St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1908-05-29
That Delcctable Library Board

After giving those fussy old
maids what was coming to them
from St. Johns for their arbitrary
and unjust manner of treating our
librarian and the people in general,
Mr.. Brewster, member of the
board, wrote Mr.. T. J. Monahan
criticising the editorial in the Re-
view as unjust and rejecting un-
justly upon those women in the big
stone house. The gentleman
sought to justify the action of the
women in the big stone house by
saying that the women were not to
be blamed, that the directors were
alone to blame. 1t Is right good of
the man, and we admire him for it,
but If he will pardpn us, we believe
candidly that he "yarned" to
shield the women who have done
all the business Of the library here.
We do not believe DIR. 7. l.. Eliot,
whom we have known for years
and than whom we do not believe
there is a finer, more thoroughly
American, more gentlemanly or
kindly disposed citizen in Portland,
would countenance any such cratic,
arbitrary, domineering conduct as
that of the fussy old maids in the
big stone house. We think we
know the doctor too well. II Mr..
Brewster had said that he alone
was to blame we would have be-
lieved him and held him in that
contempt which the citizens Of St.
Johns in general hold the entire
outfit In the big stone house and all
who are connected with the man
agement Of IL, because Of this affair.
The st. Johns board met and
read Mr.. Monahan's letter from
Mr.. Brewster Tuesday, and most
heartily endorsed the editorial in
the Review which he criticised, and
stated that they believed II was the
sentiment Of almost the entire CON-
munity that the editorial was cor
rect, and merited by the fussy old
maids in the big stone house.
The facts of the matter are that
Mrs. Parker was giving the best of
satisfaction here, the work Of the
library was being attended to
promptly and efficiently, and was
increasing nicely in volume, but
because Mrs. Parker was not
fussy old maid herself and illbred
enough to. call a rural gentleman
down for not keeping his hat oil in
the room the entire time Of his visit,
did not drop her patrons and tag
along with the woman from the big
stone house when she came and
made her so-called inspection aud
toady to her in general, the fussy
old maid got huffy and removed
her without so much as saying 'by
your leave" to the taxpayers aud
contributors to the fund Of the II.
brary In St. Johns. We character
izc this conduct as unbecoming a
lady. as unbusincsslike, as showing
contempt for the people Of St.
Johns. who are the peer Of any set
Of autocrats in the big stone house
or elsewhere. and that until pub
lie apology Is made by the fussy
old maids In the big stone house
the people of St. Johns will OF
necessity cherish their feeling OF
contempt for the woman in the big
stone house and the board that up.
holds her in her contemplate con-
duct.
So far as the writer is concerned
he holds the same sentiment as the
balance Of the people except
towards DIR. Eliot, who he believes
from a personal knowledge Of his |
many admirable qualities, Is incap- |
able Of countenancing such con-
temptible. petty, tyrannical, arbi.
trary methods. We gave the |
woman in the big stone house an
opportunity to explain herself. but
the little St. Johns Review evident
ly is classed in the same category
as the other residents Of St. Johns,
beneath the consideration of the
fussy old maids in the big stone
house. We were told there would
be a meeting of the board and the
St. Johns contingent; but there
was not. aud we waited in vain for
several days without being able to
meet anyone in authority, spent
half day IN Portland trying to get
in touch with them and the only
ones who blessed our vision were
the fussy old maids in the big stone
house. We have no desire to do
them an injury but we do not pro-
pose to stand for such treatment as
has been accorded our people by
them and if 1t Injuries their feelings
to know what the people think OF
them here they will have to bear 1t
the same as we have to bear their
unjust treatment.
As to the library being opened
here again, 1t will not be under the
old arrangements, of that the IL
brary board may be we'll assured.
aud we can continue paying our
taxes for the support Of those old
maids to the end of time without