The Saint Paul globe., 1897-07-10
WE ACCEPT THE TEST.


The Pioneer Press processes conf
dence which we doubt that 1t feels
concerning public opinion on the
proposed pardon Of the Younger
brothers. Nothing would suit us bet
ter than to have the referendum ap-
piled in this instance. If a popular
vote in the state of Minnesota did not
show at least two to one, and we would
be willing to make 1t ten to one, OF
the people uncompromisingly opposed
to any such subversion of justice and
menace of social order, we would be
glad to acknowledge our error and
abandon our position. 1t is little re-
markable that the Pioneer Press should
have chosen to select Madelia, where
the robbers and murderers were caught,
as the point where public opinion
would be most representative concern
ing their future treatment. The peo-
pie of Madelia were not otherwise in
terested in the event than those of
any other town In the state, except for
the fact that the criminals were cap
tured there, and that people from Ma
della We're among those who were hunt
ing them down.
Why did not our contemporary
choose for it's test the only place in
the state where the acts of these men
were most keerly felt and where their
diabolical outrage was committed? We
commend it to a popular vote in the
city of Mortified. In the long years
that have elapsed since these men were
! sentenced to the penitentiary there has
been room for time to soften the
harshness of the public judgment, and
to mitigate, were it possible, the in
tensity of feeling with which the citi-
zens of Northfield would demand that
they be made to suffer to the bitter
end. There, as elsewhere, a new gen.
Grafton has grown up. There, as else
where, according to our contemporary.
the men of the age Of sober reason
and mature judgment, who looked
upon these events of more than twen-
ty years ago, are coming to be a mi
nority; and there might be expected to
be a majority of those youthful and
emotional natures that mere sentiment
can sway to the side Of mercy where
mercy itself becomes a crime. Yet we
learn that the common council Of
Northfield has made a formal protest
against the release of the Youngers,
and that a delegation from that city
will appear before the board of par
dons to resist what the people Of
Mortified justly regard as an outrage.
Tried by the test of public opinion
the Younger brothers would have about
as much chance of leaving Saltwater
as they had of escaping from our in
furiated people twenty years ago We
enter no objection against the method
Of decision preferred by the Pioneer
Press, although we could hardly con-
sent to abide by the record in some
particular town that may have been
judiciously worked" by the agents
now so busiy engaged in trying to Sc
cure the release of the YoungerS, nor
should we be willing to haye the vote
limited to persons of immature years
or judgment. In fact, this test of pub
lie opinion is exactly what is going
to be applied, and we warn every man
connected with this we'll conceived and
thoroughly organized plot to liberate
the Youngers. that his day of reckon
ing will come. If any man who was
concerned in such denial of justice and
oVerturning of law should hereafter be
candidate for public office by the vote
of the people of Minnesota, he would
find out very speedily and disastrously
what the people think about it, We ac-
cept the test, if they are but cour-
ageous enough to apply it.