The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1894-10-26
now THE rREss BACKslID.


1t is truly remarkable how arrogan
and overwhelming some people can beeona
the moment they get their heads allow
water. irrespective of tlicmeans they en-
pley for keeping ailoat
For instance. the editor Of that blath
skite, back-hifing sheet called the Lake
Charles Press. Here is man, right il
our midst, who came here aboat one yaal
ago, according to his own say 50, With
1890 in his pocket, ANA when lie dis.
/ covered he could not bluff the proprietor
Of ghe ECHO, started ont and gulled the
good people Of Lake Charles into believ.
ing that he was to give them an tiinae-
pendent democratic newspaper. And as
most ef those he approached had never
hoarl Of su6ls an instrument, they were
impsiIed b. curiosity and subscribed for
this independent democratic paper at
30 cents for one year
For while, Che paper behaved very
wrll, save that ever and anon the editor
still smarting under the snub which he
had received from the proprietor Of the
Echo, made understand thrusts at it.
Most of these malicious destinations were
treated as they deseryea-with silent con
tempt.
Bat al of 4 Sudden, the independent
democratic paper, after having gained n
foothold in the community. and poaketed
the subscribers money, wheeled right
around, became a violent and devoted
supporter of Judge Taylor Beattie and
declared for republieanism and proteo-
ton, such an act was nothing short of
treason, but then, now that the veil has
been lifted and peep taken behind the
curtain, this transformation is easily ae-
counted for. One word explains IT.
money. 1t was greed for the almighty
dollar which accomplished the feat And
this is the way it was done:
The paper was going down; money was
scarce, and unless something very unfore-
seen occurred, it would have to shut up
shop The oily editor interested friend
of his in the venture and they bought
new machinery. etc. Still, more money
was needed. In other words, TO quote
the editor of the Press, ''They had bitten
off more than they could chew"
The sugar planters bolted. Taylor
Beattie was nominated for congress.
Still, the opposition to repnblieanism was
SO powerful and stubborn on the part of
the democratic press Of Csloasieu parish
that radical organ was needed in Lake
Charles. If the Lake Charles Press
turned tthe word is merely figurative)
and shouted for Taylor Beattie
Il, COO copies would be purchased at a ret
price of i've cents per copy The Press
crowd smacked their lips-s750! The
was too strong, The next
issue was transformed from independent.
to republican.
That is what the editor of the Press
confesses to. And this is the sort of per I
son the people of this city have harbored
and assisted! Can any dependence be
placed In tie columns of the Press after
these facts come TO light Who knows
but what tomorrow, some third partyite
viii not step in and pay little higher
price thandid Taylor Bsattie's henehmen ? |
Now If the people Of Lake Charles can
hesitate longer in their choice of reliance |
between the Press and the democratic |
papers Of this city, it Is because they do
not wish to get reliable and anbought /
opinions.
1t is crying shame that sRcl an ex-
posture should have TO be made. a news 4
paper should always be the medium by
which the opinion and voice Of the peo-
pie is heard not the machine of political
bosses who by their brides, buy out for
a paltry sum, the mind and opinion Of (
AL editor.
The revelations above made are unde- I
aiable, and the editor of the Echo shall /
ever continue to expose crookedness and |
aphold honesty.