The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-05-08
EBERHART, WHITTIER AND NEWSPAPERS.


EBERHART, WHITTIER AND NEWSPAPERS.
1t isn't often that the carefully ed
tied and conservative Duluth Herald
strikes the wrong note but we are
constrained to the belief that it is
in a discord on the Red Wing scan
dial. Under the editorial caption
Lets Be Just" the Herald says:
1t is difficult to understand
why. Superintendent Whittier
should be so numerically alb
bused for refusing to resign
when resignation would be
humiliating confession that all
the charges brought against
him are true. No man with ,
self-respect and courage cares
to retire in the face of battle
and thereby confess himself
a poltroon and everything else
that anybody pleases to call
him.
If Mr.. Whittier is the cruel :
and malignant tyrant that his
enemies have painted him, of
course he ought to go. If he
is such a man there ought to
be no difficulty in getting rid
of him. So
Why the Herald utters "a plea in
behalf of the inventor of contri-
vance on which bare backed boys
were pounded until even young
became hysterical from the cries of
the tormented, we know not. The
Herald is a democratic paper and
the Board of Control, under whose
regime Whittier and his lash have
existed, is likewise democratic. but
we can not imagine that the Herald
would put politics above decency;
party devotion above a reform that
is being demanded from every corner
of the state.
Unfortunately, the Herald does
not confine itself to facts, for con-
tinuing it says:
But here is fact that
good many people seem to be
losing sightof: that both branch
esof the legislature, in full pos
session Of all the facts brought
out by complete investigation
which many of the members at
tended in person., deliberately
and after thorough consider
alton and full debate refused
to recommend Whittiers re-
moval. If the evidence had
shown him to be all that his
enemies picture him undoubted-
ly the legislature would not
have hesitated to demand his
discharge.
Both houses of the legislature was
NOT in full possession of the facts
by any means. The Investigating
committee had all the facts for i'll
alone heard the testimony and COL
lected the evidence. And what did
that committee do? Every one of
its members, with the exception of
Rockne in the senate Gin whose dis
trict Red Wing is located) and r. C.
Dunn, in the House so rank par
tizan to Whittier that he even re-
fused to attend the hearings and
listen to the evidence, branded Mr..
Whittier unfit to be superintendent.
This then was the conclusion of un-
prejudiced, unbiased members of the
legislature appointed for the sole
purpose of making the investigation,
and the only persons in a position to
render an intelligent verdict.
owe have done our duty said
Senator Sullivan in presenting the
majority report, ''We have present
ed the facts as they exist; you can
whitewash Whittier if you want to.
but the blood will be upon your
hands,
There was no thorough consider
alton and full debate in either
branch of the legislature. In the
House the evidence was considered
at night meeting and not more than
half dozen members spoke, the most
of the evening being taken up by
Representative Kunze, former resi-
dent of Red Wing, in defending
Whittier and upholding corporal
In the senate there was