Willmar tribune., 1900-09-26
point
CAPITAL
cons
The Argus Mannikin.
Prinsburg, Sept. "a, 1900.

frluSUurB, SopC. a.
Mr.. V. E. Lawson:
AS one OF your people congratulate you
on the distinction conferred on you by the Ar
gus, as being the political boss OF the Populists
of Kandiyohi county. The Argus must be
jealous of the influence the TRIBUNE has with
the populistic and also with the republican
readers of the county, and which is probably
affecting the circulation of his paper. Or per-
haps the persistent accusation Of bossfsm can
be explained by assuming that Wharton feels
like the old gentleman who made himself OBJ
noxious to the boys by his attention to the
girls. In "a burst of mischief and revenge the
boys put 'scentbag" OF Mephitis Americana
in bis coat pocket. The result was that he al
ways carried polecat smell with him. But
the peculiarly of the case was that he always
suspected the other fellows of having been
within the "sphere OF influence" OF the animal.
The moral to be learned from this Is that the
Argus man is so used to boss rule and being
boss-ridden that he thinks a party cannot ex-
ist without it.
In the editorial in which Wharton exhibits
me as lone of your people he calls me "re-
former OF the modern stripe" Bless his inno-
cent heart, would he want me, in company
with Mark Twain, to weep over the tomb OF
Adam and try to reform the old gentleman?
am glad he does me the Justice OF allowing
that have sense enough to know that it takes
modern reformer to oppose modern evils.
The path OF republican editor is not always
strewn with roses The profound wisdom they
assume (but which refuses to impart itself to
their editorial pen) is not Always appreciated.
The siren songs sung to decoy the populists
hao vUhn +<>l Ia l.. 49, s.
inths of politics-to fall on deaf ears, all this is
hard. But to see the needless populist in the
firm grasp of an Obdurate boss, delivered,
bound hand and foot into the democratic
camp, must be heartrending in the extreme,
and pierce their sensitive souls.
But appearances are deceptive. Maybe the
editor is not the man. I was impressed while
on the fairgrounds this year by sight that re-
called to me the "strenuous" life of repub-
ican editor. An Italian peanut vender roasted
his wares on the corner Of his stand. A little
mannkin seemed to turn the crank of the
roaster; but under cover was little gasoline
engine doing the work. So instead of the
mannkin turning the crank, the crank turned
the mannikin. The power was applied at the
other end. BY this we can understand the
gymnastics and seeming exertons of repub-
hcan editors and how their political peanuts
are roasted,
Reading the article in question through, !
was rewarded at the end by noting burst OF
enthusiasm and wit entirely unlocked for
To see genuine enthusiasm we must conteun.
plate republican editor viewing the remains
of the peoples party. Then the dry bones
live. To me it is q sign that they have mis-.
take their calling. While nature intended
them for UNDERWRITERS, which Office they
could fill with credit to themselves, stern fate
puts them in the editorial chair, where they
shorten their natural life by trying to suck
wisdom out of their editorial pen. Such is
life.
....,. J. B. Bosch.