Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-02-04
CONSISTENCY.
According to Washington Advices 1t
Doesn't Seem to Be Exactly
In Johnson's Line.
He Misrepresents the Facts in Relation
to the Bismarck Postof6ce to
the Postmaster General.
It's Claimed He Offered to Accept An
"0ld Gang" Editor in Place
Of Mrs. Patterson.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 26. One of
the North Dakota contingent o in the
city in speaking of the Bismarck post
Office matter said:
I'm q recent interview Congressman
johnson says the time has arrived to
state the facts in relation to the Bis
marck postofice,' and then goes on to
say that eight years ago when he was
defeated for United States senator
certain dispatches bearing upon his
candidacy were intercepted at Bismarck
and now Mrs. Patterson has appointed
as her deputy the telegraph operator
who was guilty Of divnlging private
messages. Az the deputy in question
was not in Bismarck or the state until
a year after Mr.. Johnson's fight, all will
agre with Mr.. johnson that the time
has come to state the facts in relation
to the Bismarck postofice. Mr.. John
son urged the president to withdraw the
name OF Mrs. Patterson and substitute
another, submitting a list Of a dozen or
fifteen names from which to select. The
fact that the name of NJ. H. Jewell,
editor of the &C called gang organ at
Bismarck, and who, of course, was not
a candidate, was first on this list is an
act the consistency and virtue of which
the coDgressman's constituents in North
Dakota among the better element will
fail to appreciate"
When Congressman johnson became
the champion Of the kickers, boilers and
mugwumps who make up the CONTROL.
ing element in the contingent that op-
posed the appointment of Mrs. Patter.
son as postmaster of Bismarck, he de-
liberately insulted the republican organ
ization Of North Dakota, from national
committeeman down the1whole line Of
intelligent citizens who are responsible
for party order and who plan the party
campaigns against the common enemy.
1t was this organization that make it
possible for Mr.. johnson to hold a seat
in the national house of representatives
for if the republican majority for 1896
had been 5000 less than it was, John.
son would have been defeated, as he ran
over 1900 votes behind the ticket. Mrs
Patterson wac Endorsed by the same
party organization in Burleigh lcounty
that hustled for votes and carried
torches for johnson a little more than {
year ago. She was the choice of Bis
marck republicans for postmaster al
Mr.. johnson was their choice for con
gress. And now Mr.. johnson joins thu
enemies of the party in Bismarck ano
elsewhere in their attempts to thwar'
the party will and disrupt the organiza
ton to which he owes everything for hi
past successes.
But this is not the only grave mistake
that Mr.. johnson has made. When hi
stated to the postmaster general anc
later in an interview that hereafter, with
Mrs. Patterson in the Bismarck post
Office, mail to and from Bismarck would
be sent by express, he deliberately at
tackled a public official whose honesty il
not questioned by a single person wht
knows her. Mrs. Patterson is under
oath to perform the duties eof her ofic,
according to law and the instructions
She is also under bond to render an &C
counting for every cent that comes of
ficially into her hands. By intimatinl
that certain mail would hereafter b
sent by express, he desired to have i
understood that Mrs. Patterson was cap
able of the illegal act of opening letters
This is a serious accusation to max
against an official whose integrity stand
unimpeached before the world; and
was no less an aspersion upon the presi
dent and his postmaster general VIII
made the appointment andI upon tn
senate that confirmed it.
1t would be a charitable construction
to put upon Mr.. Johnson's loose talk /
say that Col. Plummer's ''wild ass of th
prairies" is still at large, if it were no
for the serious fact that Mr.. johnson i
our representative in congress and GU