The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-10-13
GROSS MISREPRESENTATION

1t is the province OF a newspaper tC
publish the news and not to distort facts
to crafty the spleen of any individual
connected with the paper. Whenever a
newspaper adopts the latter policy it Vi
olates every precept Of decent Journal
ism and becomes the mouthpiece of one
man. 1t is then an organ in every sense
Of the word--a mere channel through
which personal venom is vented upon an
innocent community. The power of the
paper is lost, its virtue to enlighten
and entertain its readers is gone, and it
becomes a monster of such frightful
mean as to be hated needs but to be
seen." Like the deadly Upas tree, it
communicates all who come in contact
with it-friend and foe alike. Veracity
and honesty are two characteristics un-
known to it. They are supplemented
by deception and malignity. Truth be-
m a bywork and decency a Jest.
SANDER takes the place of fair-minded-
ness and malice becomes a jewel.
Consider the above and see if it does
not apply to the account of the board of
trade meeting of Wednesday as it ap-
peared in last nights Leader.
The TRIBUNE yesterday morning gave
an accurate list Of those present. For
convenience sake We reproduce it;
Paris Gibson. Matt Dunn, A. NJ. Scott,
W. NJ. Bole. T. w. Brosnan, S. M. Rob-
bins, H. P. Rolfe, DR.. Sweat, E. q. Ma
clay, Robert Vaughn. DR.. Fairfield, Ira
Myers, A. J. Shores, DR.. Gordon, r. S.
Ford, H. H. Hill, F. Wilcox, DR.. Crutcher,
and a TRIBCNE reporter.
The splenetic organ says only these
we're present: Townsite Attorney Shores,
agent Scott, Vice President Gibson,
Robert Vaughn, George Raban, DR..
Sweat, DR.. Crutcher, aud Ira Myers were
there.
In the first list which we will certify
TO can be seen the names of the manager
Of the Leader and his reporter which is
evidence that the paper was well repre-
sented and ought to have secured a
faithful account of the meeting. The
names of about a dozen others are also
missing in the Leader account-men
who pay heavy taxes and who attended
the meeting because they are citizens of
the town, also members of the board Of
trade and it is their duty to go to these
meetings. They may have been attracted
by the prospect Of hearing the reports of
the Leaders smelling" committees but
that is not the point, they were there
and no report of the meeting is correct
in which their names are omitted. Those
gentlemen are not in any manner con-
nected with the Townsite company so
when the evening calls that gather
ing a Townsite meeting it prints a mali
cious falsehood and a invidious SANDER.
The meeting was in the interest of no
MAJ or clique. 1t was for the benefit of
the whole town. The board of trade has
a perfect right to appoint committees to
investigate whatever it sees fit and no
mortal power can prevent the same. So
mas the board of trade a right to meet to
hear the reports Of those committees.
BY what system Of reasoning does the
organ of Misrepresentation and personal
animosity arrive at the conclusion that
it was anybody's meeting in particular:
1t was just as open and untrammeled a
meeting as wass ever held in any COM
munity. 1t was no more under the con-
troll Of the Townsite company than is the
north pole. Everyone present had perfect
liberty to say whatever he wished and to
vote on the several motions as he saw fit.
The chief business before the meeting
was to hear the reports Of the investi-
eating committees, if they had any to
make, and to consider the same. AS it
happened only n committee, that on
city affairs, wds ready to report, and
what a comprehensive report it was. 1t
was strictly impartial, treating demo-
Gratis and republicans alike, bestowing
merit where it was due and criticism
wherever it was needed. The Leader is
go imbued with the spirit of deception
that it could not speak oven a good word
for the report even though most of the
officials who we're complimented in the
same belong to its party.
MI. Shores of the committee appointed
to look into the mysterious school bond
affair said the committee was not pre-
AIRED to report yet. He gave a few out
ines of what the committee had OBJ
aimed in the way Of proof respecting the
questionable transaction with II. b. Pal
mer. The committee had learned where
$500 of the $3.50 went to and by the
next meeting it hoped to show among
whom the remaining $3.50 was divided or