Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-08-16
he contract they were required to

sign.
This bound the company in q bond
Of $4,000 actual payment, that the St.
Cloud Visiter should publish in its
columns a card from Mr.. Shepley, OF
which copy was appended, and which
stated that the destruction of the of.
flee was not for any political cause
but was solely on account of an at
tack made by its editor on the reputa.
ton OF lady. Also, that said Visiter
should never again discuss or refer to
the destruction of its office.
Fowler burned with Indignation,
and was much surprised when I re-
turned the paper, saying that would
comply with these demands. He pro-
tested that l should nOt-that they
had set out to defend the freedom of
the press.
(Which you cannot do" remarked.
"You sign that paper just as you would
hand your money to a robber who held
a pistol to your head and demanded
it. There is a point at which the
bravest must yield, where resistance
is madness land you have reached this
point. The press is mine, leave its
freedom to me. Defend me from brute
force and do your duty to your fam
lies"
He returned to the consultation
room, where every one was surprised
at my compliance. They had all Civ
en- me credit for more pluck, but since
| surrendered, the case was lost. The
contract was signed, the bond execut-
ed, and everything made tight and
fast as law could make it. The friends
of free press were indignant, but bid
ed their time. Stephen Miller a neph-
ew Of my mother-in-law, and after
wards governor Of Minnesota, was on
a visit to Harrisburg during all this
trouble, and when he returned, he flew
into a towering rage over what he
termed the coWardly backdown of the
printing company, and published a
card in the St. Paul papers, washing
his hands Of it.
But to the victors belong the spoils
and glory, and now they made much
Of them. Ladies got out their silks,
their jewels and their laces. There
were sounds of revelry by night,
where fair women and gallant men
drew around the social board, on
which sparkled the wine-cup and glim-
mered the yellow gold, to be taken up
by the winner. Champagne was drunk
in honor Of the famous victory, hands
were shaken over it, stray sheep were
brought back into the true Democratic
fold, and late opinions about presses
and types were forgotten.
Though, among all the rejoicings,
the Bar had the best of it. For once
its members had not been like the
blades of pair of scissors; had not
even seemed to cut each other, while
only cutting that which came between.
For once it's members were band of
brothers, concentrated into one sharp,
keen dagger, with which they had
stabbed Freedom to the heart. That
triumphant Bar stroked it's bearded
chin, and parted it's silky mustache;
hem'd it's wisest hem; haw'd it's most
impressive haw.
IF Gen. Lowrie had ali, but ali, TAX
en- legal advice ah, in the first in
stance ah, all would have been we'll
ah!"
They were the generals who had
won this famous victory, and wore
their laurels with a jaunty air, while
a learned and distinguished divine
from the center of the State, in a SER
mon, congratulated the Lord on hav-
ing succeeded in restoring peace to
this community, lately torn by dissen-
sions, all was quiet on the Mis-
sissippi.
On it's bank sat poor little 1, look
ing out on it's solemn march to the sea,
thinking of Minnesota; sending a wall
upon it's bosom to meet and mingle
with that borne by the Missouri from
Kansas; thinking of a sad-faced slave,
who landed with her babe in her arms
here, just in front of my unfinished
loft, performed the labor of slave in
this free Northern land, and embarked
from this same landing to go to Ten
nessee auction block, nobody saying
to the master, "Why do We this?"
Against the power which thus tram
pied constitutional guarantees, con-
gressional enactments and State rights
in the dust, l seemed to stand alone,
with my hands tied-stood in a body
weighing just one hundred pounds,
and kept in it by the most assiduous
care. l was learning to set type, and
as I picked the bits of lead from the
labeled boxes, there ran the old tune
Of st. Thomas, carrying through my
brain these words:
"Yea, though I walk in deaths dark
vale,
Yet will I fear none ill.,"
Why did the heather rage and kings
vex themselves? God, even our God,
should dash them together like pots
herds What an uneven fight it was
God and | against that little clique
against world!
l rented the Office to the boys, who
at once gave me notice that l was no
longer wanted in it. They issued a
half-sheet Visiter, with ''the Devil as
editor and proprietor. His salutatory
informed his readers, that he was in
full possession and was going to have
a good time; had taught the Visiter to
lie, and was going to tunnel the Mis-
sissippi. Those were bright boys, and
they had jolly week. Mr.. Shepley's
card appeared, as per agreement, and
thus far the terms Of release for the
printing company complied with, and
the contract with the Dictator filled.
But what next? Had I actually given
up the publication? Of course I had,
It's finances were desperate, and what
else could I do? What motive could
| have for attempting to 20 on with
it, Oh, what a famous victory. The
next publication day passed and no
Vlslter: There was dress parade of
triumphant troops, and that most fam.
GUS victory was bearing fruit.
Next day the St. Cloud Democrat
made its appearance, and l was sole
editor and proprietor. Into the first
editorial column I copied verbatim,
with a prominent heading, the article
from the Visiter on which the 1ihal