The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1900-04-12

admit there was a time when even in
my humble opinion this was true. It
is belief, that despite the prevailing
microbes of truthful fact, still has
support in some places and drags out
an ailing existence; but enlightened
minds recognize in it a desirable belief
not entertained by wisest and more
observing thinkers, for facts, not the
ories must prevail.
Pray do not misunderstood me, l do
not wish to be construed as asserting,
much less attempting to prove that
virtue, truth, honesty and integrity do
not exist-that they do not constitute
a part of our daily life, whether it be
social, commercial or national: far be
it from me to do so. I am proud to
know that in every avenue in life there
are good men and pure women who
establish noble precedents in all that
obtains to a purer better life.
1 do not lose sight of the fact that
we have had Lincoln, a Gladstone
and sundry according spirits; and
while [ admit and am thankful for the
existence of Clara Bartons and kindred
lights, I deplore the all too evident
fact that such creations are in the
minority by vast and selfish majority.
For every Gladstone there is a merce-
nary Cecil Rhodes, whose Vaccinations
find ready executors in the existing
Jamisons and parallel characters,
whose evil influence does more than
counterbalance the scale.
If we estimate our political institu-
tions by the standards of right, free
dom from guile,' by honesty and in
tegrity that prevailed a century ago,
we are forced to recognition of the
fact that we are surely retrograding,
and the noble examples of our illus
trious Lincoln is more than over
shadowed by the aggregate existence
of Quays, Crockers and Carriers, whose
composite influence cannot do other
wise than abound to the detriment of
society, whether it be political or
otherwise.
Scenes such as have recently been
enacted in our sister state, Kentucky,
where honor, personal freedom, and
even human life has been sacrificed i'm
the mad race for political preferment,
would not have occurred century ago,
much less have been tolerated. There
seems to exist certain fascination
about the game, that we, who are not
of politics are unable to understand.
much less appreciate. This is evil
denced by the fact that in the heat of
every political campaign we see men
whom we have heretofore regarded as
incorruptible, sacrificing truth, integ-
rity, and almost all that a man holds
dear, in order that he may acquire
the preixion of "HonorabIe" and the
subsequent fruits which prevailing
political methods enable successful
candidates to enjoy, (if we may employ
the misnomer). These facts are recog-
nized on every hand, as is evidenced by
a procedure at law now on trial in the
courts of Hennepin County, involving
a prominent member of the legal fra
ternity, Mr.. Frank Nye, as plaintiff,
and the Western Union Telegraph Co.
defending, wherein a State Senator
together with member of the Judi
ciary and eminent men of sundry call
ings testified under the sacred oath as
administered in our courts that man
might be known to be notoriously dis
honest, politically, and yet they would
regard him as an honest individual,
showing beyond any semblance of
doubt that we have reached that stage
of progression where two standards of
honesty exist, and alas, only too often
meet with recognition. This being
true, what more natural than that we
apply the adverse standard to 'the
other fellow?"