Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, July 17, 1897, Page 1

¥ # \ x i = I 1] {| } v #20 } \t | i FH 1 6 ‘ —_ 1 i \ 7 o “A Grand Rapids HeraldRebieww, | Vout V.—No, 46. Granp Rapips, Itasca County, Minn., Saturpay, JuLy 17, 1897. Two Dotiars a YEAR FURNITURE DEPARTMENT. | Bed Room Suites, s15 to $35, Wardbrobes, Folding Beds, Kitchen Cabinets, Carpets, Rugs, Couch Folding Bed Lounges, es; M Carpet Cots, Mattresses, Pillows, Springs, Curtains, atting, Sweepers. 6 ft. and 8 ft. Extension Tables, Extension Centre Tables, High Back Dining Chairs, Rockers and Easy Chairs, Folding Camp Chairs. One 4 1-2 ft, Oak Roller Top Office Desk at a Bargain. “The quality of our goods is remembered long after the price is forgotten.” ees Itasca Mercantile Company, GENERAL SUPPLY HOUSE. a CORN TOOLS... We don’t believe that you can find as good a line of corn tools and other farm Es nrchinery anywhere north of Minneapolis as“; we are showing this =z spring. Now we wout try to make believe that we 1 are selling farm machin- a ery aba song, because we're not. We make a protit on everything we sell. But we buy our goods fdr cash at a very low figure; get only the best, and can afford to sell cheaper than anybodytelse around here, and yet make a profit. What We Say We Do We Do Do. We don’t advertise one thing, and mean another. We tell the plain truth in our ads, and any person who is not satisfied with a purchase made from us, can bring it back and get his money back. That’s fair enough for anybody. Our line of shelf and heavy hardware, guns, cutlery, paints, oils, glass, lumbermen’s supplies, etc., is complete, and we would be glad to have you come in and look over our stock. No trouble at all to answer questions. That's what we’re here for. _—_ _W. J. & H. D. POWERS. Don’t You Need a Cultivator? Clothing, Dry Goods, AND Furnishings. These are the lines to which we are giving special attention during this season. Prices are down so low that-all can reach them. Quality high grade; prices low grade. We’)] get your trade if prices count. Marr'sClothing & Dry Goods Store GRAND RAPIDS, MINN. HE EE BE A ee ae eae ae ae he ae eae a ah ae eae ae ea ae ate ae ae ae ae ae ae ae ae ae ae ae ae ae ae ee ae ae ate ate ae -New Stock Sanes MS ae & *% % a * * & % a * si * Of Window Shades, Curtain : Poles, Room Mouldings, wall = paper, etc., at ps * % * % * % * % * % # Richardson & Stevens. Re a ae ate a ae ae of a ae ae ae ae af a a ae a ae ae ae ae ae ae 2 a ae a a ae ae ae ae a ae ae ae ea ae ae ae ae ae a ae REM EAE Re a eae ae ae a ae Re ae ae a ae ae ae eae a /|AN IMPORTANT ELECTION j years ago, it has never failed to ex- ON SCHOOL MATTERS The Difference Between Private Slan- der and Public Criticism. The Public Should Not Be Blinded nor Bulldozed as to the Real Motives of Certain Parties in the Matter of Selecting a School Trustee. In keeping with a policy emphat- ically set forth when this paper was established in Grand ,Rapids three press its opinion concerning public menand public measures when oc- casion demanded, and so long as it is conducted by the present publisher it will continue to do so. When any man or woman aspires to and attains a position of public trust and is pledged to perform certain duties for the general good, that person has_in- vited comment of either endorsement or condemnation from the electors whose servant he has become. The public servant is no more exempt from correction for dereliction of duty than is the private servant, and the Herald- Review reserves the right to speak of public men and public affairs precisely as its own conception of the people’s best interests may dictate. This pa- per has never maliciously referred to the private character of any man. It | has been found necessary at times to perform the disagreeable duty of un- masking certain individuals who as- pired to stations for which they were totally unqualified and who aimed to | deceive the public as to their real mo- |tives. It is not our policy, and never | | will be, to slander men privately while | publicly extending the glad hand of tnendship. He is adangerous citizen, a bad neighbor, a scoundrel to be shunned as the infectious leper, who will approach and greet one with a | warm ond confidential smile only to turn and stab him to the heart - with | the poisonous fang of slander. This 1s | the character who will rise up with an apparent horror akin to holiness when the press ventures to speak in terms of respectful criticism concerning the very person against whom he has cir- culated vile and venomous _insinu- ations calculated to destroy all that men and women guard with jealous consideration. This is the character {that we abhor and abominate with ‘every drop of blood in our veins, with every fiber of our beg. If there be a thing accursed in all the round and realm of created mind or matter the secret slanderer is that abhorrent wretch. The very daring of one who will stand up in public and speak out manfully, that the accused may have an opportunity to defend, if he has} defence or excuse to offer, is appaling to his cowardly and puny nature. He does not understand or appreciate the spirit