The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-31
Why NOT ACT

/ IL is quite eNlQSHC IHdt SOIneDOuy III
official life up at the state capitol should
wake up in connection with the charges
now pending against the sheriff of Hen
nepin county. That gentleman has had
eleven indictments found against him for
larceny in different degrees. He has re-
turned to the county treasury sums of
money aggregating over $4,000, as the
| result of the charges made against him.
His office has been under examination
by the public examiner for a long time
past. In the face of all this he still
holds his office and continues to dis
charge its duties.
This is utterly wrong. There is nothing
to be said either in excuse or palliation
of it. Such state of things could not
be in existence if the officials imme-
diately concerned. or any of them, had
done their duty. Sheriff Megaarden, hav-
ing to all intents confessed to the truth
of certain of the charges, by the return
of the public funds involved, ought to
have gone farther and resigned his Office
pending the fullest Investigation. Not
having done So he ought at least to have
been suspended. 1t is a public scandal
and disgrace that he still remains in
office
Sheriff Megaarden is a Republican.
evidently does not affect his retention of
his office, continued in the teeth of the
exposures made. Gov. Van SAINT must
assume the burden of the responsibility
of keeping this man in office. It is a
responsibility which no executive officer
should be willing to shoulder
A diversion has been attempted on be-
half of this accused and indicted official
1t takes the shape of an effort, evidently
originating with his personal and party
political friends, to show that his Demo-
cratic predecessor in Office, Alonzo Phil
lips, is quite as bad as he is. That may
be SO, although Phillips declares it is not
so; but if it is, it has nothing whatever
to do with Megaarden. His removal from
Office by the governor, pending the pro-
ceedings which the law says shall be in
stituted should have long since been eff.
fected That he is indicted, and that he
has, while under charges, refunded moneys
which he admits he had no right to re-
tain, ought of themselves to have been
final with Gov. Van SAINT without in the
slightest degree prejudging or prejudicing
the rights of Megaarden.
We had corresponding case here in
Ramsey county, in which Republican
| oficial-County Auditor Johnson-was
under accusation. The governor took it
UP under some pressure. He exonerated
the county auditor, but state of things
was revealed wholly subversive of OFFICIAL
accountability. As a result two men
under indictment now await trial. Why
does the governor not act in this case?
What is the delay for? If the governor
| does not act, there will be no conclusion
for intelligent observers to draw but that
he is held down by party pressure Pub
lie Examiner Pope may report what he
| pleases or when he pleases, or not at all;
Megaarden is under indictment, has made
restitution of some of the moneys he is
charged with having unlawfully appropri-
ated and should in all decency be made
to vacate his office until his guilt or in
nocence is legally established
Marquis Ito stated in his Yale speech
that Japan was sort Of national broker
| whose business is to market the Western
civilization in Oriental lands. This was
conception worthy of a Wall street vet
eran.
The first Lady Russell is making a show
of herself. She evidently feels like
back number with the cover soiled and
| the leaves finger remarked and dog-eared,
but she ought not to allow her feelings
to compel her to forget that she was
once lady.
Capt. Lemly has finished his cross-ex-
animation of Admiral Schley and the last
hope of the Sampsonites has vanished.
Lemly has shown himself bright and
incompetent member of the navy clique.
He should be rewarded for his zeal in
this prosecution. He did his best, not
to get at the truth, but to blacken the
fame of the hero of Santiago.
Gov. Aycock informed the negroes of
his state that social equality in the
United States, so far as the negro is con-
cerned, is an idle dream. This being sole
" a question of color, the governor
should have used the celebrated express
sion of j. J. ingalls, regarding civil serv-
| ice reform and advised the ambitious
colored people that social equality was
but an ''iridescent dream
| AT The 1heaters.
| Richard Goiden's acting and the play
| of "Old Jed Prouty" can be enjoyed
over and over again; each time some
new and delicate beauty appears, or
! some pleasant memory is awakened. or
some sweet fancy is suggested. Certain
! it is that few other plays abound in such
| wholesome material as is found in the
homely pictures, the genial humor and
the tender pathos presented by Richard
/ Golden in this work. This will be the
| last time Mr. Golden will visit ST. Paul