The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-10
TIE Mss srONE EpIsoDE.

THE MISS STONE EPISODE.
A Miss Stone, female missionary, has
been kidnapped by somebody over some
where in heathendom. So much seems
to be accepted as truth. Beyond this
bare statement of fact all is chaos. 1t
is reported that her captors will be
pleased to deliver her up, sound Of heart
and limb, if someone (they are not par
ticular who), will put up $4,000 in cold
cash, coin of the realm, where the deed
of kidnapping was done. Why these bold
bad men want just $4,000 does not ap-
pear on the face of the pieadings. In
those countries it does not seem that
an ordinary woman, and Miss Stone APP
worth that much money.
The theories advanced regarding the
capture of Miss Stone are as varied as
those of country bank robbery. Was
she captured by the Bulgarian brigands
for financial purposes, or was she taken
for her beauty to become an inmate OF
Their fact that her captors have, or
are said to have, agreed to deliver her
up safe and sound for lump sum, indi-
cate that if they did capture her with
domestic intent, they repented upon get
ting a close view of her.
Did the sultan of Turkey order her
in order to get even with our Uncle
Samuel for pressing that old bill of $4,000
for missionary shoes, taken by his bare
foot subjects? Or did the missionary push
over there put up the whole game to ex-
tort funds to spread the gospel? Amid
such contradictory and yet plausible
way straight? 1t certainly is a hard task,
as hard as the name the young CD lady
bears. We do not believe that an or
binary band Of brigands took the maid
tanning $4,000 for her release. These
| brigands must have known little about
the Americans, further than the knowl-
edge gained from the stock missionary.
And from this knowledge they would ex-
pect to get blood out of a turnip as soon
as money out of lot of black-coated
long-faced missionaries. They might
have demanded $40 and fifty pairs Of
shoes and got it within six months, or
as soon as the missionary societies could
have taken up collection.
That the sultan should have conceived
a scheme to get back that $4,000 is more
plausible. He knew that Uncle Sam had
little money, because he had just paid
him some. Furthermore, he knew that
Americans do not like to be kidnapped,
especially when they are old. If he could
just manage to get this $4,000 into his
hands, even if he would have to pay it
over in time he would get the use of it
for at least ten years, while the diplomat
ic negotiations were in progress. Then
besides, the sultan needed money to
square up accounts with France. Yes,
this looks quite plausible. But the last
morists. It is scheme that bears a
close resemblance to the footing job over
in China some little time ago. The mis-
sionary, according to Dr. Anent, often
| adopts the laws and customs of the
country in which he is laboring for the
salvation of souls, primarily, and Incl
toll To q ix,i,oo 80
one and one-third, we remember, was
strictly according to heather Chinee Gus
tom, and therefore perfectly just and
regular. Now, in Turkey, Bulgaria or
any other old place, where missionaries
are needed, it is the proper caper to
hold up people who have money or who
have friends with money. 1t is done all
| along the line and is perfectly legitimate
If it be legitimate to hold up, it is still
| more legitimate to be held up. Now, the
best and easiest way to get missionary
| coin would be to be held up-captured
| kidnapped, anything to make the good
people at home put up the ransom. In
a deal like that, $4,000 would amply pay
the brigands, leaving a clean 100000 fol
missionary purposes. 1t would be a
scheme worthy of the missionary push
in China.
1t is to be hoped that all three of the
theories are false, and that Miss Stone
was not kidnapped at ALL We hope II
will turn out to be fake gotten UP to
advertise the missionary movement. But
If that be the case, someone ought tc
be reprimanded. A joke is joke, but
it is serious matter to involve ma
ton in diplomatic difficulties with another
country, even If it be little piece OF
heathendom like Bulgaria. It may moi
have been noticed, but it is fact jus,