that makes this inahenable right one of the cardinal principles of the constitution of the United States and a conspicuous part of the laws of every state of the Union. He only knows that devil-inspired trait that is the con- trolling power within himself—that trait which deprives him of the cour- age of his weak convictions and ren- ders him a lying hypocrite, despised by all honorable men and women. We have a few—a very few—of these characters in Grand Rapids, and they asserted themselver during the week in a manner that leaves no mistake as to their identity. The near approach of school election made it meet and proper for the press of this village to set forth any mismanagement or mis- takes that had occurréd during the past year, that the people might be prepared to correct them at the an- nual meeting. It is not here pre- sumed that the editor of a paper is more competent than the average cit- izen to judge of these or other public matters, but if he be worthy of the po- sition which he fills it is his imperative duty to make diligent and impartial investigation and publish the same in a like spirit. ‘Ihe people very pro- perly expect this of the newspaper and they are entitled to receive it. It was with these facts in mind that the Herald-Review presented reasons last week why a member should be chosen who is pledged to oppose the selfish policy of Trustee Brady. It was stat- ed, and it is a fact, that Mr. Brady has striven to place the school under the management of a nember of his own family who is not considered com- petent. In the article referred to there was no word of slander or vilification. The plain, unvarnished truth was set forth as the ~ Herald-Review under- stands the facts, and wholly for the public good. In the consideration of the interests of our public schools ‘T. M. Brady is but an atom. At the present time he 1s unfortunately in a position to retard the progress of our splendid educational facilites, and it 1s the duty of the people to rise up as one man and calla halt. The Herald- Review has no apology to offer for the article published on the subject, and if there are any who failed to read it we here reproduce the reference made to the objectionable trustee for their benefit, and every sentence contained therein stands « unretracted and un- changed: * * * “A vast majority, however, agree that it is not desirable to repeat the blunder of two years ago, when T. M. Brady succeed- ed in ‘becoming «a member of the board through an unwarranted prejudice, for the sole purpose of securing positions as _teach- ers for members of his family. Brady has been a continual source of anoyunce and a ositive detriment to both the school and the oard since his election. He appears to have become possessed of the idea that district No. 1 was organized for the especial benefit | of T. M. Brady and family, and we have no reason to believe that the old manis not honest in the opinion. He believes that his daughter should be made principal of the school and is very indignant because the other members of the board failed to agree with him. The state legislature long since recognized the fact thatit was undesirable to permit the employment of members of a trustee's family as teachers in the schoal over which he has the management, and for that reason it was virtually prohibited by law when an enactment was passed making the selection of any such person as a teach- er impossible except by the unaaimous choice of the board. It has been found else- where as in Grand Rapids that it is unwise to make a family affair of the public schools. The board frequently thae occasion to dis- cuss the merits of teachers or the methods they employ with reference to the school’s ood, and ithas been found disagreeable to fave these discussions reported to the teach- ers. It is also a disturbing element to hyye petty lies a from the school room to the board. [tis urged by some that chanty should be considered; that the family may be in need and dependent upon these sal- aries. But this argument should not hold good. There should be no association of the. poor fundand the school fund. Our edu- cational institutions are sustained and con- ducted alone for the generation that is growing into womanhood and manhood and not for the sustenance of e-beens or would-bes. To avoid a repetition of the mistake that was made two years ago, a person should be selected who is qualified through experience and education and who will be actuated by other than selfish motives in the management of school affairs. . * * * “Tneapable ofoundrstanding public sentiment or ublic demands, his ‘actions are wholly controlled by self- interest, and it will require independence and intelligence of the third member of the ard to keep him in his proper place. Messrs. Kremer and Kearney have acted independent of Brady in all matters of im- portance and it will be necessary to continue fo doso until the latter’s term expires in 1898," If there is anything of a slanderous or defamatory nature in the foregoing, then Webster is at fault in his defin- itions of the words. If Mr. Brady is not a good member of the school board—and it is