Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-10-29
Palmer's Mistake.


mage picnic last week was very unfor-
tunate in his charge that Mr.. Mead,
Mr.. Hurd and other republicans were
trying to use the criminal law to
procure votes at the coming election.
1t is certain that Mr.. Palmer had
knowledge that somebody was trying
to make political capital out of the
''whisky prosecutions" Where he
obtained his information is purely con-
iectural with us. He may have re-
ceiyed it from Mr.. Cranston, or Mr..
Nixon, OF Mr.. Livingston, or Mr..
ROthschild. All of these gentlemen
appear to have teen familiar with the
details. At any rate Mr.. Palmer knew
that there was deal somewhere, and
it is morally certain that no republican
gave him the information. There
could be no deal unless the court Off
cials could be consulted and their
assent obtained. Mr.. Palmer belongs
to the same party with all the court
officials. If there has been any deal
by which the votes of the whisky men
IRE to be obtained, in consideration Of
laniancv bv the count, it must have
been made with these "eoPieS panty
officials. The whisky men are o'
children. They know who has author
ity to make a deal concerning the pros
ecution of criminal cases. They know
that every man who has anything to do
with the enforcement of criminal law
in this county, including the judge on
the bench, is at present an adherent of
the peoples party, to which Mr.. Palmer
belongs. If there was any deal it must
haYe been with these officials. Mr..
Palmer doubtless knows that there
was. He is a minister of the gospel
and Ihe ought not to say anything
in public that be does not know to be
true. We therefore give him credit
for knowing whereof he speaks.
On September 18th, long before court
and while the jury was yet
in the city, the Chronicle of this city
published an article in which it
was stated that it was rumored
THAT the recent arrest of persons
charged with selling liquor is mere
political move intended for effect IN
judicial campaign" The REFLECTOR
paid DO attention to this insinuatiOn
of the Chronicle, for We were then
to believe that the officials
who had heretofore borne a reasonably
good reputation for official honesty, if
not for ability, would engage in such
and Infamous business
as c0nniving with criminals for the
purpose of securing votes. II seems
now, however, that the Chronicles
must have known something
ABOUT the deal. All the facts con-
nected with these whisky cases show
an unusual want of earnestness in
their prosecution The county attorney
had all the evidence and every fact in
his possession month before court
met, yet wheucourt opened, no papers
had been filed and no arrests had been
made. This was somewhat unusual.
rs most county attorneys are anxious
to dispose of this class of cases at the
earliest possible moment. 1t was
quite observable that there was to be
no serious objection made to the con-
tinuance of these cases by the state or
by the court. Mr.. Palmer probably
knows who made the deal. But his
1imsy effort to attach the blame to
non-Oficials who could not make a
deal of this kind, without the assent
and cOnnivance of his own peoples
party officials, make him appear some
what ridiculous. We await with con-
siderable interest the vehement and
indignant denlalS OF the gentlemen, |
whom Mr.. Palmer, by his imprudent
zeal, has placed in very embarrassing
position. In placing his party friends
IN the attitude of official malfeasants |
Mr.. Palmer has demonstrated the fact
hat because man makes a very poor
preacher, it is no evidence that he will |
make good politician. If Mr.. Palmer
lad not made these accusations against
Mr.. Mead and Mr.. Hurd, that letter
which exposes the whole political
scheme, would likely never have been
published. But when the president of
he alliance in a public speech made
his personal attack on these gentlemen
he law of self defense demanded that
hey tell the truth, let it hit whom it
would.