The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1911-08-24
AFFAIR MOST
SPECTACULAR.
Resignation Of Attorney General
Simpson Well Staged
WISE ONES ARE GUESSING
Believed There Is More Behind His
Retirement Than Appears on
the Surface.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence.
St. Paul, Aug. 22.-Well, the ex-
pected has happened. Attorney Gen. |
citizen-at least he will be Jan. 1,
1912 That is the date fixed in his |
letter to Governor A. o. Eberhart an
nouncing his retirement. Assistant |
Attorney General Lyndon A. Smith
will succeed him at that time. Of
course it is old news. Twin City pa
pers have been full of the fact, but
far be it from me to slip anybody
the ancient I mention the happening
simply because I feel the Twin City
dailies did not cover the affair as it
happened. 1t was the most spectacu-
lar resignation of public officer that
has occurred in the history of the
state. The whole thing took his ex-
cellency, A. O. Eberhart, by surprise
and at the close it had the balance
of the official family gasping. They
are still wondering what is behind the
whole thing There is general
bunch, but no one wants to give it
official endorsement
:. X =
Nothing in the line of as good press
work has ever been pulled off in the
history Of the state capitol. For a
month the daily papers, also few of
the weekly publications, had been
specializing. One enterprising re-
porter went 50 far in his surmises
that he was barred from the official
presence mean the attorney gen
eral that was. It made him all the
more eager, and his colleagues shared
in his desire to make good. Wednes-
day it broke and Immediately there
was a gathering Of the newspaper
clans. AT 10 o'clock my resignation
will be in the hands of the chief ex-
ecutive," spoke the attorney general.
His excellency did not arrive until II
o'clock, but that did not prevent the
Winona man from giving gratuitous
distribution to a four-page letter tell
ing his reasons for retiring. Every
daily paper in the Twin Cities had
that letter ten minutes later.
* =. :.
These details are perhaps burden
some, but they are necessary. When
the hour of II arrived, and with it
the announcement that the governor
was ready to receive visitors, it was
solemn conclave that crossed the
space between the two departments
Mr.. Simpson led the procession and
in his wake came Assistant Attorney
General Lyndon A. Smith and two
reporters. A messenger was securing
the white marble pile for the remain
der of the scribes. Governor, came
to tender my resignation" "Oh
yes" answered the governor, 'yol
mentioned it yesterday. I am sorry
our relations have been so pleasant.
\ = !.
Discussing his contemplated resig
nation Attorney General Simpson
asked yours truly only a week agt
what would be the probable recep
ton by the press of his action. Their
was only one answer, THAT you hat
cleared the decks for a try at tn
Republican gubernatorial nomina
ton" Il guess you are right" an
swered the Winona man. Mr.. SimI
son did not include this prediction a
to his future in his written explane
ton covering his reasons for resign
ing, but he stood for a private inter
view in which he declared that h
was out of the political game TO
good. Nothing would change hi
mind Still he was not adverse t
discussing what he could do if tn
pressure became too great. Blu
enough of this. Figure out your ow
answer You are not the only on
who is guessing.
:. :. :.
One cannot but admire PresideT
Taft for his consistency, which il
cludes his nerve, in vetOing the a
ton of congress in the matter of til
wool schedule, but what about thos
leaders who have been backing h
ambitions as far as state delegation
from the Northwest is concerne
Their feelings at this time can be ii
agined. State Chairman E. E. Smi1
week ago deplored Mr.. Tafts co
templated action, he making the poi
that it was unwise. He prefaced thj
however,, Will Tic USllSl IAe1I IAAS IL
ton would yet applaud the president
nerve. Another to take issue, stran:
to say, was Governor Eberhart, al
now we have no less an element
Minnesota politics than the staid al
deliberate Pioneer Press taking iss1
with the president. In a double CT
umn editorial, following the nev
from Washington, it declares that N
Taft will have to answer to the poop
for his action. Shades of j
Wheelock! Did anyone ever thil
that it would come to this?
!. !. :.
Six Minnesota congressmen-si
note that-voted to pass the VIC
schedule over the presidents We
They were Anderson of the First
+r;o+ Davis Of tho Third indharp