Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-12-01
DAILY POST.INTELueENcER
A YxduAR CONTRACT

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A shoYs time AGO the SPOKANE Faas
Cayszsele published an inssrTisS Sish
Special Agent HALEY in regard 70 TIE
gigantic timber frauds perpetrsseo os
The Montana Improvement Company
hetvsen the Cascade and the ROCKY
Mountains. The connection between
.h. Montana Improvement Company
ana the Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany was referred 10. and the question
.ble transactions Of both companies
we're criticized. This inierviez called
forth a letter from A. ID Charlton OF
Portland. General Western Passenger
AGENT Of the Northern Pacific, when y
Published in part in the last number Of
the chronlek. Among other things M.
Charlton says:
my contract With yon - thai you
will not uniustly eriticise this CON pHhy.
We do pot object TO far oriticisth' pAs
the article 10 QUESTION 10 maiicl9u7 Ane
unjust. In consequence OF TINS -
necessary for me TO reqoest you 70
withdraw this eonpsny's al. nov pon-
Iished 10 your pager, ara 20 return
iris Office Transportation furnished you.
This will give the public faint idea
of the system of bribing the press which
has been adopted by tbs Northern Pa
cifc Railroad. The PosT-lSTELLoES-
oxn has always known that for the
free passes 20 generously lavished upon
the railroad organs Of Washington Ter
ritory and Oregon. Substantial return
was expected; bat It never Supposed
that formal contracts are entered into
between the publishers OF the newsps-
psrs aud the railroad company by ~hich
the former bind themselves not to "un-
Justly critioiss" the latter. OF course
the agents Of the company are the sole
Judges OF whether or not CRITICISM 10
uniust, and the contract Is equivalent
10 an agreement on the part OF the news
rapsr not 10 oriticise the company or
its operations. IL is simply formal
expression Of the implied agreement
which always exists when Newspapers
accept such favors at the hands Of rail
Foads.
The dishonorable nature Of such
transaction Ia apparent. A newspaper
has OF necessity an agreement with the
public, which supports and sustains 1t,
BY which IL IL bound 10 regard the pub
lilo interest above all things and to en-
dssvor In every way 10 bring about what
1. eoneeiyes TO be the greatest good to
its constituents. In supporting news
paper the pablo virtually hires an agent
10 collect and disseminate the news, to
draw deductions from that news, aud to
advise the public a. best IL can OF the
proper course to be pursued at any par
tioulsr time. Such an agreement 10
absolutely incompatible with contract
such as that referred to by Mr.. Charl-
ton. Il Ia impossible at all times to
faithfully serve both the public and a
railroad corporation. Ii Is impossible
ct any time TO faithfully serve the pub
lie and such corporation as the North
eFn Pacific.
wherever the interests Of the public
and those Of the company conflict, and
newspaper begins TO speak In defense
of the public rights, the company points
arimly 10 it's contract, and the newspa-
per at once becomes dumb, thus violat-
Ing Its honor aud Deeiectine its duty to
the people. In the case In qsestion the
Chrosiele published nothing more than
an interview showing the relations be
tween the Northern Pacific Company
aud the Montana Improvement Com
psny. That the statements Published
we're not Rroundless is attested by the
fact that they have been deemed sufti
oient for the beginning Of suits against
the Montana Improvement Company by
the Government. As soon as they are
published by q railroad paper. however,
Mr.. Charlton shakes his contract in the
face Of the editor and asserts the com
pany's rights.
The Spokane Falls Chronicle has re
GENTLY shown much more Independence
than any other Of the free pass gang.
Nov that its " contract" with the rail
road has been broken. Il 10 10 be hoped
that 10 will devote itself heart and soul
10 the work Of promoting the interests
Of the people, and that the ability with
which 10 10 edited will be used in the
cause Of popular rights.