The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-12-30
Ruin Rather Than Be Wrong
WHAT Is COST SENATOR ROSS OF KANSAS TO VOTE AGAINST
CONVICTION OF JOHNSON.
(Chicago Tribune.)

constantly, as public servants II
these days show themselves before TIL.
world in the guise of rogues and buf'
ICONS. the ordinary and ~long-sufferinl
private citizen is brought to ruminate
on the change that has come yer Of
fetal life. and to conclude with a de-
gree of finaliU that long existence
has. indeed, undermined the civic
purity OF lhe republic and changed the
stuff of which governmental heads are
made. Some will say. Of course. thai
time hath lent its enchantment ant
embalmed only the virtues of the
great dead. What virtues will it pre-
serve OF the living who have assumed
the robes of those who went before:
The other day. when a senator Of
the United States resigned his seat as
an evidence of pique and temper
striving for dramatic effect and pro.
ducing pathetic pathos-and then re.
canted his decision, the lay minds was
struck with contrasts. Imagine the
gered permitting themselves similar
traducinE Of the responsibility of of.
flee. Possibly the public is wrong II
it fancies tina a senator ought to bear
without whtmpering or complaint any
trial that may come to an official In
the upright performance OF duty
Senator Bailey must believe this to be
the case.
Yet in other days men suffered and
endured injustice and calumny with.
out whimper. and Went to lives OF
swerve from conscience. One has only
to go back to the greatest Of American
Impeachment trials-that of Presiden,
Andrew Johrson-to find the contras:
in point.
Johnson desired to conciliate this
south II to restore the seeded states
to the union. The interests of the
north found 1t far more profitable to
reconstruct" these stricken areas. to
grow rich from the proceeds. Carpet
bag government was established. and
those who hold its fruits could see nc
reason for relinquishing their plums.
The nation was for a time in -assion
that was long in cooling, and there
was little trouble inflaming the north
still bleeding from the hot wounds
of war-tnto frenzy based on the hat
red of an enemy and the preaching of
the interests"
1t was one of those rare instances
IN which a people may be deluded into
fighting the battle of its enemies.
The memorable trial itself needs
little reviewing. The evidence shown
end the frenzied efforts of Johnson's
enemies to influence a verdict against
him are Of the familiar pages Of his
tory It is only to introduce the prin-
cipal figure Of - final act and to
show his connection and circumstances
thai the vote is recalled.
Ballots during the course Of the
impeachment had shown how the
members We're aligned. OF those who
early showed themselves friendly to
Johnson and reliable as enemies of
impeachment there were seven shor:
Of the necessary one-third. On the
other side were a number within one
OF the two-thirds majority requisite
n put the president out Of Office.
n situation left seven Republican
senator's whose decision was in ques-
ton. None would commit himself.
Youngest Of these was Edmund G..
Ross OF Kansas. a newspaper man and
antf-slavery advocate. In the same
group were such veterans as Fessen-
Illinois.
The delicate position of Senator
ROSS may be conceived from q hurried
review OF he situation in his WI state.
He was serving his first term. and had
bee~ elected after " bitter fight, leav-
ing willing enemies at home. More
over, no state in the union had been
80 torn by the brothers war; as was
his own. Border warfare. guerrilla
raids n the long struggle between
the pro n anti-slavery parties for
possession Of the state had left Kan
sas the bitterest r]ecollections and
fercest animosities. 1t was fecund
ground for the spokesman who made
no hesitaEcy ove calling the Johnson
Impeachment an issue between the
north and the south.
From the first suggestion OF hesi-
on Ross part the storm began
TO oii upon him. AS a matter Of fact
he dfsllked Johnson personally, and
his state understood this condition, yet
he was unwilling to convict a presi-
dent and establish a perilous prece-
dent because of this immaterial pre-
JUDGE. In vain did he send word to
the state that he was listening to the
testimony and that he would cast his
ballot according to his final conception
OF truth and Justice. He assured his
constituents that he had formed no
opinions n that it was impossible
for him to forecast his decision.
With every day hat the delibera-
lions lasted the rance in Kansas in
creased at the indecision of Ross. Let
ters. kilograms and oral examples of
defamation and spleen poured in upon
him. His answer was the same; ST.
ience and a promise to do his duty
e.s he saw IT.. The momentous day
arrived. In the progress Of the roll