The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-07-28

reservedly were his circumstances better,
and the facts as they are. But he seemed
to expect that his failure should be made
a subject for enlogistic comment and was
more intent upon resenting any little in
ferential criticism by the press than pro-
viding for an exigency which his position
should naturally cause him to fear would
arise. Even now, TO question his bust
ness sagacity which recent events have
proved to be an infinitesmal quantity,
even though it be TO certain extent
vindication of him so far as criminality is
concerned. will be construed as undeserv-
ed attack of which his past record Is
complete refutatlop. 1t is just as well
to speak plainly on this matter so far as
he is concerned as it is with reference to
those who wanted him lodged in Jail
without the formality of a trial. He will
refuse to recognize what was faulty in
his course or that there was anything re-
prehensible in it. They have lost their
money through reliance on his supposed
business shrewdness and attribute the
loss TO dishonesty and will not believe
that their course toward him is in any
sense blamable. People who lose money
are not disposed to reason with a nicely
as to the rights of the person through
whose agency it was lost and their re-
sentiment is intensified if they think the
money is stolen. His egotism is SO in
tense that he seems to think that losses
of others, more ruinous than his, through
his agency, are of but little moment when
contrasted with his own misfortunes.
But in the case of this bank, mismanage-
ment and not dishonesty, except as gross
negligence and ordinary business pru-
dence is dishonesty, was the cause of the
failure. The mismanagemen. was almost
criminal when the peoples money was
scattered about with reckless prOfuSlon.
But Mr.. Shove is entitled to the fair
treatment which the law guarantees him.
The inseEsate demand that he be thrust
into jail and denied that which the law
accords to every person is dlscreditable
tc us as a people and reflection on our
| sense of justice. Even if there was Grim
inal purpose IN the management of the
depositors' money, and The Pilot is
| satisfied there was not,-lt would not
| justify any lawless attempt to prevent
! him from securing bail. No mans pun
| ishment should come before he is proven
| guilty. People stirred to passion through
| sense of loss are not as good judges of
| what is proper as are those whose duty
| it is to administer the law and prescribe
| the punishment que to otfenses. Mob
| law is always dangerous and it is mob
| Jaw when the boycott is used as a weap-
on of coercion. If people from feelings
| of friendship or sympathy chose to go on
Mr.. Shove's bond, chat was their business
and to punish them for it is to say that
| sympathy and friendship are qualities
deserving disapprobation. 1t is a dan
| gerouS precedent to establish Just as the
| boycott is a dangerous custom to encour-
| age. The boycott runs all the way from
the man who says stop my paper" to
| the man who says ''let's ruin his bust
| ness" There may be innocent men charg-
| ed with crime who would be unable to
| secure bail if the reprehensible practice
of boycotting bondsmen shall become
| fixed.
DR.. Paine beng a professional man can
not be reached by boycott. But the
| other. two are business men, not only
business men but at the head of institu-
| tons from which the city derives many
| advantages. julie Nelson is one of the
proprietors of a wholesale grocery store
| du luSllJullOn WHICH IN Time Will DrlDg
| thousands of dollars to the city from out
side. Rahr's Sons malt house now brings
thousands of dollars to the city and fur
nlshes employment to many workmen.
They are.constantly enlarging their plant,
| increasing their capacity and number of
| employees. The purpose of the boycott is
to ruin these men and deprive the city of
| two very important industries! To APP
| prove such a poi1cv seems like counting
self-destruction. Fortunately both firms
are in position to pay no heed ito any
attempts to work them injury; but are
| the people of the city wise in showing a
disposition to make the attempt, even?
There has already a reaction set in and
many people who urged the boycott are
| now assured of the unwisdom of their
| course. Let the law take it's course and
it will be found that the guilty will not
| escape punishment. There will be charg-
| es of collision and of dishonesty but 1t
should excite no one to do that of which
he is certain to feel ashamed when cool
| enough to reason calmly. Every one Is
entitled to his opinion and the right to
express it. If it differs from yours that
does not necessarily make it wrong.