The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1896-11-26
HANNA CHARGED WITH BUY
ING AGRICULTURAL Pa
PERS IN THE WEST.
The Homestead" a Des Moines
Publication, to Make Sem
sationaI Disclosures.
IT DEFIES LIBEL SUITS.
DECLARES THAT 5000, 900 WAS SPENT
TO INFLUENCE FARMERS PAPERS
IN MANY STATES.

AN ALLEGED OFFER DECLINED.
Des Moines, To Nov 30 Home
stead, an agricultural paper publish
ed here, will morrow, in special /
edition OF 100000 copies, expose
the methods of Mark Hanna in pur-
chasing the agricultural papers Of
the central west, particularly in the
doubtful states, to influence the far
mers away from silver. The article,
consisting of 5000 words, makes
direct charges that papers were
bought, aud challenges those iupli-
Gated TO sue for libel. 1t directly
charges that Wallace's Farmer, pub
lihed here, was purchased, and esti
mates that fully 100000 was spent
to buy other payers i'll Iowa, Indi
ana, Nebraska. Illinois, Minnesota,
Ohio and Michigan. Although names
of the men who carried on the deal
are not given. they are described.
The descriptions fit United States
senator, national committeeman and
several Iowa politicians.
The Homestead says it was itself
invited into the deal aud gives tie
entire transaction away. 1t tells of
conferences with republican leaders
held by james ~ Pierce. manager,
and S. f. Stewart, editor, both here
and in Chicago, and says that the
price offered was about $4,000. In
return for this the Homestead was
to publish articles, disguised as non
partisan, to be furnished by writer's
in the employ of the republican
committee, and to refuse to publish
communications from silver men un
til the close of the campaign. Thou
sands of sample copies were to be
sent to the addresses of doubtful
farmers. gathered by the county
committeeman in the central western
states. Pierce and Stewart say they
led the republican managers on until
they understood tie whole deal; Sc
cured the names Of papers bought
aud the prices paid, and then broke
off negotiations
The article exposing the alleged
deal opens with statement that ag
ricultural papers should be non par
, tisap; that they should be unpur
chaseable because they are depended
on By the farmers to tell the truth
/ free from party bias. It says that
different sets of republican workers
2 operated with different papers, sc
that exposure would be more diff
, cult il anything went wrong
Mr.. Pierce. iii his part OF the ar
. tcie. says lie was summoned by 6
prominent politician to a conference
early in july; that he was asked tt
; GO into the deal and that it was ex
planned to him that at that tim,
E Iowa was for silver by $4,000 votes
! ! and that something must be done tt
get the farmers in line. Partisan
1 papers could not do it. he was told
D because the farmers were suspicious
: of partisan papers. and that wha
was wanted was an apparently non
I partisan discussion of the question
! without reference TO republicans 0,
democrats 1t would take time tc
: bring them back into lire.
Then follows long explanation
of the methods used to gst the
t Homestead into line Editor Stew.
art went to Chicago, where he held
E conferences with the republican
managers. He Was told, he save.
: that similar contracts had been made
!, with many other agricultural papers
and the conditions were made plain
I Letters and kilograms explaining
the minor details follow. Then, the