The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-03-27

unwilling admirers perhaps-of Shakespeare's
genius to attribute his works to Lord Bacon.
AN OFFICIAL document that reads like most
Imaginative recently sent to congress
for investigation by Secretary Root 1t is nothing
more less than charge that steamer chartered
by the government during the late war was used on
a flibustering expedition to San Domingo while in
possession of the United States It seems that the
steamship "Fanta' was chartered for the use of the
quartermasters department from James Mckay Of
Tampa, Fla. When the government was through
with her. Mr.. Mckay put in small claim for aera-
tons, the same being disalowed. Then he wrote to
Major Bellinger, who paid the claim and is now
trying to collect it,
It is Mr. McKay's letter to Maj. Belinger that
is such interesting and unusual reading. According
to this document sThe quartermaster at Mobile
loaded the steamer with munitions of war and in
structed the captain to follow the directions of
secret service man who was then at Mobile, and by
him the captain was ordered to follow the instruc
tons of one Jiminez, who is President Of San
Domingo"
The captain Of the 'sFanita,' so Mr.. Mckay
says knowing the United States and San Domingo
were friendly terms, objected to taking part in
the flibustering expedition, but finally bribed
way.
The expedition, says Mr.. Mckay was failure
Jiminez being the only nsurgent to escape with his
life. When it failed, the vessel went to Cuba and
unloaded the supplies The writer alleges these acts
we're performed with the cognizance of former
Assistant Secretary of War Mieklejohn.
This is an unwritten and perhaps untrue
chapter in the history of our country that would
have been meat and drink to the "antis in the last
campaign. The matter should be thoroughly in
vestigated by congress, and probably will be.
The "retort courteous in parliamentary debate
as conceived by the gentlemen from South Carolina
in the senate Of the United States has invaded Eu
rope-invaded is the mot brobyp these days. Last
week Mr.. Dillon-a fine, conservative Turkish name
Dillon!- interrupted Mr. Chamberlain who was
speaking in the British house of to tell the
gentleman he was - liar. Mr.. Dillon was there
upon suspended and elected from the house "amd
the wild cheers of the nationasts and the press of
two continents has been having contortions of sheer
virtue since.
These passages of arms have occurred before in
parliamentary bodies and will doubtless occur many
times in the future and there is use in being too
much Mortified by them. In calmer moments every
one will admit the absurd and weakening effects of
profanity, basph envy blackguardsm in any FORM
but cannot have strong emotions without
expressing themselves in strong language, tho
they know they will regret doing so later. To call
a man liar or a liar is no sort Of an argument
in fact it is most futile form of amusement
even when the facts warrant the assertion. but there
is whole lot of satisfaction in it at tmes and to
condemn man because he makes use of such an ex-
preston in the heat of passion of Pharisee
ism, even if the vituperation in the British
house Of commons, the ''most exclusive club in Lon
dom 1t always pays to keep cool, but it isn't al
ways the easiest course to pursue
On another page of this there appears
article from the March number Of the Mentor" the
periodical published by the inmates Of the Massa-
chusetts state prison 1t is reprinted in full here
because The MIRROR hopes it may have REFRESHING
and salutary effect upon the person to whom it is
addressed
For some time The MIRROR has believed that
the person writing under the pseudonym of "Stra-
DO" colossal plagarist, but until very few
days ago the proof not sufficient to warrant de-
pying the in question its columns; for in this
place, above all others, everyone should be entitled
to than the reasonable doubt before he is
d-mned by his fellows The MIRROR breaches this
doctrine and tries to practice it. Now however the
matter has been placed beyond question, and
The MIRROR wishes to state that it believes "Stra
bo stole very nearly ALL if not ALL the articles that
have appeared above his name in the past This be-
lief is not based upon the Mentor editorial. but