Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-06
LETTER BAG.
NIT. gage to the Fore. .

Messrs. Joseph d. Lynch and J. ]. Ayers;
GENTLEMEN AND EDITORS OF THE HER.
AID: A few days ago an erroneous article
appeared in your paper, noted, among
its many other excellent features, for its
great courtesy aud fairness, purporting
to state my political attitude in some re-
spects, and which political position, in
etead OF being derived from myself, was
obtained from third parties--a course Of
journalism which then and now seems
hardly considerate enough of my rights
in the premises. My political views be-
ing thus publicly brought before the
community, deemed it, therefore, ap-
propriate to correct the error through
the same conspicuous and distinguished
journal which had sent the mistake
abroad, possibly to my injury, though
unintentional, l know. Hence | ad-
dressed you personally (but for publica-
ton, nevertheless) communication TO
that effect-went to your office-found
you both absent-left it to be handed to
either one of you gentlemen upon your
return.
1t will, therefore, be readily seen that
the object OF my epistle was not to en-
gage in newspaper controversy, but to
avoid being misrepresented solely. 1t
might seem, then, that such commu-
nication, made under such circum-
stances, demands no reply, other than,
perhaps, possibly, an expression of re-
gret on your part that the reporter
should have mlsrepresented me for the
reason and in the manner in which it
was done. At all events, such would
have been my course had / been simi-
larly circumstanced. But be that. how
ever, as it may, there appeared in the
HERALD the next morning after my note
therein two articles or letters, tempered
with no inconsiderable malignity and
purporting to correct incidental history
which I had alluded to, and in both OF
which were pointed personal references
to myself. These articles, not bearing
the signatures OF the several authors,
are not entitled to be here noticed any
further than it shall appear that some
portions of them have been adopted by
the HERALD. Of course, have no
means oil knowing but presume that
the headlines of said two communica-
tions were the newspaper products !;
aud If so, You publicly declare that
"Gage is corrected" etc., and seem to
adhere to the historical viewe of the
contributors. If I am in error
in this regard, and you do not hold to
such views, then shall carry the con-
troversy no farther. On the other hand,
if the adverse criticisms in the said
headlines were your views, then please
allow me the space in your valuable
columns to state that / am not cor
fnd mn in hn nj
tion that nowhere in the political hid
tory of this country is there to be found
| president OF the United States run
| ming three times successfully for the
presidential place, unless it be Cleve.
+ land.
1t must be remembered that in my
former letter was making comparison
of Harrison and Cleveland in reference
to the proposition OF official terms
Harrison is at this date running for 9
second term, being now in office. This
| was C1eveland's attitude when he ran
| against Harrison after nomination in
1888; 60 that by the acts of these two
distinguished competitors we know
that they entertain the came principles
/ in reference to a second term; and, un-
less one were quite incredulous be
might imagine from Cleveland's pres
! ent attitude that he is in the race 9
\ third time. Therefore, it is manifest
| that as to races Harrison has not occu
pied the track as often as Cleveland
and that Harrison, from my announced
| standpoint, occupies somewhat supe
rior position in reference to this particu
lar comparison. But if it ia true that
| political history demonstrates thai
| Cleveland is not the only one, but that
Jackson and Jefferson or other Demo
Gratis have occupied similar positions
what of it?
| If historically true, it would only
serve the purpose of illustrating that
| Democrats have furnished more exam
Piles of the vicious practice whichI com
| plain of than heretofore l ventured to
| claim. Does the correction" seek tC
| show that the Democratic position is
even worse than stated? But no mat.
| ter about that Just now. l desired tc
| call vonr attention to the fact that my
| previous letter, under consideration, was
brought about in this manner: was
! busily engaged in my offices advising
with gentlemen from abroad in reference
| to very important litigation, when a re-
porter from the Evening Express called
me ont and stated that the Hon. III. u.
| Osborne directed him to hand me your
| said publication in reference to myself.
| Deeming that it demanded immediate
| attention, I called in stenographer and
| hastily dictated to him what l had TO
say as an interview by the Express, and
likewise dictated the letter to your
| selves, and then turned again to my
Office affairs above referred to.
And have this to say that it would
not have been remarkably strange If, in
cident to the haste of such procedure,
had made some mistake in verDiage or