Iron County register., 1899-12-07


such discreditable. even detestible.
things of himself as be has said in this
interview and editorial. He writes
himself down as a subservient and mis-
cradle creature. and seems to glory in
his shame, if we are to judge by his
frantic efforts to parade it. Re-read
the ''interview" as 1t appeared in the
REGISTER of the 10th inst. Shorn of
its ver5iage, what is the substance
what does it charge? In the first
place Mr.. Phelps says (through Mr..
Hendrickson) that he supported me in
1886 in the contest of that year be-
tween Judge CAN'T and me for the
Jasper county Congressional delega-
not demur, for it is a fact that he sup
ported me In that contest made in Jas
per county nearly fourteen years ago.
have never denied it, and do not now
deny it, but on the contrary am entire
ly willing to acknowledge any obliga-
tion | am rightfully under on that ac-
count. But the statement that he sup
ported me as against CAN'T in 1886 is
not all MIR. Phelps makes Mr.. Hen
erickson say in this remarkable inter-
view. 1t is the only thing he does
make Hendrlckson say which is not to
his discredit. 1t is incomprehensible
that any man would say of himself
what Phelps deliberately wrote down
in the remainder of that interview. He
says that | was unwilling and ashamed
to let anybody know that he was sup
porting me, and that / resorted to di-
vers devices to conceal the fact that be
was for me. Note the following quo
seen with Phelps when it was possible,
to the amusement of everybody, and
whenever he and Phelps went to the
country together either one or the
other would walk out to the edge of
town, where he would be joined by the
other driving the team and they would
go to the country together; so in re-
turning" On one occasion he says |
wanted Phelps to walk through corn
field and join me at the farther side,
in order that l might avoid being seen
in his company, and that Phelps de-
INJURED on the ground THAT he had
been walking in and out of town that
week until his feet were sore," etc. He
says that .'Phelps had charge of Stones
interests in Jasper county," and that
he (Hendrickson) "was Chairman of
the conyention when Phelps stole the
delegation for Stone" He further
says that l refused to pay an assess
ment of 800 made by the County Com
mittee, and that Phelps paid it for me
There is more of the same kind
"Reminiscences" they call it-but the
foregoing is the substance of the inter-
view. There is little reason so far as
| am concerned why l should trouble
myself to condradict this nauseous
story; but for Phelps sake l will deny
it IN toto. | defend him against his
own assault upon himself. Whatever
Phelps may have done since that time,
he did not abase himself in that way
that horrible way. He has written
most unwittingIy l confess; he has al
lowed his zeal to run off with his
usually alert discretion; but | vow he
accuses himself unjustly. The idea of
any man supporting another when that
other treats him as he would a dog,
telling him that association with him
is disgraceful and dishonorable. TIE
idea of any man being willing to "walk
until his feet were sore" In the service
of another, to slip around like Grim
inal at the bidding of a master, to pay
out ~ oney for him, aye, even to steal
for him, when the beneficiary of all
these sacrifices and of all this deyotion
was subjecting him daily to such in
dignities as a slave even would resent.
Can you conceive of any circumstances
under which you would do thing like
that? Could any man living in Mis-
souri, be so abiect? Would any man
submit himself to such contemptuous
mistreatment, such insulting, scornful
and degrading humiliation, and yet
continue TO serve the man guilty of the
offeuse, unless he had sold himself out
right? And that charge, l presume,
he will not make either through Hen
erickson or Roache or himself. Sure
ly he could not haye made these cruel
sacrifices purely out of love for me. To
say that would be to exploit romance
that would make the far-famed love of
Damon and Pythias stale and tame by
comparison. No, no, Phelps did not
do the contemplate things of which
he has wantonly and foolishly accused
himself. He is not quite so unmanly
man as that. He supported me, that
is true, but he did so openly and pub
licly. There was no coucealment of
the fact. In proof of that it is only
sufficient to state that at the County
Convention which met to select the
Congressional delegation he appeared
and participated prominently in the