The Russellville Democrat., 1888-08-02

Uut aS lb Is tuS iiHputatlUu ab dShiust us tails to the ground by the weight of testimony against it.
 MT. Potts and the Mail.
 Below will be found Mir. Potts' let. ter to the Atkins Mail lu answer to the many articles which have appear ed in that paper within the past three months against hum. As will be seen the Mail has met "a foeman worthy of his steel" whose caustic pen reveals Tn striking colors the true inwardness of the opposition to him Tn the recent canvass. It is . strong, ringing document, such as would naturally smanate from one unjustly assailed, in order to sus- tain his public and private honor. the proud heritage of every honest man. The letter is as follows:
 EDITOR MAIL:-Inasmuch as you have recently done me the distinguish ed honor(?) of parading my name very prominently at the head of a lengthy editorial in the Mail, desire to answer as you kindly offer me space.
 In the first place, when you repre- sent that have made fight on the Mail, you force mo in an attitude which I have never occupied, further, than stated that I believed you were the au- thor of all the articles contained in your paper. This believed from the fact that there were some things said in those articles about which we had talked and about which no one else knew anything except from you. On tho day of the primary in your town, you kindly showed me that you were not the WRITER of the articles, but oth- CT parties had written them at your dic- tation or from your representations. This settles the question that you, as accessory are equally culpable with the principal. So, after all, you stand in the attitude of the real author.
 Now for the promises made with you the public printing. lhavs this to say: None were made with you relative to this matter which have not been complied with, except the item of publishing the delinquent list of lands, and couple Of notices, both of which will explain.
 The law provides that the delinquent list of lands shall be published in some newspaper published in the county This was done strictly iG compliance with the law in the Russcilyille DEMO- GRAF, and the law allows the county to pay for It's publication in one newspa- per only, and no more-hence it was left for me to elect between the DEMO- cRvs and Mail, and the former having . much larger circulation than tho lat- ter, conceived it to be the proper me- dium through which the delinquent list should be published. could not divide 1t, hence can see no just reason for complaint, since the law has been complied with.
 The second item is the publication of two notices in the DEMOCRAT which might have appeared in the Mail, wherein the Mall lost 60 cts. worth of advertising with forty-fve days inter- est amounting in all to 61 cts. This is the FINANCIAL ground for the eight col umns of reading matter in the Mail on the line of public printing for its per- sonal attack on me. While the TRUE ground is political. subterfuged in the disguise of 61 cents worth of public printing. Hence who has seen cause to complain of my official acts except your self and your writers through the Mail as your mouth-pieces?
 Now, you will kindly permit me to ask you few questions, for notwith- standing all your complaining, supple mentsd by all that has been said in ar- ticles contributed by your henchmen, am unable to see what you have been driving at, unless it is to get this 61 cents, or defeat me for the nomination, SO I ask: Outside of this 61 cents, what is your grievance? Since you are the real author of tle articles in your pa- per wherein have you any rights which I have transgressed in the mat ter of public printing? Upon what do you base your claims to a division of the public printing outside of this 6l cents? Do you charge that have violated any provision of law in this matter? Do you not know that it is the universal custom for the public ads. to be put in the paper published at the county seat in preference to one pub- lished at a town which Is not the coun- ty seat? And my duty in the premises was to select that medium which would best attain this object. In discharging this duty the DEMOCRAT got the legal ads. and the Mail has done the kicking for 6l cents.
 That is all there is In 1t, and owe the Mail no apology in the matter, ex- cept above mentioned. As to whether my motives to carry out the true intent of the law and serve the reading pub lie in this matter, have been more cred ibIe than the Malls motives--disguissd and masqued as you have tried to pre- sent them, 1 cheerfully leave for the public to decide.
 Now,as to your motives in this matter. I think the whole course and tone of your paper, clearly shows the animus which has actuated you, but inasmuch as you having any intention to disorim- mate against me as candidate, l am willing to take the charitable view of it and attribute your course to a pervert- ed judgment, warped and twisted by selfish and sordid motives amounting to 6l cents, rather than bad feeling toward me. And do you not admit that this custom is founded upon well rec ognized principles of justice and pro- priety, especially when the one pub lished at the county seat Is the oldest established paper in the county, with much larger circulation Put your self in the place of the publisher of the DEMOCRAT and answer this question
 without getting choked on the dl cents,
 Would you not if you were he, think it step of extremely doubtful propriety and would It not show 2 disregard for the welfare of the public for the officials
 In charge of the public printing to put the legal ads. In the Mail instead of the
 DEaoCRATS Tn other words, must you
 not see and admit that inasmuch as the
 law provides for paying for public ada
 IN ONLY ONE PAPER, every considers
 tion of sound business and common
 sense dictates that, that paper which is
 published at the county seat and hai
 the largest circulation is the proper
 mediumY 1 conceive that the inten.