Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-06
The Fargo Fracas.

Times have nightly changed since
Touchstone enunciated his scale of re-
joinder. There is little patience now with
the slow progression which he COM
mended as the scale of argument. No
longer do men of vigor OF thought and
action begin modestly with the retort
courteous. passing thence TO the auip
modest. followed by the reply churlish.
the reproof valiant. and proceeding to
the countercheck quarrelsome and the
lie with circumstance. to reach a climax
with the lie direct. Whoever starts
something OF this character usually goes
straight 10 the ultimate point of the
episode
Thu was the method of the painter OF
Fargo who. doubtless in consequence of
having celebrated Labor day unwisely.
undertook to wrest from the travelling
contributing editor the truth of certain
circumstances of a private and pecuniary
nature. He asked question, received
an answer. and then loudly proclaimed IL
10 be a lie. And with equally direct
and unlterary short-cuttng the object
OF his emphatic demurrer finished him
of, applying a touch of the oriental
wrestler's method and twisting him
sharply from the platform.
This incident will be variously received
BY men of differing moods and personal
philosophers. Some will aver that it
would nave been better to treat so churl-
ish an interrupter with a contemptuous
silence. Others will approve his treat
ment justified by the unwritten law
that warrants every man in resenting a
charge of mendacity. Some will hold
that a twist of the arm was a crude
! and mollycoddish way to meet the I'M
forgivable word and chide the travelling
contributing editor for not planting a
strenuous fist beneath the loose-hung
jaw in the good old-fashioned American
style. Again, there are those who feel
that a few choice words pointing out the
absurdity OF the fellows rejoinder would
have been more in keeping with the ex-
presidential position than a rough-and-
tumble scrimmage in public.
All PHILOSOPHERS fail in this case IL IL
were true that the contributing editor
thought his questioner was a dangerous
character. Every man has the right to
defend himself. But IL this impudent
questioner really meant to do harm he
was treated with singular Ieniency. To
spin him of the platform was hardly the
way TO meet his onset The fact that
he was hustled out OF close range, un-
arrested. suggests strongly that the i'm
mediate impulse that led to the Japanese
grip was not self-defense. but common
or garden temper. the red rage of the
elemental man confronted with the lie
direct
In certain sections of this country and
among certain people the Fargo affair
would In campaign times be worth many
votes 10 a candidate thus promptly de-
monsfrative. so jealous Of his honor, so
effective In commensurate. Again, there
are those who deplore the spectacle OF
an eS-President graphing with an i'm
pudent lout whose brain has been added
oy holiday rotations. At the same time
the incident is not without its value.
IL has brought TO the public the truth of
the manner In which the great western
tour OF the contributing editor is being
financed. and presumably It's purpose as
we'll. and. furthermore. it has shown that
In the delivery of the lie direct the
founder OF the Ananias Club has no
monopoly.