The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-11
WEDNESDAY, MAY II, 1904.
A VERY RESPONSIBLE AccusER.

NEht ANOOOEns
While Republicans eminent in Min
nesota for their party standing and for
their official ambitions are charging
wildly up and down accusing one an
other of all the crimes in the calendar,
an incident of the local news might re-
mind the public that there is another
accusation of the gravest character
under which the party leaders rest.
They suffer this shadow upon their
regulations voluntarily, because they
dare not face the music. There has
been no withdrawal of the accusation
made, no Sinking of responsibility and
no mincing of words by the principal
accuser. Official silence can mean
nothing except cowardice or guilt, or
both.
L he Gil o b yesterday morning re-
ported the purchase of one of the
largest and Oldest business houses of
Minneapolis by w. B. and w. G. Jor-
dan. 1t will thus be seen that these
gentlemen are amply furnished with
capital, so that they can be made re-
Sponsible if either of them willfully
Injuries the standing of his fellow man.
1t will be seen that they have identi-
fed themselves in a prominent way
with Minnesota and her mercantile in
terests. 1t will be seen that their word
should carry even greater weight than
ever with the people of this state.
Whenever one of these men over his
own signature chooses to make a
statement rejecting of his personal
knowledge upon the character of any
Minnesota officeholder, that statement
calls for at least a searching investi-
cation.
Now w. B. Jordan, one of the GENTLE
men in question who thus becomes
identified with one of the big concerns
Of Minneapolis, is the man who
charged, over his own signature. that
Warden Wolfer, of the Saltwater peni-
Tertiary had an interest in the shoe
company operating there. He is the
gentleman who placed all the facts in
his possession before the state board
of control; and who, when they en-
= deavored to hush up and to smother
the matter, at last gave it publicity
through h Globe. He is the man
who detailed with great circunstan-
TALLY conversations said to have pass
ed between himself and others impli-
Gated, and who demanded to be asked
to make his word good by additional
and indisputable evidence If there be
responsible foundation for a charge
of improperly or worse against any
public official, surely none could be
more solid than the word of a man like
Mr. Jordan. Surely if a contract was
let on terms that cost the state at least
$4,000 on the face of it, there is some
thing that needs to be looked into.
This is the scandal which the capitoJ
ring has declined to investigate or cor
rect, This is the matter which the
state board of control vainly .endeayor-
ed to hide until the facts were I'M
earthed by The Globe. This is the
affair that kept them buzzing abouf
like hornets for a few days, and hold
ing secret conferences with those most
deeply concerned, while refusing to
take any steps to vindicate the accused
or protect the state. This is the affair
in which Gov. Van SaEt, although duly
acquainted with all the facts, declined
to take any action and has thus far all
lowed to remain quiet.
BY the acts of the state house ring.
then, the state of Minnesota today
stands indignant and ashamed because