National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-10-27
WHO SHALL BE BELLETEDg

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charged that such reports are manufactured
to order for the sole purpose of affecting
the results of the fall elections. Under
these circumstances, perhaps, it will not be
unwise to consider the relative facilities of
the Government on the one hand and of
the Metropolitan or Associated Press on
the other for obtaining reliable and UMPIRE
JUDGED statements of fact. In doing this it
becomes necessary to divest ourselves of all
partisan bias and examine the facts and
their surroundings in the light of common
sense. Doing this what do we find?
First, is the United States Government
represented by the Executive, who is
sworn to execute the laws of Congress and
protect and defend the Constitution of the
country? To perform this duty he has Sc
lected numerous subordinates as his min
listers in the several Departments. 1t is
only reasonable to suppose that in making
such appointments fair, honest and capable
men have been preferred, if for no other
reason than for the credit of the Admins
tration. From these ministers of the law,
such as they are, the Government receives
through the heads of Departments its in
formation as to the state of affairs in the
various portions Of the country. In the
South these ministers of the law are usually
politically opposed to the wealthy and highly
educated, otherwise denominated the
ruling, classes, and being so, are admon-
ished that if they misrepresent the facts
they are sure to be exposed by them.
Nearly the whole press of the South is
likewise politically opposed to the Admin
istration and its officials From a general
knowledge of the character of the ex-slave
holders and Confederates-men born to
rule over and to dictate to slaves, and
whose instincts and characteristics have
not been changed by the abolition of
slavery-one would scarcely suppose
that their venom and hate was
a thing to be courted by the
United States marshals judges, CON-
missioners, revenue officers and post
masters in their vicinities. On the con-
trary, we should say that such officials
would prefer TO live in the peaceful enjoy
ment of their positions so long as they
could find it possible, consistent with their
official duties This would he only natural
The reputation of Southern communities
for law and order, and for tenderness to-
ward their maligners, is not such as to
stimulate officeholders in the connection
of lies and Misrepresentation against the
people composing them. The summary
action of Judge Lynch's court, accompa-
MED with ''short shrift and long rope" or
the crack Of the shot gun, rife and revolver,
is too frequent, whether under the guise of
"Ku-Klux" or q White League" to admit
of any forgetfulness ofthe doommost likely
to await such conduct. But the President,
fortunately, does not entirely rely upon
these sources of information as the basis of
action, truthful as they are most likely to
prove, for the reasons above stated, and Of
ficially communicated under the sanctity of
the oath of office, as these reports generally
are. Through the medium Of the army he
has the means of verifying the truth or as
certaining the falsity of these reports of
Outrages almost Immediately. In a recent
case where riot was reported imminent
and the Governor telegraphed for troops, a
military officer was instructed to privately
investigate the matter while the troops
were held in readiness to move in a mo-
ment if necessary. The report soon came
back that it was false alarm. The Gov
ernor being at a distance had acted upon
reports conveyed to him of an exciting
character that he had not time to verify.
No troops were sent to the seat Of excite
ment and no riot occurred. The President
does not act in these cases except upon
what he conceives to be reliable informa-
ton.
Second, is the great monopoly composed
of six Or eight morning journals, called
the Associated Press of New York, nearly
every member of which is just now bitterly
opposed to the National Administration?
This association labors in connection with
the Western Union Telegraph Company,
and, like its coadjutor, is a wealthy mo-
nopoly, striving to crush everything which
essays either to rival or oppose it. Almost
the entire press of the country outside of
New York, East, South and West, are
placed under tribute to these combined
monopolies for an epitome of the news OF
this New York association.
The Western Union Telegraph Company
is opposed to the National Administration
for favoring the policy of postal tele-
graph, which should, like the mails, be
owned by and operated in the interest of
the people. 1t is a monopoly representing
stock to the amount of about fifty millions,
and earning ten millions per annum, with
a property the actual cost of which, by a
fair estimate, does not exceed ten or
twelve millions 1t is controlled and
managed by such famous mOnopolists as
Cornelius Vanderbilt, the railroad king;
Ed S. Sanford, the Adams Express king,
and William Orion, president of the COM
pany and telegraph king. When these
men take snuff the Associated Press has
violent fit of sneezing, and rice UerSa.
Throughout the South, in many,ss if not
most. instances, the agent Of the Asso-
ciated Press is the agent of the telegraph
company, or of Adams Express, or perhaps
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stance. He is, moreover, usually the
editor or Gttaehe of Democratic paper, if
there be one in the vicinity. 1t is for this
reason that the Associated Press reports
bear such strange similarity to the accounts
ofthe same occurrences printed in the local
press of the South, and such striking dis
similarity to the facts as reported by Off
cials and frequently elected in evidence be-
fore United States tribunals. These are
natural results. We could hardly expect
any other. A wink or hint from the New