Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-10-02
rHuRsroH COUNTY PEOPLES PARTY TICKET.
An Unjustifiable Assault.

One of the most scurrillous and I'M
warranted attacks upon the character
of thorough and universally respected
gentleman ever published in this
State was that which appeared in the
Olympian of Friday, under the cap
ton of Beating His Board Bill" OF
which Hon. w. C. Jones, the Peoples
nominee for Congress, was the victim.
The offense is none the less reprehen-
sible from the fact that it is accredited
to q newspaper in Skagit county (the
HERALD which has little if any circula-
ton outside of its county, or that its
Olympian's editor subsequently disa-
vowed all knowledge of or RESPONSE
bility for its republication. The ar
ticle, if it had been confined to its
original circulation could scarcely be
construed into libel, and the second.
thought which impels an editor to
place blame upon other shoulders, be-
trays haphazard sort OF journalism
which impairs its usefulness and
destroys the respect usually accorded
to profession eminent for conscien.
tious discharge of duty.
The perversion of the honorable gen.
tleman's name into "Water Closet
Jones" belongs to that kind of wit
which emanates from brain clouded
by purient thoughts and enslaved by
indecent suggestions. 1t should
never find place in any respectable
newspaper, even if the editor, like
Homer, does sometimes nod while on
duty. Nor does it seem to be an in
excusable breech of business faith that
q regular guest at hotel should leave
q small bill unpaid, in these times
when unforgotten bills often 60 for
months unhonored. 1t is not I'm.
usual for gentleman having bank
accounts to pay by check, nor is it an
unusual occurrence for depositor to
overdraw his balance, although it very
rarely happens that payment is re-
fused of q small amount to a regular
patron when the deposition 10 known
to be entirely solvent and willing to
pay. 1t seems that in this instance,
another party was to have made de-
post to the credit of Mr.. Jones and
had he done his duty, those human
jackale who are continually nosine
about for carrion in their adversaries'
outposts would have found nothing to
scent, and such papers as the Skagit
Valley Herald and the Thurston
County Olympian would have been
deprived of a delectable tid.bit to serve
at their partisan table.
The amusing part of the whole mat.
ter is found in tho haste with which
the Olyn,piam retracts the offensive in.
situations, soon as it was ascertained
that the highly-seasoned "roast"
failed to pass the gullet of some Of the
most unquestioning Of Republican
Threats, and where it was "downed
by others was Immediately followed by
the Jonah and the whale act. When
Sam Woodruff, who is . fair partisan,
entered his vigorous protest, and At
torney General Haight shouldered a
part Of the responsibility for the re-
turn of the dishonored check, the
Olympian began to see that it had bit
off rather more than it could
comfortably masticate, and it literally
tumbled over itself in the attempt to
retract.
If it has learned the important les.
son which Experience should teach,
that it is an inexcusable violation OF
personal right to assail private
character, under the license which
some people imagine that candidacy
involves, it may have some recon-
pense for the tribulation and anguish
of spirit through which it has passed,
by maligning the character OF one of
the best men in the State. Let us,
1t least, hope that this is so. The
day is indeed ill.spent that carries with
.fat0MtktVsrseled nspt the Aatlr-
way q KpoYledge. '"l