The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1905-04-01
A Story That FizzIed.

said to have occurred which affords,
we think, a fitting subject for spec
ulation. We are not vouchlng for
the truth of the story about TO be
related, neither do we rela'e it for
the purpose of rejecting unfavor-
ably upon anybody. From it, a
lesson may be gathered that will
tend to promote peace on earth and
good will towards men. At least.
that is the hope we have in it.. ..
The story is that during recent
afternoon some one was iuquiring
for the town marshal, Mr.. George
Froman, when it transpired that
the marshal was at that particular
time earnestly ennaged in a game
OF car1s, involving pile of money
lying ON a table before him. This
story was opportunely conveyed to
the Rev. Mr.. Clemens who seized
on it as an evidence of the vice and
corruption which permeates the
municipal body. If the Information
were true, Mr.. Clemens was amply
Justified in accusing Marshal Fro
man of violent infraction of law
and hagrant maladministration of
Office. He might also feel justified
in giving the widest possible circu-
lation to the story. If it were not
true, Rev. Clemens had another
duty to perform which we need not
define. This, at any rate, is gener-
ally understood: While in some
affairs of life. the half of the bad
may never be told, in public affairs,
during political campaigns, the bad
is not half as bad as represented.
To what extent the Rev. Clemens
gave currency to the story in ques-
ton. we are uninformed, but last
Monday in the presence of Mr..
Froman, he laid the case before
Mayor Little, whereupon Mr.. Fro
man denounced the story as false
and demanded to know the source
of Rev. Clemens information.
After some hesitation, Mr.. Clemens
confessed that Johnny Johnson"
gave it to him. Mr.. Froman
promptly sought out M. John
son and Mr.. Johnson en-
phatically denied ever having
impaired such intelligence to Mr..
Clemens. Subsequently. as report
ed, Messrs. johnson and Clemens
had conference at which it was
determined that there had been
some kind of a misunderstanding
between them. At all events, the
story, as such stories when run to
earth usually do, fzzled out.
Now, there is nothing about this
incident that is at all remarkable.
A hundred stories of similar quality
and substance are set ahoat about
election time, and a good many
gullible people are deceived and
misled by them. The notable thing
in this instance is that minister OF
the gospel shou d permit himself to
be used as the vehicle for circulating
a baseless calumny. If Mr.. Fro
man had not happened to be in
position to nip the story in the bud,
it would have bloomed into peren.
NAL SANDER, and mainly because it
was accredited by man who was
Consecrated to truth and holiness
Had politician or a reform news.
paper published a story like that on
the eve of an election, the public
would promptly relegate it to the
limbo of canards, but when an or.
dained minister takes up such a
story and repeats it, it takes weight
and receives credit it could not 9th.
erwise obtain.
Now, we believe Mr.. Clemens tc
be an absolutely honest and sincere
man. We believe he would rather
cut off his right hand than falsely
accuse fellow creature. We be
lieve that all his public acts are in
spired by an intrepid zeal for ths
betterment Of mankind. We think
that is the estimate placed upor
him by the general community, &C