The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-04-12
A FEEBLE EFFORT.

Tuesday touching upon last Tuesdays
election-remarkable, vet entirely char
acterlstic, in that it carefully refrains
from committing the editor to any def
mite, outspoken opinion. The article
starts out by the remarkable assertion
that the late campaign was not conduct
ed upon tissues legitimately affecting
the management of the city govern
ment," but was entirely "a crusade
against the saloons" 1t is scarcely con-
ceivable that Mr.. Wise believes this to
be true. He, in common with other in
telligent citizens, must know that in
whatever degree criticism of the saloons
figured in that campaign, it was the
slackness and Encouragement of the
city officials who are supposed TO main
tain order, and see that the saloon
lists as well as other people obey the
laws, that was called into question, and
not the saloonists themselves. The
only direct criticism of the saloons we
can remember, was in regard to their
contributions to the Democratic Tor
rather, Pfau) campaign fund-and even
In this particular no one claimed to le-
ultimately blame the saloon keepers for
being ready to 'put up for the contin-
uance of the administration which had
been SD generous to them. In fact, If
the editor of the Review will name one
particular feature of the fight made by
the Jensen men against Pau that was
not connected with legitimate criticism
of the conduct and management of city
affairs, we will agree to find little
to. There is no danger, we fancy, of
our being compelled to fulfil as difficult
an undertaking.
But referring to the Crusade against
the saloons" which the editor seems to
deplore, the Review says:
The public were told that the saloons
were kept open on Sundays, that blind
pigs were run with the knowledge of
the police, that the saloons furnished
the means to pay the expenses of the
campaign, and other statements of
like nature were made.
Now, stranger 70 EeaeW methods
perusing the absye would infer that the
editor had proceeded to hurl back the
statements to their authors with a posi-
tive denial and refutation. Does the
ReUieag do this? Not much. Its editor
feebly exclaims that such statements en-
danger the reputation of our city. We
admit they do, and with the stranger
above referred to, should suppose the
Review would use its circulation to
counteract their effect by denying that
such affairs do exist. But we look in
vain for any such refutation, the nearest
to 1t being the assertion that Mankato
is no worse than other towns about her.
When we get entirely through with
Bro. Wise's remarks we confess to
doubt as to what he really intends to
convey. He evidently is DESTROYS of
patting the saloonists on the back and
defending them from an unjust "cru-
sade," but he doesn't explicitly say SO.
He evidently wants to praise the late
city government, but he is compelled to
admit that there were things in it that
sadly needed criticism, so he fights shy
of giving Pfsu open plaudits. Thirdly,
he would like to be solid with the ''good
citizens" but realizing that both his
friends the saloonists and the Pau. goy---.
eminent, are not in favor with these,
the best he can do for them is to say
they 'love fair play"-the inference
being that because some men who pat
ronize saloons criticised the city admin
lstration for not doing their duty toward
those places, the aforesaid citizens came
to the rescue of the saloonists and re-
buked the bad and inconsistent men
who proposed to elect Jensen. We ad-
NIT the logic is some what wonderful,
but it appears to be about the depth of
the RerieV when it is compelled to do
It's straddling act.
We might go on and ask why the Re
uie,O did not deny tI2. "blind-pigs" are
running, that the saloons are accessible
on Sunday, and that the saloonists con-
tributed fund to aid Pfau's election.
But we all know why it did not deny.
We know 1t believes as we'll as the rest
of us that they are truthful statements.
To be sure we have no proof to offer.
We take the general reports In circula-
ton and believed by majority of the
people. Such things do not get into
circulation, do not become the common
talk, unless there is some reality behind
them. The RecieW knows of these re-
ports and knows it would be useless to
deny their truthfulness. But it insults
its intelligent readers, and endeavors
to curry favor with the saloons by as
sorting that the criticism of the city of
ficials for not taking proper measures to
enforce the laws were all made by
"Men who are notorious as frequen-
tiers of these places, and who would be
the most likely of all others to seek
access to saloons at unlawful hours were
such admission possible, is what gave to
their side the contest its disreputable
character. 1t was most unfortunate for
Messrs. Jensen, Wilkins and Hughes
that their campaign was managed in
this way, for to that fact may their de-
feat in large measure be traced"
What a travesty upon truth and COM
mon sense. Admitting that the above
10 LuCt III WudI uCSTct uOco IL ui5-
credit reports that are generally adj
mitted to be true? Would not this class
of men best know what was occurring,
and be best able to confirm reports &C
copied by the general public? But let
ms see the full scope of the Reviews in
sulting statements. The Republican
campaign was managed by Messrs. J. G.
Fowler, s. w. Burgess, B. futile, Geo.
Phillips and Fred WIdell, the regularly
appointed committee. These gentlemen
are able to settle for themselves with
the editor who makes the above asser-
tions. 1t may be that the FREE Press,
having been quite free IN its criticisms
of Mayor Pfau's administration, is in
Guided in the ReUiep's mental inventory
of those who gave the late contest its
"disreputable character" but as it has
not the manliness to specify against
whom its dirty insinuatlons are directed
the brunt must fall upon the above
named gentlemen. We submit that
anyone of those named could success
fully cope with the Review man in the
code of morals, and the public will in
Voluntarily aek, who Is this virtuous
Pharisee that is throwing stones at his
neighbors? 1t ought to be evident to all
what an utter lack of consistency and
honesty characterizes the Rerieac's feeble
L a. :xI