The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-19
Col. Abe slupslky in Action.

We ask for q suspension Of public judy
nent on tho charge that Col. ABE SIUPsKY.
in a recent public discussion with the Hon.
g. d. BrERMAN OF st. Louis concerning ed
ucational matters. rcsorted to muscular
rather than intellectual arguments. The
story is told by the 81. Louis Republic In the
following sensational style:
.rhey both stepped inside the ssioon but were hardly
within the door when. like tiger, sLursKY bounced
upon his enemy, and with q well-drectcd blow took
him Just below the cyl. laying the cheek open. while
blood spurted In every direction. The blow staggered
BssnAS and while he recovering sLursxr took the
precaution to his diamond stud to his pocket
lie had lust accomplished this whom BxRsAs made at
him again. Tho Colonel planted himself for the on.
slaughter. and madc . fent with his right which he
followed by . terrific blow on BrRnAs's Jaw. which.
with trip Of tho foot laid BiERHAs out full length.
sLursKY was about to follow up the knock.down with
other punishment but BrRuAN asked time TO explain.
when the Colonel gracefully withdrew to the rear OF
the saloon and proceeded readust his disarranged
clothes and to replace his diamond stud"
We're this account accepted literally. there
could DO no doubt that Col. ABE had seriously
compromised his reputation asa statesman.
In the present stage Of civilization states
men OF the first magnitude do not conduct
in any such Homcric fashion their joint de-
bates on educational policy and measures
for tho elevation OF the common school
system. Tho alleged method Of enforcing
his opinions Is unworthy Of the name and
fame OF SLUPsKY.
1t must be remembered. however. that
nothing Is commoner in journalism than
the employment Of metaphors borrowed
from the Gladiatorial arena. or even from
the modern prize ring. in order to make
more vivid the reporters description OF
great contests OF mind against mind. The
WEBsTER-HAYNE debate in the United
States Senate hns probably been described
q hundred times. in tho figurative sense. rs
II it we're in fact physical encounter
between those distinguished orators. We
venture the assertion that moro than one
Ohio newspaper. in reporting tho recent
Joint debate Mt Ada between the Hon.
JAMES E, CAMPBELL and the Hon. WILLIAM
MCKINLEY, Jr., employed for the sake OF
literary plcturesqueness language which
would lead an otherwise uniformed
reader at a considerable distance from Ada,
say in the Congo FREQ State. to suppose
that the two statesmen had actually met
and exchanged blows with their fists.
Bearing in mind this common rhetorical
expedient, and remembering the lengths to
which st. Louis reporter will pursue a
literary ideal. does not the perplexing story
about Col. ABE SLUPsKY explain itself? II
instead Of "saloon" we read forum" and
II the well-directed and staggering blows
said to have been delivered with sangui-
nary effect upon the countcnance Of the Hon.
G. D. BIERMAN are understood to mean the
telling arguments with which Col. ABE SLUP-
SKY overthrow and demolished his adversary
int Observation-Disclosures combat. the whole
affair becomes Ineligible. That is to say.
the whole affair except the incident OF the
diamond stud. Perhaps this covers an al
fusion to some personal trait of the states
man. some habit OF his oratory. some To-
cally significant anecdote about him. such
as are told Of all great men by those who
live nearest to them and know them best.
OF course there is the alternative SUPPOSE
ton that the story Of Col. ABEs row in q
saloon is a yarn manufactured out OF the
whole cloth by some one OF his anonymous
but active enemies. We know already that
these would-be assassins OF splendid repu
tation will hesitate at nothing.