The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-09
FOUR NAME Nv THE PAPER.
Essay By Comptroller Fitch on One or the
Bywrys 60 Fame.

A young man named Walker. who .aid he
represented n newspaper called Ctv Gorern-
ment, invited Comptroller Fitch to subscribe for
q number OF extra copies of a special edition Of
the paper which Is TO contain . write up Of
the Finance Department.. Mr.. Wake or said that
Mayor Strong had ordered 1000 copies. The
Comptroller told Mr.. Walker that he would
have nothing to do with the scheme, and con-
sidered II "a mild form of b~lackmaii." He
heard nothing further about the matter until he
received u letter from II. J. Gonden. the editor
OF Citp Government. In which the writer said
that he was astonished to learn that n man of
Mr.. Fitch's discretion and high standing should
make MI uncalled for attack upon CITY
Government enterprise by calling II u black
mailing publication. Mr.. Fitch sent the follow
Ing reply to MIR. Gonden:
Il did not say to your representative that 9Th
Government was q black mailing publication. I
said to him that his proposition to mo was q
mild form OF blackmall with which | was ex.
ceedinRly familiar. In hve campaigns for cleo
tion and ten years In Office these propositions
have been made to me as they have been to every
body else who Is n candidate for or holds office,
very many times, You IRE entirely right In
saying that 1t Is not fair to criticise any one or
anything without first knowing exactly what
you critioise,' j was criticisipg n proposal that
l should order n large number OF copies OF a
newspaper which was TO contain some account
ally al % so one J ,ay IN mG n. s]a ahssS prG @anssr, fsn ,So
individual who is to be written up pays for 800
copies ne is described In the newspaper as a dis-
he Is described a. . very slsilynaSi. teiV . sSpss.
man, and II he doubles the last mentioned order
man Of, the century. At very small expense it
is possible for any gentleman in Office to have
sonal beauty explained at great length in papers
o. no circulation Whatsoever and "A little extra
generosity will include his entire family In the
ut may be, as you claim. that you intend to
accept the money and not make the customary
the severost manner the mistakes and sins OF
those whose checks you receive and praise
likely.
However this may be, ! will not give you or
anybody else one two-cent postage stamp in
connection with. any article written about the
department OF which l happen to be at the head
or about me.
reason why | was perhaps a little sharp
IN manner with your representative was that he
has been here several times seeking TO get a list
from our books of the people who sell supplies
to the city, which II would DO most improper
was to GO to the persons whose names he ob.
tained asking for advertisements and snbscrlp-
a,ons Tor your paperri MANY OF these people nre
mcnt. and II they found their names had been
given by ms II would have been easy work to
advertise and subscribe.
"on my mentioning his application to the
Mayor. the former expressed his belief that this
would constitute "a form OF blackmaIl, and
agreed with me that | did right In refusing to
give your paper any such list
g" doubt very much whether you will accom-
plish much toward the regeneration OF Ameri-
can cities by the methods which you have
adopted in dealing with this department."
The last shot In the paper battle was fred by
Mr.. Gonden yesterday when. In his reply TO Mr..
Fitch's letter. he said that no amount OF money
can Influence his paper to commend that which
does not deservs commentator. or prevent IL
from condemningt that which IL considers wrong.