generelly conceded that he is not—there must be some reasons for his incompetency, and the confidence or respect of any citizen in this community if it failed to publish these reasons in language that would be understood by all, Every resident of the village ot Grand Rapids is well aware that much more~ might have been truthfully said of a personal na- ture, but it was not our desire to in- jure Mr. Brady beyond the hmit that the interests of our schools demanded. We did not say that he had been fre- quently piloted to his home in a shameful state of intoxication, nor did we say that he had visited the schools ina like condition. On the other hand, the very men who protest most loudly against what they terma_ slan- derons attack, are those who have de- nounced Brady in unmeasured terms for his conspicuous asininity on all occasions. According to their dried- up intellects and skinny souls it is good diplomacy and in keeping with their estimation of manhood to injure any citizen who may fall a victim to ‘their displeasure, so long as that in- jury can be administered through the insidious channel of social hypocracy. The Herald-Review beheves that a majority of the school electors of this district recognize the facts as_present- ed in the last issue hereof and at the polls this evening will record a most emphatic protest against the possibil- ity of increasmg Bradyism in our schools. The plain question to be | considered is whether one or two fam- jilies shall supply the entire teaching force of Grand Rapids without regard to the advancement of the rising gen- eration, or shall the best ability that handsome salaries can procure be first considered. There is muclf more im- plied in the present school election than many have surmised, and a sober consideration of the individuals and the inspiring motives which prompt them to such vociferous denunciation of the position taken by this paper, will reveal a plan that has_ been ‘well considered and already well developed, which would, if permitted to mature, transform the public schools into _ pri- vate snaps. And be it remembered that poor old man Brady 1s not alone, nor by any means the leader of this undertaking. Ifthe people of this community are prepared to turn over Herald-Review would be unworthy the | the schools to the entire control of two families, they may do so by vot- ing this evening for the candidate who is pronounced in her sympathies for Mr. Brady and his policy. If that is done, however, 1t will be necessary for many parents to send their pupils elsewhere to school, if they hope to prepare them for the higher branches, A strong effort has been made to di- vert attention from the real issue to the Herald-Review and to the person- ality and policies of the late principal. These considerations should find no place in this subject of vital imporance. If the people do not desire the return of Prof. Baskerville their wishes should be, and no doubt will be, regarded. But the electors should not permit any false alarm to detract their attention from the main issue, which is of far greater and far graver importance to them than is any considgration of un- founded personalities. ‘L, 0. T. M, DAN Next Friday Eyening at Village Hall—Good Music and Refreshments. Wednesday’s paper misstated the time for the holding of the first annual ball to be given by the local order of the L. O. T. M. The event will take place on July 23—Friday next instead of the 25th, which will be Sunday, The ladies have made complete ar- rangements to insure a thoroughly en- joyable time, and as this is their first public entertainment since organizing, their endeavor will be to establish an enviable position for their order among the traternal sovieties of Grand Rapids in the public estimation. The best music procurable has been engaged and delicious refreshments will be served. Qnedollar admission, and 25 cents per couple for refreshments, To Re-Suryey. Martin Duffy is in receipt of a communication from the surveyor general to the effect that town 151-29 —which was surveyed in 1893—has been vacated on account of the dis- covery of existing errors, and that a re-survey of the township will be made at once. ‘This action on the part of the government will undoubt- edly create considerable confusion among those who settled upon lands in that township in confgrmity with the boundary hnes of the defective survey, but under the circumstances there appears to be no alternative for the misguided settlers but that of submitting with what grace they may to the alterations of the metes and bounds of their freeholds which the proposed correction may entail. Wild Mustard, If the farmers of Itasca county will exercise due diligence during the next, few years in the matter of destroying noxious weeds they will reap rich re- wards therefrom in the years to come. It is noticeable here aud there that wild mustard seed is appearing on the farms hereabouts, and if the farmers will pull it out by the roots no dam- age will follow. It requires, however, but. a very short time for mus- tard seed to spread over an entire county and utterly destroy it for age ricultura! purposes. +>