Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-06-18
The Man to DO 1t.

thing ?-Forum.
Why did Patrick Henry wait for
George Washington to lead the armies
of the colonies?
Why did John Hancock leave the
task of drafting the Declaration of In
dependence to Thomas jefferson
These questions are quite as pertinent
to the issue as the F0rum's.
In the first place, it is not the bust
ness Of newspaper, nor OF a news
paper man to go into court to enforce
nor even test the accuracy of its judg-
ment. Like the teacher at his desk
or the minister in the pulpit, it has
enough to do inside of its sphere as
tutor. Hence, it is most likely the
legal member of the F0rum'S staff wrote
the editorial to which these remarks
refer No newspaper man abreast OF
his profession could have done it..
This is obvious, for it should be re-
membered by all "to whom these pres
ents may come" that whatever the
newspaper man lacks in knowledge Of
law is easily counter balanced by legal
misconceptlon of journalistic ethics.
In the second place, the true Dewey
of the hour is in the Council-one of
the peoples chosen ones-one of the
type who IN Spartan days was proud
of election to office whose duties, how
ever onerous, did not brighten him
from indulging the patriotism which
incurs loss of trade, prestige or future
prefermeut.
Hence, the man whose duty it was
so to proceed last year as IL Council
man-who did not then sustain by
action the tenor of his words, is this
year in the Mayors chair. If he feels
now as he spoke then, he is the man
above all other men to lead in ascer-
tanning whether, according to the OIL
ganic law, "monopolies are odious.'
If he does not so feel now, the JOUR
NAL, for one, would like him to lead
III finding out whether, on the other
hand. it is the discussiOn of monopolies
that is odious.
Solution of the issue so joined is al
most imperative. Between the alleged
oleomargerine and original package
instances on the one hand and the
North Carolina water case on the
other, the people of Frostburg are in
non electric, gasless darkness con
corning their StatuS. If the Mayor is
now a friend of the five-year contract
clique, he will be doing that great
body a distinct service in discovering
that not only is the Constitution wrong
in its definition of 'monopolies," but
that the only ''liberty of the press"
that fought to be inviolably pre-
served is that which belongs to
'monopohes."
So, Mr. Mayor, if the electric light
stockholders are right, it will be a com
fort to them to be assured Of it if the
people are wrong, they should be
taught to salute their masters.
Disagreeing With the Constitution.
The Forum has information to the
effect that
the decision of the North Carolina Su-
preme Court will undoubtedly be appealed to
the United States Supreme Court and the de
cision will be reversed.
II the editor-in-law is the author,
directly or indirectly, of that para
graph, he ought to be allowed to break
into the Bar a ssociation.
a layman who knows and Supreme
Court that does not know that
The supreme courts of several States have
in recent years yielded to public clamor or
something worse, and decided cases at vari
ance with the organic law of the Nation
Ought in some way to exchange
places.
What bothers the JOURNAL. there
fore, is-why did not the North
Carolina Court, knowing, with other
courts, of 'the admonition of the
United States Supreme Court" decide
IN accordance with "the admonition -
Or, not knowing of 1.-THE admon-
ltlon," how did the Forum find it out
Concerning the cases cited by the
Forum the JOURNAL knows nothing.
nor Is 1t able to retain a lawyer for
eXtra-legal service on its staff.
1t must still contend, therefore, that
II contracts which contravene public
policy are legal, then that expression
IN the Maryland Constitution
That monopolies are odious contrary to
the spirit of free government and the
principles of commerce, and ought not to be
SMterei-
is an "organic" lie
And if the Supreme Court of the
United States can be finally relied
upon to so declare it, the people of the
State cannot too soon turn over the
Job OF rewriting the Constitution to
the Electric Frostburg Illuminating
Light Company.
Doubly Dead.
An injunction is sought in Cumber-
land against the enforcement of an Or
dinance.
al