Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-04-23
WHAT NEWSPAPERS SAY
TAs .na'.s 4 |. Case which He.
Created Much Talk-Ths
susss,Position.
From the Baltimore American.

From the Baltimore American.
When the New York Sun printed bitter
attack in which t. assailed the personal
character Of Mr.. Frank B. Noyes Of The
Washington Star. the American. speaking
from personal knowledge. declared that the
statements were without foundation. We
added that Of all the men We knew none
was more upright, moro honorable and
careful in his personal conduct and bust
re So experiences than Mr.. Noyes. We are
glad that the action that Mr.. Noyes In
stituted has ended In q full and complete
apology on the part Of the Sun. which &C
knowledges that 1t did grave injustice to
a gentleman whose character is above re-
proach."
From the st. Louis Republic
When the New York Sun published under
compulsion retraction Of Its unprovoked
and wholly unfounded attack on Mr.. Frank
B. Noyes Of The Washington Star. 1t missed
the opportunity to appear graceful and
good-tempered. 1t might have avoided the
appearance Of unwillingness by including.
without compulsion. other members Of the
Associated Press dictatorship who had been
with Mr.. Noyes grossly maligned in the
same article.
Let Us Have Peace.
From the Scranton Tribune
In consequence Of a manly retraction and
apology printed in the Sun on Saturday last.
the prosecution by Frank B. Noyes Of
Charles A. Dana for criminal libel has
been discontinued, Mr., Dana paying the
costs. The libel and the prosecution were
the joint products of the animated struggle
for supremacy between the United and the
Associated Press which lately ended in a
complete victory for the latter. Mr.. Dana.
during that fight, being president Of the
United Press, printed charges against Mr.
Noyes who was active on the other side.
that not only were unfounded and unjust,
but as the Tribune said at the time. were
out Of place in an open business rivalry.
The retraction of them being all that Mr..
Noyes sought through litigation, with that
he expresses thorough satisfaction.
This episode is interesting to the gen.
eral public as showing how even the dean
OF American journalism-for that Mr.. Dana
admittedly is-may be betrayed upon occa-
sions into indefensible positions. 1t Is quite
probable that Mr.. Dana, when he printed
the attack upon Mr.. Noyes, believed in it's
truthfulEess, but. If so, it was a belief
formed not in GOODNESS nor upon delibera-
tion but in passion. The Authorization ex
tended to no person acquainted with Mr..
Noyes, and instead of it doing the latter
injury we think he himself will now admit
that 1t did him good. 1t certainly was the
turning point in the war Of the press asso-
citation for from that moment the organiza
ton OF which Mr.. Noyes was and is a
prominent and valued director began to
forge ahead until ultimately 1t swept the
field. M
We do not write this in disparagement
of Mr.. Dana. The. newspaper writer or
reader who should permit one, two or a
dozen mistakes by the editor of the Sun to
shut out a just appreciation of Mr.. Dana's
incalcufable services to American Journal
ISM would confess to his own weakness of
judgment and poverty of understanding
To say that Charles A. Dana has faults is
to remark simply that he is not a dream
oil
the dome Of heaven Is his equal? You will
look for such an one in vain