The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-08-09

overlooked, either through the coIoners
malice or ignorance. The envelope in
which the communication to The For
um was sent--was back stamped at the
Fargo office at p. m. August Sat
urday afternoon. The Forum got one
mail at noon and on the next call
between and 4 o'clock-received the
Peake letter. It did not reach the office
until the forms for Saturdays paper
had gone down. There was no oppor-
tunity for its publication earlier than
today. 49,.
Despite this--the man who poses as
the press censor and military dictator
gave out the letter to other publica-
tions which ran 1t before The Forum
had the opportunity. The action
OF Peak is in violation of all
the usual courtesies in such af-
fairs-and very typical of the man.
Adjutant General Pealke is the "ofh-
cial mouthpiece" throgh which Govern
or Burke takes a rap at The Forum
and things like that. Amassa p. ad-
mits the Official mouthpiece" business
hims IT, The long suffering public
that has waited for years to find out
the exact status of the bearded mill
tary hero from Valley City will feel
relieved to learn Just what he is.
The great adjutant general of the
North Dakota militia-who stayed at
home to amass a fortune while the
militia went to the Philippines-is
about as touchy as when he was so
grossly 'fnsulted" by the head wait
ress OF a Fargo hotel 1t was during
the Camp Briggs days eleven years
ago-when Peake was strutting
around Fargo like a buzzard in pea
cock plumes. He was clad in all his
brilliant regimentals and held a COM
manding position at one of the tables
in the DINING room.
Unconscious Of his greatness and
desire for exclusiveness, the head
waitress seated two privates at the
then-coloneps table. The way the
doughty warrior Indignantly swelled up
at that time would have made a pout-
er pigeon look hollow chested.
The adjutant general accuses The
Forum Of attempting to create
trouble In the national guard" The
Forum pleads not guilty. The Forum
hoo oil ha ~
had troubles enough with Peake as one
Of its officers.
The promoted colonel wants The
Forum to await the publication Of off,
cial orders before commenting. AS
press censor Peake does not promise
to be much more brilliant than he has
been in a military capacity.
Then as a clincher to his wonderful
outburst-Amassa P. refers to The
Forum as unreliable" Perhaps The
Forum should plead slightly guilty to
this charge-in one instance-when 1t
formerly endeavored to say something
favorable to Peake's great Ignite coal
mining enterprises.
Just why, however, the distinguished
adjutant general should jump onto The
Forum and attempt to pose as a press
censor and as a Judge of its relia-
bility is not quite clear-unless he is
talking as the official mouthpiece" of
the man behind"
The Forum has never commented on
what an uniformed ass Peake might
be on parade. 1t has rarely, If ever,
given publicity to the expressions of
disgust concerning Peal1e so frequently
made during the last dozen or more
years by men whose great love for the
militia kept them boosting for the ma
tional guard-despite his connection
with it.
Peake evidently intends to be mis-
leading in his communication as he
attempts to make General Gearey of
Fargo the issue. AS a matter OF fact
M. A. Hildreth OF Fargo is the man
over whom all the row was raised. He
Is a special pet of Governor Burke
He wanted to go on the team. Had
it not been for the protest voiced by
The Forum, the regulations would
have been violated and Hildreth-a re-
tired officer-sent on the team. In the
article over which Peake makes pro-
test-The Forum endeavored to credit
him with standing for the best inter-
ests OF the national guard-and not
being willing tool of Burke in seeking
to evade the national regulations.
Why doesn't Peake explain his
ignorance Of the provision which eli
inmates retired officers? He-as the
head officer of the national guard of
the state--the man supposed to be
posted on his duties-did not know of
the clause till his attention was called
to it by Fargoans.
CLASSIFIED ADS.