicans. In fact St
Johns stock in trade now is his
injuries. He talks to tho republican,
like Shylock to Antonio:
Fair Sirs, on Wednesday last J0u spit on me
On Thursday you burned me in eftigy!
As to those who have followed st.
John of i'll his third party movement
nothing that MIR. Clarksou or any 9th
er man could possibly prodttee seuld
convince them. Having resolutclJ
settled down in the belief that every
body who loves St. John is altogether
good, and that Ri who do not love
him are enemies, net only of St.
John, but of God and Righteousness
they are not to be shaken, Their ans
wcr to tho most powerful affidavit
against st. John would be that tho
maker was certainly perjurcr, and
probably drunkard.
As far rs St. John Ii concerned, if NJ
more evidence is brought than has Sc
fat been produced. he will remain
merely a suspected character. Mer
will say guilty" mot guilty" ant
..not proven" and discuss the Dues
ton from their respective standpoint
for years to cofr1e It will be one .
the great unsettled quesiior,s Of histo'
ry, like that whether Mary Queen o
Scots was privy to the murder of Darn
Icy. 1t is safe to say, however, tina
tho character of Mr.. St. John will gair
nothing in lustre from the discussion
Probably the gentleman who ha
suffered most in the business Is Mr.
Legate himself. He has been fof ,
long while Kansas superstition
Kansas fathers have been in the habit
of pointing out Mr.. Legate to their lit
tie boys as one Of the historic person
ages Of the state; newspaper reporter
have sought him and have listened
eagerly to tho Oraculaf utterance ol
his mysterious sentences; his brains
have been the constant subject of ad
miring paragraphs for at least twcnt.
years. The spectacle of this imposing
parsonage saying one day that Ii,
never wrote any letter; the next da.
that he wrote a letter but that il ha
been garbled in publication; and the
next day saying he wrote a letter, but
that it was a breach of faith to publish
it as written, and the next day saying
he won't say anything; the sight, II
short, of statesman "in holc," i
unpleasant. 1t creates the impression
that a once popular idol is now mag
nificent ruin.
The moral to be drawn from this un
satisfactory and incomplete story is
that reformers should be careful abou
associating with stlategists, and tina
strategists who have any regard fo
their own moral character and peac
of mind should steer clear of reform
ers.-Atchison Champion.