The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-06-10
DAo TASTE AND WORSE
JUDGMENT.
(NDFR THE CAPTION OF The Contrast, T" the

s~' 'As!t Anv "o"'t lSDER THE CAPTION Of The Contrast the
JUDGMENT. Canton Times, in its edition OF May 2s' says:
when free silver Mississippi wanted a politician for the U. s. Senate
she elected fernando DeSoto Money; who prostituted his high position and
the honor OF the state for 5000 to a sensational New York paper q a paid
correspondent from the island Of Cuba. When the time came however,
when she wanted to cxpcnd tbrceqnarters Of a million dollars FOL a nw cap
itd building, which a a business transaction touching her pocket and
honor, and wanted a man without fear and without reproach, one in whom
she could place Implicit confidence to disburse a hduciary fund with clean
hands, the same free silver element turns to John Marshall Stone, the gold
bug, the rejected Stone, not unfit, but unwanted for I. senator"
I'VE call the attention Of our didactic contemporary to the fact that In
going TO Cuba Mr. Money exercised an indubtable individual right; in writ
ing up his impressions of that country he violated no statutory or organic
law # ON land and il, .dlipo hi. wares. Ia the hest bidder he did only that
which Is done in every business and on every day Of the week. About his
abstract right to do what he did do there is no room for two opinions IS TO
his good taste in doing it, there may be d difference Of sentiment. The Car
tiyes which actuated Mr.. Money not IN acquiring MS ihlormatioh' ir 'ha'
was wanted in congress and out Of congress at that period, but inspeaking
with 50 little reservation Of matters there when what he published must
necessarily have such a trreaching effect and might possibly be embarras'
ing from a diplomatic standpoint. That there was a motive beyond the
mere money to be acquired we have little doubt, and we think that motive
is becoming clear to us now.
"But suppose. for the sake Of argument. that the sole object Of Mr..
Money trip to Cuba was to make money; still we fail to see the force and
relevancy Of the Times reasoning or rather lack of reason. The trip was
made when congoess was not in session, hence he lost no time from his pub
lie duties. He made it at his own cxpense-not at the cost Of the tax
payers. win the Times seriously contend that a member OF congress has
no right to practice law, or to farm, or to follow any other respectable voca.
ton during the time that congress is not in session. II is certainly a novel
proposition, Col Money is "A journalist by instinct and by profession. He
left the editorial tripod to take "A seat in the house of representatives and
his direct or indirect connection with the newspaper business has never al
together ceased.
Suppose ONE paper should apply the sam rigorous standard to ex.
Coy. Stone that the Times would apply to Mr., Money. and denounce him as
having 'prostituted his high position and the honor OF the state" by accept.
ing and occupying II seat in the state senate while he continued to hold the
position of depot agent ut Iuka and receive "A salary from the railroad there
for. AS between what Mr.. Money did and what State Senator Stone did
there mignt:bc drawn a comparison that would not be to the disadvantage Of
Mr.. Money. Yet with more substantial ground for condemnation, the free
silver men refraned from making such Il point against a man they respect
and admire as much as the Times can possibly do.
"'Thc very act which the Times makes the basis of an nltimed and ill.,
natured criticism of Mr. Money, was a graceful tribute to honest worth and
manhood. and was designed by the legislature to impress Gov. Stone with
the fact that they believed him honest in his financial views, as in other
things, and that they we're not disposed to let a difference Of opinion on one
subject obscure their Judgment or confidence in him as regards a matter that
in no way be affected by his opinions on the money question. Yet the
Times would construc this generous tribute to Gov. Stone as an admission
on the part of the legislature that there are no honest and trustworthy silver
Out upon such dishonest or foolish deductions!
when the Times claims Gas it does in the same issue Of that paper
that its editor never goes '"h at a tangent" it should try to reconcile its
practice with what it breaches; and hereafter when it wants to cast a stone
free silver men. let it first see that its own arnor is of proof THE Car.
thagcnian.
Replying to the ugyratured criticism from the Times, the Carthage
Man has left little for us to say, We will say, however, that the charge that
Col. Money received $4,000 for his trip to Cuba is not true. The amount
paid him by the New York paper was very little more than the actual ex.
'ense of the trip 1IeNad determined to go to Cuba to inform himself as to
he real situation there, Tn New York Journal desiring the truth atxmti
affairs, enabled Mr. Money to make the trip without any cost to him
self In doing this Mr. Money violated no law or rule Of proprety. He
went in the capacity of a private citizen to obtain information which he ex.
pectcd to Use in any remarks he might make before congress and in the pub
prints, and 5" advised every prominent person with whom he conyersed|
he spcnetic and bilious criticism which the Times makes is $50 manifesuy
Unfair and aburdIy impairment that it will discredit its author without in
he least annoying or injuHng Col. Money.