St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1911-04-21
Wright Replies

In medieval times a puissant knish
could decline to take up the gage Of bat
tie thrown down by yeoman without feat
that his order of knighthood would deem
such an act blot on his escutcheon. Tn,
same code Of honor still prevails. though
stripped Of its feudalistic forms. and the
man Of honor could well refuse to accept
the challenge of a serf when the weapon:
he chooses to WELD are not the weapon.
Of knighthood. To sling mud at the pas.
serby is not the action Of knighthood. To
the yeoman to whom the motto "Noblesse
oblige contains no meaning in that he has
been nurtured in the cradle Of modern
commercialism and sucked on a lust ol
the almighty dollar. the very suggestion oI
a fellow man pursuing course of action
from the sense Of duty is unintelligible
and the record of the smallest action per-
formed for the mere Joy of the working
becomes the butt Of his vulgar ridiculc.
| Judging others by the narrow standards
under which he was reared he is content
to express his coarse sneers and to use the
gutter methods Of his kind in order to OBJ
tain small measure Of nattery from the
fawning syeophants who surround him.
Two letters appear in last weeks issue
OF the St. Johns Review. one of which is
signed by p. Hill. whilst the author Of the
other seeks to hide his identity under the
pseudonym "Neritas." With the composer
OF the last letter ! have no quarrel, for |
presume that no man claiming the smallest
pretentions to honorable dealings would
seek to slander another and hide his iden-
tity in so doing. and have sufficient con-
ceit OF myself to refuse to break a lance
with any one who is content to spit his
foul venom at fellow man, well knowing
that the object OF his SANDER has no legal
recourse, even though he should desire TO
soil his hands by controversy with the
abuser Of decency An answer would
provoke an accumulation Of slander. THE
dog will return TO its own vomit and the
SOW that was washed to her wallowing in
the mire."
The letter signed by p. HILL though full
as Il is OF vulgar innuendo. perhaps de-
serves some answer in reward for being
such a prominent example OF culture and
refinement. worthy Of his training and ed.
ucation. He begins with n loud and pro-
longed flourish OF trumpets about his in
tentions to act in the interests Of the poo
pie One can hardly appreciate the men
tai outlook OF any official who deems Il
necessary TO make a series Of assertions as
TO his honesty and refusal TO resort TO de.
ccit in am Office TO which he had lust been
elected but recognizing in this case the
necessity Of such an apology. let me quote
the old French proverb. "Qui = excuse a
accuse" (self exeusins is self accusing.
The rest OF his article. except a meagre
paragraph. which the writer with a grim
vein OF sarcasm refers 10 as bare facts,
is devoted 20 an accumulation OF SANDER
and Aashy rhetoric. scarcely ereditable TO
a man recently elected by his fellow men
TO represent them in their regular delher.
ative assembly. The bare facts themaelvcs
were evidently Of such nakedness that h.
in his modcsty hesitates TO parade them
before his readers. IA an example OF a..
reeklessness Of statement, let me openl,
set down facts Of common knowlede,
Firstly, thA, he himself is by no means the
largest property owner on Jersey street.
and secondly. his examination Of pave.
menta In the EAs, was not made IN cap.
able manner. a. his knowledge and train
ing unhta him Tor any such work he old
proverb about glass houses still holds good
and u u as honorable to support family
by the profession OF journalism as - to
be an itinerant idier and puTveyor OF goa
sip from door to door
Prom my own standpoint VIII tecApn'
ulAie lew facts with regard to the pro.
motion OF Wes,rumiie, which a lew parties
seem vi,ally Interested IN laying down IN
81 Johns ~ -,
That this substance "Wes'fumite -
unknown. even according to the testimony
OF the promoters, west OF the Rocky noun |
lains' that h 's IN no way the same sub
stance as the Westfumi's hled as trade
marx by Leonard D Van Wessfum ~
lvO1, and that the promoting company has
positively refused TO seal sample OF thf
product with the city engineer tor eompaf'
son with the completed street
4 That the delegates who were select
"a TO make the Journey TO the eihes IN the
Middle West concealed y they had khowi'
,dge OF the TACT that the streets which
hey visited IN the Middle West were laid
iown under promise OF Paymentfoi royal
les to Warren Bros,
,. That these two delegates. one OF
whom was selected by the Westrumite
company. were paid by VIM. Lind. on his
,wn confession. to examine the streets.
hat they had no knowledge Of any trade.
profession OF science eognate TO road max
ng, and that the city OF Youngstown, o.,
vas carefully excluded from their timer
ny.
T. hat this eisy OF Youngstown is the