The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-06-14
sconK oxE FOE rnGREOnus11Iox-

out the state Of Nebraska. In which . pro-
hihition amendment IL now pending These
circulars read a. follows:
P1eass rive me psice Per Inch Of inserting
matter dmitar 70 the enc osed clippanxn- FIRST
n ordinary n<rs cofsmn. In n<srs type. trIhous
any adxysfsfag ssnrks. and scccadts on editorial
page - editorial mafter utAont adssvfssfsg ncrks
II ron make m attractive price on this besiuess
II II probable thar eoold close contract nj once
for ~ msch - 100 inches, space to 10 used In
one uonfh. cssh 70 accompany order.
In these circulars were enclosed clip
pings purporting 10 be collection Of sta
tissics showing that there are more liquor
dealers in the Prohibition than in the other
states. with editorial comments calculated
to impress the recipient that they came
from hquor-deaier sources. Within =
month more than fifty answers were re-
cetved, some OF them from newspapers Of
considerable prominence A few of the
papers refused TO print the notices as edit
oriai matter. but not one paper in the state
declined to print them as reading notices.
A considerable majority made prices for
printing the notices either rs news or edit
orial matter. strictly according to the
terms Of the circular. and several went
even further than the circular suggested in
the way Of prostitution and Assessment.
Several Of the answers are published by
the Foice. and some OF them SO mpleteiy
and cruelty impale the authors in full view
Of the Voics reading world that
nothing less than y double-barrelled
shotgun or mi,railieuse could
afford m adequate remedy One says:
II can give You news matter for so cents
an inch. Editorial matter (copy TO be fur
nished by you) for rs cents an inch He
adds that his paper ''is at the present time
the question, and Is moi going to 30 much sn-
less there & something IN IT. Personally"
he says. I'VE are for high-license and
against prohibition. but are publishing a
paper in . prohibition city surrounded by
prhib. community. and do NOT pvupose 70 cut
our fkroaf for nofhiag." Another, claiming
TO have 1.-The largest circulation In the
county" requires 10 be furnished 100 inches
ct 81 per inch each assertion" with the
understanding that be il to have 400 inches
more at the same rate. He reminds them
that he win lose large number of sub
scribers. and that everyone counts $50
OF OF our exchequer." He refers to ..two
prominent saloon-ksepers"- them
las to the standing Of our paper" He
adds: I'VE will lend to the editorial part
Of It and agree not to support the prohibi-
ton amendments What We say, and 1t
viii be no small amount, will be done free
and separate from the proposition men,
toned"
Another claims to be the publisher OF
"the largest and most influential paper in
Northeast Nebraska. and to have the larp-
est circulation. and sby permission" re-
fers 70 several liquor dealers, and fixes his
price at 10 cents . line for locals, % cents
line for editorials. and tells them they
must take him up quick. rs he has offered
the other side the same terms. He says he
prefers to take the other side, however. and
II they close at his terms will "help you In
the fight in every way We can. both by pen
and outside influences" Another claims to
have double the circulation OF any other
paper in the county. and to have .the con-
fidence of the people," and offers to sell
solus boius for the round sum OF sIoo.
THIS one expresses fear OF losing patron.
age by the arrangement, but all the same
he will add one hundred inches of my
own production in addition to what Is re-
ceived from you"
There are many more of the same sort.
bat these are fair samples. The rates ut
which these gentlemen offered to sell pub
lie confidence. and patronage. and inslu-
ence. cannot be considered exorbitant. But
the circulars postage included) which they
answered could not have cost more than
ten dollars for the whole batch. and they
have probably proved more efIectuai than
would have been the results of the large,
bat by no means unreasonable, expendi-
lures contemplated by the answers. The
guns that the opposition might have used
are worse than spiked. Their opposition
now would be worse than futile. For very
shsme's sake IL were better for them now
that they should stand in for the prohibi.
tionists, IS il is the only conrse they can
pursue without attracting suspicion.
1t Is rather sad commentary. however.
on the integrity of Nebraska Journalism.
And nj the same time IL implies more of
cunning than Of high sense of honor and
propriesy on the part Of the seniers OF the
circulars. II MAS hardly in keeping with
the becoming conduct OF greas moral
movement Il were impossible 10 i'm.
2gine VIM Lloyd Garrison. or Wendell
Phillips. or John q. Whittier, or any
Of the great lights Of the original anti
slavery movement resorsing to such
tactics for the purpose OF gaining point
for tie rres; cause in which their hearts
and souls were enlisted. It was q we'll
devised hank movement ON the enemy.
snd has brought quite = number OF people
10 deserved shame. bat there is more OF
cunning and sharp practice in II than is
compatible with curven, IDEAS Of The proner
way - carry ON . moral reform movement,
and after all Is said and done. IL does not
prove that the liquor men were disposed
to Guy the newspaper support which vas
purehasahse.
A correspondent at "a Eastern p2per says thar