The teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1876-1878, 1878-01-05
Biting a File.

found in the issue of the Portland
Standard of Sunday morning Dec, %,
under the caption "Dishonorable Jour
nrlism," it will appear to the reader
that the editor of that paper must be
knawing at something very hard and
raspish, which renders him peculiarly
sensitive and choloric. We republish
his whole article, not because Of its
merit, but to disarm him of the charge
against us of having omitted what he
may term the explanation Of every
thing and containing the snap of the
period" in order to misrepresent him.
"Takingit for granted that the world
is not aware that there is little pale
faced paper published in Idaho called
THE TELLER, we hereby announce that
fact, and for the benefit of journalists
on this coast, we will simply state, for
their guidance, that Alonzo Leland is
the editor. We appreciate legerdemain
in professional, but when man, who
aspires to journalism, sinks to trickery,
he should be branded as he deserves.
He quotes from an article written by
us in explanation of Gen. Towards
course before the Nez Perez war broke
out, just 50 far as it suits his purpose to
vilify, emitting the last six lines of the
paragraph that explained everything
and contained the snap of the period.
We herewith give his "doctored" quo,
tation and his own comments, following
which we give the few lines intention
ally omitted by THE TELLER, to show
how empty arc his arguments and how
apparent his contemplate chicanery.
The Standard says =
IF anyone in the world thoroughly
understood the intentions and spirit of
the Nez Perces before the outbreak, that
person was General Howard. He
had been among them from the very be.
ginning Of the hostilities-in fact, be-
fore it was thought there would be any
war, and if anyone was conscientious
student of their "spirit and intentions"
it was this same General. None knew
better than Gen. Howard that the spir.
it Of these men was brave, that there
was strong probability of their fighting
and even the Indians themselves say
] their "intentions" were to go to the
Wallowa valley, and there stay "to the
bitter end"-just as Gen Howard pre-.
dicted, and took occasion to stop by or.
dering troops to that neighborhood as
quickly as possible. Every preparation
possible was made by Howard with less
than thousand men, scattered from
Alaska to Fort Yuma
The following are THE TELLER's wise
comments:
1t Gen. Howard from the beginning
knew there was strong probability Of
their fighting, then the country may
justly charge Gen. Howard with the
murder of the settlers upon Salmon riv.
er and Camas Prairie, for he was in a
position to have duly notified these set.
i tiers of this probability, that they nigh,
{ have placed themselves in a state Of
defense months before the outbreak, and
he himself might have made a much
more early disposal Of his forces so as to
. have averted these murders. Your de.
claration Of this pre-existlng knowledge
of the purposes Of these Indians to fight
proves altogether too much to subserve
the honor of Gen. Howard
Here is what the unprejudiced TEL
LER omitted to see in the ABOVE para.
graph from the Standard: 5'The out.
break must first have taken place before
he could move these troops; mere sus.
picion Of trouble not being sufficient in
army regulations to warrant such ex-
treme aud expensive measures" In