The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-08
THE ECCENTRIC PINGREE.
Detroits Mayor COrrects Some of the
Malicious Stories Told of Him.
Jew York Tribune.

New York Tribune.
While in the city the other day Mayor
Hazen s. Pingree, DetroitS fighting Chief
magistrate, discussed some of the reports
that have been circulated of late about
his alleged eccentricities and questionable
acts. He talked in a good-natured vein
most of the time, for, he observed, Mis-
representation and l are old acquaintances."
Now and then he spoke earnestly, but never
with bitterness, even while dwelling upon
some particularly annoying features of his
experience This is What ne ,fs said Id n mo-
tives assailed, and every act. both public;
and private, twisted to mean anything and
wish for the moment, as 1 have had, the
wonder is, not that 50 few business men
induced to enter, on such a career. be
lieve that it is the duty of the press, rep
~ PUBIC 1pnnio nd to sean b exery pne
the press is only performing its duty when
it deals with offender. great or small,
with stern justice ! believe that in accept
ing the responsibilities of public office
man places himself in the pillory of public
opinion. and has neither right nor license
test against the reckless villification the
wanton abuse and the downright lying
which many correspondents are given
to- 1t is not question even of relative
truth with them; it is nothing to them that
ply the question of a good story and to
gain that end it makes no difference who
suffers
hsld in Detroit last summer for the benefit
of the poor, to help them purchase seed
to plant the little plot Of ground allotted
them from the vacant land donated for that
purpose. The correspondents sent out the
most elaborate descriptions of what was
going to happen-n their imagination-and
the fact that it didn't happen did not deter
them from painting very gaudy picture.
and simply these: The poor of Detroit,
as in other large cities, were in dire dis
tress, although summer was close at hand.
The funds of the Poor Commission were
practically exhausted, and they had shut
down on giving any relief to the sick.
Men were walking the streets in crowds,
anxious and willing to work, actually mob
bing a contractor or builder who had any,
thing to offer. Some good earnest Chris
tan people said that this condition was the
result of extravaganza and laziness; that
the men would not work if opportunity
their pocketbooks accordingly Most of
these poor sufferers were accustomed to an
patches of ground surrounding their homes
cultivated without inch wasted, and I
appealed to the people of the city of De-
troit, owners of vacant land, to donate its
use to the poor; the land to be assigned
to. families on the books Of the Poor Com
ground in summer should have no aid in
winter.
OFFERS of land came in by the hundred.
and committee of citizens appointed
10 take charge of the allotment But new
difficulty arose. We had the land and plenty
OF II, but not bushel of seed. not a farm
ing implement; and, what was worse. not
dollar with which TO buy either. We APP
pealed 10 the churches. but. with a few
notable exceptions. were met with the re-
Spouse that the churches themselves were
charitable institutions. and that thew had
their hands full in looking after their own
poor. 1t was then that it was suggested
that performance be given by City Hall
officials for the benefit of the so-called
potato fund The members of the Com
mon Council and the other officials took up
the scheme. and the result was q variety
show. Further than giving the use of the
Mayors office for "A meeting place. and the
purchase OF number of tickets had alb
sclutely nothing to do with it; and yet I
described all over the United States
as acting the part of clown in a circus.
What made the nlisera BILE story especially
cruel was the fact that / had recently
sustained a great loss in my family
why didn't / deny it? l did, and moss
vchemently. too but the good story had
gone out-been paid for; il had lost its
snap, and, Ii a denial published at all
ii was put off in some corner.
again, the latest story which has gone
the rounds OF the country about the killing
of my horses by chloroform. That was
simply the last straw, and so ltterly with
out excuse that l am amazed that a man
would dare send out such gross fabrica-
ton. / had two horses which had grown old
in my service. and We're eadeared TO every
member OF my family. They had -outliyed
not only their usefulness. bat their own
physical comfort as Well. and ! made elp
my mind to give them painless death In
conversation with the president Of the