The Mankato free press., 1898-09-30
A PROTEST.
Mankato, Mimi. Sept, I'll, 1898.

Editors Free Press: In Blue Earth
County Enterprise of September 10th,
'Klondike Swatt' appears with a
communication, part of which is
not only highly sensational in its
character. but also extremely unjust
and without any foundation in fact,
WhateYer. refer to the accusation
hurled against the Swedish Ameri-
cans Of Blue Earth county, VINO, 'ac-
cording to Swatt, 4 are the ideal OBJ
jects of political corruption, in that
they nave been 'bribed' to betray
the most sacred interests of their
country, not only singly, but by
blocks, and this is stated to be par
ticularly true Of the stone quarries
and other places in the locality where
large numbers of men whether there
be any 'Swedes' or not) are employed
l am not 'Swede, but 1 am an
American of Swedish extraction.
have also been employed in the stone
quarries and other places where large
numbers OF men have been employed,'
and have learned to know what honest
toll and labor mean, but have had
very little time to listen to scandal.
mongers and calamity. y.howlers. AS
such, and on behalf and at the re-
quest of the accused, and although 1
am well aware that the management
of Blue Earth county affairs, accord
ing to Swatt' are generally taken with
considerable allowance. / desire to
enter protest against the above de-
rogatory statements through the COL
umus Of the Free Press.
"lf 'Swatt' means anything at all,
which is not certain. by publishing
statements, such as the above, he
means either that the Swedish. .Ameri-
cans are the most ignorant and cor
rupt OF all the elements which con-
stitute the population of Blue Earth
county and that the stone quarries
and other places where large numbers
OF men are employed contain the
trys6ing places of this social and po-
litical evil, or, that the sacrifice, by
"a messenger Of the truth Of the honor
and Integrity of his own benefactors
for the purpose of contriving a sensa-
tional newspaper article is in strict
keeping with his sense of honor,
when accomplished through
such cowardly means as that of an as
sumed name. That 'Swatt' will not
maintain the former over his true
is certain. His own deal
ings with the Swedish-Americans,
statistics, and the
naturalization records of Blue Earth
country will prove the contrary. To
a thinking mind, the bold assertion
that the Republican committee funds
have been used in buying up blocks of
Swedes, is as absurd as it is false and
slanderous; first, for the reason that
there are no blocks of Swedes' in this
county or any sother. Secondly, if
there were any, there would be no OBJ
jec5 for the Republican committee to
buy them, because it is a we'll known
fact, known even to Swat, that if
there ever existed a nationality which
to fault, il that is possible, have
been true to the Republican party and
It's candidates, that nationality is the
Swedish-American. But granting,
even, that large number of labOrers
in the stone Quarries had been
'bribed, 'as charged, it is equally unjust
and unfair to lay it to the Swedish
Americans only, who, being chiefly
employed as foremen, masons and
stone cutters, are greatly in the min
GRITTY when compared with all the
other nationalities taken together.
Il do not wish to enter into any con-
troversy with 'Swatt' regarding the
merits Of any individual, nationality
or party, and if Swat is desirous of
getting at the "weeds of political cor
ruption' in our community, I wish
him all possible God-speed. There is
a ripe and ample field before him, but
it is, perhaps. not the best policy to
spend so much of his valuable ener-
gies far away from home in the stone
quarries; he can, and he should begin
active operations right at home.
ADoLPH o. EBERHART."