The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-04
MAJ. SCOTS IRONY.
His Letter Sets Minnesota Club Wo-
men by the Ears.
HE ATTACKS FORESTRY PLANS
Predicts Defeat of Pending LeGisla.
ton by Lobbies or the
,= President,

Maj. G. l.. Scott, the new Indian agent at
Leech Lake, under whose charge will fall the
safeguarding of the interests of the Chip
pewa Indians in the disposition Of their
! lands. had scarcely set foot on the soil of
Minnesota before he wrote letter on the
timber outing and forestry reserve question
that simply took away the breath Of every
body interested in the fight.
Some Of the Duluth people who are close
to the interests affected financially have said
rather incorporate things In their bitter
| opposition to the forestry reserve plans, but
they have always couched their expressions
in courteous and respectful language. Major
lcScotts letter was without self interest az
a motive and was particularly offensive to
the women In its references to the work of
the Minnesota Federation Of Women's clubs,
saying that the club women had been made
| catspaws by the lumbermen who merely
wished the timber kept out of the market
| until they were ready to cut it. . w. -
To this first letter read at q public meet
! ing in St. Paul, Mrs. w. g.. Bramhall,
chairman Of the forestry reserve. COMMITTEES
replied Major Scott's response is herewith
printed IN full:
II am sorry my letter provoked your anger
and induced you to empty the Walls of your
wrath upon my unworthy head. I only wrote
| it because you solicited my opinion, which ]
] frankly and candidly gave you, but frank
| ness with q woman and kerosene, in light
1 ing a fire require careful manipulation. One
never knows when there will be an explo-
! sion, and should, as far possible, avoid
! the use Of. either. I am a. plain cavalry
| soldier, and entitled to no consideration from
I you My gray hairs and tottering limbs at
! test my length Of years. My poor judgmen,
4 in daring to tell you the truth, and my la.
inevitable ignorance touching the subject
! treated prove how little ! ever knew, and
indicate not the slightest inexperience dur
| ing my long and worthless life. beg ,you1
! pardon for ever thinking had even an al
/ legged opinion, and beg it a thousand times
! for essaying to feebly express it. It you will
grant me pardon this time. I will promise
! never, never to say another word. I will
| be vaccinated for garrulity and felgn tetanus
| for the remainder Of my natural life.
you tell me that which you have worked
| for so diligently for years has at last beer
/ accomplished, and the Indians and Mime
sofa will now enjoy the blessings brought
[ about by this wise legislation just about to
/ be enacted. Nobody will rejoice more than ]
! If such is the case, and IL you will permit
me- will rise with the Indians and Mime
sofa and call you blessed; but Grazing your
pardon for thinking, fear your high born
| prodigy, Graded in the purple anG nurtured
! by the loving hearts and willing hands Of the
M. F. w. c., will, after running the gauntlet
| Of both houses of congress with their ever.
present ;lobbies), suffer the whitening touc1
of our strenuous president, who handles with.
out gloves and ruthlessy dsfgures anything
having the appearance Of fraud, then after be
! ing written unclothed upon the statute book.
| and turned over to the tender mercies Of
| the land and Indian departments for inter
probation and proper raiment, emerge NOR,
like an ill-bred waf from some founding
asylum, than one to the ma, Ger born it,
i parents with difficulty recognizing it, ant
gladly leaving 1t to exc out its puny exist
ence alone. --.e -. 1s.5 -
/ This, of course, is only prophecy, and
am not even the seventh son, but strive al
l hard as I may, 1 cannot think otherwise thar
this is another case Of the mountain and tn,
mouse 1 know 1 deserved death, or worse
i even Punishment beyond i1the pale of th
/ heaven-inspired and angel fostered enact
ment there to- remaina Ike the wanderin,
Jew through all time, beholding from afar tn
Garden of Eden thus created-Utophia discov
cred at last through the zeal and untirin,
efforts Of the women's clubs of Minnesota
but never permitted to set foot upon thi
hallowed ground The combined suffering
of Tantalus, Lazarus and Job would dwndl
into nsignifcance compared with the punish
ment this would entail, but deserve it all
and more, too, for daring to think anythin
not all fcurs with this gigantic concep
ton, the joint offspring of the master mind
Of the age. -. - sfa -
-''Henceforth, my dear madam, I stand Xix
a lamb dumb before it's shearers If in flu
; ture you should ever look upon my emaciate
form and fully realize the feebleness of m
intellect and the child-like simplicity of M
untutored mind, you will pity rather tha
blame. Knowing this, pray you will par
don me for living, and, as in duty bound
your petitioner will ever pray -