Morris tribune., 1912-11-15
PENALTY OF GENEROSITY.
Selfishness Only Claims the
More for Its Own.

Al VIC NOAAASC bCGWCCA SCuCLO0lIy
and greed. selfishness even claims
more than its own; in the conflict
between courtesy and boorishness,
courtesy has no defense.
In this little world of ours here in
Morris and Stevens county, the same
laws operate as every where else.
Last week, in commenting on the
campaign just closed, we remarked
that the campaign was closed and
that the best thing to do was to turn
our attention to promoting greater
cooperation. This week the Sun
gives publicity to an article spurning
our suggestion and throwing back upon
US the blame for the very condition
which we sought to alleviate.
Very often in the past, in the
interest of the welfare of the COM
munity, we have generously yielded
to the greediness of him and them
for whom the Sun spoke. met their
boorishness with courtesy, and secure
in our faith that selfshness would
work out it's own destruction, simply
dropped all controversy.
In this we may have erred. We
may have thus given the impression
in the community that our cause was
not always just, and that our state
ments were not true because we
would not continually quarrel about
them.
The controversy has for the most
part waged about the political career
of Hon. L. G. Spooner. and we hold
to the position that the public acts
of public official are properly the
subject of discussion and comment.
Mr.. Spooner is a man of ability
enough for any position but without
unselfishness enough for the smallest.
During his six years in the legisIa-
ture he has been of some service to
this community, (tho far. far less
than he claims). His political career
has been checkered and scanned with
greediness. faithlessness and an entire
disregard of any good measure not
fathered by himself or for which he
claimed the credit. While he has
been to some extent identified with
meritorious measures. he, has used
such unworthy methods in promoting
meritorlous measures in which he
was interested, and then so blindly
obilvious of the merit of other good
measures in which he was not in.
terested. that there is hardly public
man in the state whose respect he
enjoys. Men whom the people of the
state have honored with the highest
position respect nothing in Mr.. Spoon
er but his ability, and the people Of
other communities are astounded thai
this community should send such &
man to represent toem in the legisla
ture. How he stands in the state al
large, where his work is viewed i'm
partially, was reflected in the vot'
which be got for governor.
We have known what he was doiny
and, instead of constantly nagging Mr.
Spooner we have, in the interest o
harmony. been very good to him
Some few things which he has done
we have mentioned, but many, man,
foofuroc of hSC ohaol,e~ol oo~oo~ Lox,
been passed by. We mentioned las
year the disgraceful part which h.
took in the organization of the house
Immediately we were jumped upol
by those who speak for him. w
knew we spoke the truth and so IN tn,
interest of harmony, we dropped tn
controversy. When he announces
himself foy governor, we gave ou
readers the benefit of everything
i good or bad, that was said in our ex
changes, and we got the usual dos
handed us by the opposition. Becaus
Mr.. Spooner was home man, and be
cause we had no desire to quarrel wit
his local friends, we made no commen
on his candidacy.
But when he again became candi
date for the Legislature, we said som
few things about his public record
Because the things which we said wer
true, and Mr.. Spooner knew the
were true, and some of his friend
knew they were true. they feel hurt
and Immediately raise the cry that W,
are spelling the harmony of the com
munity.
If to abandon this controversy is
ho onnSfr,1od oC ino;roou;A,, &c ~,