Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-02-14
SWANSTON TO M'GE
The Senator From Devils Lake Gets
Back at Attorney MCGEE of
Minneapolis.
An Insulting Letter Answered in a
Gentlemanly But Emphatic
Manner.

Inc IOllOWlnS loCCor was Wrl6Cen IN re-
| ply to very abusive and insulting letter,
written to Senator Swanston by Attorney
j. F. MCGEE, now of Minneapolis but for
merly of Devils Lake. In the letter MI.
MCGEE calls Senator Swanston all sorts of
mean names, and says he has advised an
armed mob to meet him %(Swanston), when
he returns to Devils Lake:
BISMARCK, N. D.. Feb. 10th, 1890.
J.. A. MCGEE, Esq, Minneapolis, MINI.
Dear Sir:-If you are "dumbfounded" by
anything heard OF my actions, I can find
no adequate word to express my senti-
ments on the receipt of your letter of Feb.
9th.
Up to the reading of this epistle I had
always, never hesitating to express such
opinion, believed you to be a man of intel
ligence, a lawyer of ability, one whose
ideas were founded upon facts.
There is hardly a more bitter experience
than having our beliefs destroyed.
This bitterness was mine when you, by
your WI hand, have not only "written
yourself down an ass" but have joined
the party of hOwlers, fanatics, bigOts and
"Pharisees," adding yet another attribute,
coWardice, When you, an attorney, an up
holder Of law, proposed to summon to your
aid mot rule.
Another fallacy of mine, l had supposed
you to be a man of reading. Probably you
were "read up" on the subjects we have
discussed; other wise, how could you have
borrowed the thoughts l had believed you
own?
1t is a pity, for the sake 81 the Others.
who like me, mistook the glittering of the
rushlight for a star, that your reading did
not extend to the Bible or any other book
of information on the subject of %'lotter-
les"
Since your education has been so neg
lected, permit me in as few words as pos
slble to enlighten you and prevent an eX-
pose of snch deplorable ignorance.
Lotteries are older than governments;
and all governments when poor, lave re-
sorted to the lottery to relieve the people
OF the burdens of taxation, and all churches
DESTROYS of raising funds resort to fairs,
which include every order of lottery, grab
bag and game of chance.
The first divisions ever recorded, divi-
sions over which, according to Holy Writ,
Jehovah himself presided, were divisions
by lot.
Making a skip, so as not to over tax your
memory, and coming down to the history
OF our w country, George Washington,
who is held up for Imitation to our grow
ing youth, and who, certainly, was a man
Of principle, owned and ran a lottery.
The proud state of Virginia, with all her
noted "FF.v.'s," granted the charter OF a
lottery to that Father of Statesmen"
Thomas Jefferson. And by this lottery, in
his old and declining years, was Thomas
Jefferson supported.
All the original thirteen states. in their
days of poverty and organization, had re-
course to lotteries; many of the other
states doing likewise.
All continental Europe, at this present
day, resorts to lotteries to assist IN the sup
port of her several governments.
Within the last two months, the emperor
OF Germany issued royal letters for the eS-
adjustment Of a lottery, the profits of
which were for tho building of a monu-
mlent to his grandfather, Emperor Will
lam.
You left our poverty stricken Dakota,
not seeking to benefit her, not giving aid
to her u~nfortunates. The only lottery you
looked at was the lottery of your own life,
striving Gin pastures new" for all the
chances to be in YOU own favor.
Thank God, l am o a ~demagogue, not
aPharisee. not a hypocrite; nor do l howl
at the bidding Of any man or any body of
men.
You live in a state where they have
bucket shops and boards Of trade, which
are ten thousand times worse than a lot
"By their fruits, We shall know Them"
and surrounding these bucket shops and
boards of trade, are defaulters, honlicides
and suicides.
NO lOLCery mas SUCH a record.
l voted for this bill because our state is
in a bankrupt condition, and it is the only
way Oh earth to raise revenue to support
the government of the state.
1t is the only way to prevent the dishon.
orlng OF our states credit. l voted for 1T
because | believe it to be an honorable
business. And despite the bowling of
hypocrltes, do believe in the lottery. as
this one is to be conducted, as 1 examined
it before pronouncing upon it.
AS to my political future, l shall always
do what in my best Judgment, seems best
for my people, and this, regardless of the
preferments of office. Even an Office can
not buy my integrity, nor wipe out my
duty to my home, my state. my country.
Nor would l for any pasturlng, desert
my state in her poverty and distress.
The passage of this bill will secure to
the farmers of my county seed wheat,
which is absolutely necessary for their
continuance as residents of North Dakota;
and should | be greeted by the mob you
mentioned, l will be ready to meet them,
if can insure their future prosperity.
My inspiration is the necessity OF my
people, and is not borrowed from the edi-
torials of newspapers outside of my state.
for | hope to see North Dakota a proud
and independent state, and not an adjunct
OF Minneapolis and st. Paul.
Regretting that you nave lived to show
yourself as YOU are, a cheap demagOgue, /
am, Yours, ETC..
W. E. SwANsToN,
Senator Twenty-irst district.
The Death of Louis Agard.