Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-02-23
A n

official misconduct in yesterdays LEDGER
rises to explain in the morning papers.
1t is a weak effort to sustain an indeIensi'
bic action. He assumes that il the re-
port had appeared in the LEDGER Of
Monday the other papers would have
thrown out the statement altogether.
That is to say, IL the LEDGER Of Monday
evening had contained c part Of the
statement, that would have rendered
valueless the tabular double-column
statement that appeared in the morning
papers Of Tuesday, aud they would have
thrown it out entirely. Anticipating
such a dire calamity the secretary; with
the concurrence Of the president and
board Of officers, refused to let the
LEDGER have any part Of the annual
statement. The manuscript, he says,
was placed in the hands Of the other pa
pers Monday morning, and they were
putting in type the complete report
when the LEDGER reporter applied for
a portion Of it. The application
was made between eleven and twelve
o'clock, when Mr.. Toof knew. as an old
printer, that it was too late for us to
make a tabular statement orto use many
of the figures. 1t would take me good
c~ompositor from two to three days to set
up that table, yet Mr., TOof feared that
what we could get up in an hour or two
would neutraliEe the annual statement
Of the Chamber Of Commerce, which he
had arranged and %preOrdained should
appear exclusively in the morning pa
pers in order hat it should have the
widest publicity" 1t is highly probs-
Bile to the average iHtellect that the APP
peal and Avalanche would pass over this
annual statement in silence and throw
out fifteen or twenty dollars worth of
type setting because the afternoon paper
preceding had given a few of the figures
in an irregular fern. No one knows
better than Mr.. Toof, who was so long
foreman Of a newspaper Office. that this
is q sham defense. Notwithstanding the
great circulation and widespread infu.
ence Of the LEDGER, We do not claim TO
reach all the readers of the morning pa
pers any more than they would assume
to reach oil the subscribers Of this jour.
nal. News Of important matters 20 into
al the papers, regardless of precedence.
Bat Mr.. Tool, "aoeU knoVing," as he
says, that we're the synopsis applied for
to appear in the evening paper, the
others would afterward not publish it, de.
eided in favor Of the latter. Well, how
did he knop that2 We would like to
see the Appeal and Avalanche make
such an admission Of the LEDGER's cir.
collation. and consequence The Ava
lanche, inded, says it is not likely"
they would have done 80. But why not
say so plainly il such was the 6etermi-
nation in that Officer The Avalanche
says. sympathizingly, that be acted un-
der the " direction I" Of the Board. Mr..
TOof says be had their concurrence"
Now, we would ask just what day and
hour that concurrence vas obtained9
Was it previous to the application Of the
LEDGER last Monday nesr noon, or after
wsrd2 And will he give the names Of
such officers as "concurred in
his unjust discrimination against this
paper, before be had gone too far to re-
cedef In other words, We want to know
il the idea originated with himself or
with others upon whom he nov seeks 10
throw the responsibility This is the
more important because his former news,
paper connection is calculated to give
his suggestions greater weight when in
reference to printing or publication. Is
it not likely that as secretary be 10
clothed with considerable discretionary
power. and that the board often icon.
cur" in uattsrs which they never had
any occasion to consider in detail2 II
any specific" directions we're given
him to discriminate against this paper
by a higher authority previous to our
application for the report We most re
sp'ctfully call for the proof Of it. As to
other papers getting shead'o Of ng by fair
enterprise, that is ell right and we have
ne Ground Of complaint against them.
W. have never known either Of our co
to uporaries to do q dishooorable act
to shut us ont Of the Geld. The entente
coriiale Of the press in this respect
is rarely disturbed. MI. Teof's at
tempt to impl.cAte the Appeal Gpd
Avalanche as parties to q combination
prsjudicisl To the interests Of the LED
err is q confession Of his ows weakness
and timidity. he alone is responsible,
aud we avfsigu him alone at the bar of
public opinion for ~betrsyinR and 9busiDg
spubIic trust. WsrnsSa what We say,
aud feel amply prepared To make good.
every word on these issues and others
that can be introduced. BE diselaims
personal feeling. Let him explain one
single circumstance. The Chamber Of
Commerce has considerable Job printing
done in the course Of the year. It is let
Gu 10 the lowest bidder. Through Mr..
Toofs manipulstions only three estsS.
lishments in the city get q chance to bid.
One Of these is bis brothers; the Others
We can mention. The LEDGER Office has
mora material and facilities for doing