Arizona republican., 1898-02-11
THE NEWS AND SOUR GRAPES.


 at Wilcox, has another attack of sour grapes. The News was troubled with this complaint some time ago, but for several weeks had shown S gns of improvement. It has now suffered a relapse. The cause of this ailment was an abnormal desire on the part of the News to be the only publica- tiOn representing the livestock inter- ests of the territory. The News in sisted on being made the official or gan of the livestock sanitary board In other words, it sought to be the only bull on the range. The sanitary board thought otherwise and decided that the paper publishing the stray list and other official matters should be one of territorial circulation, issued at the capital. The News possessed neither of these requirements, so it was not chosen. On the contrary, The Weekly Republican filled the bill and was made the official paper. The News says that the governor had se- lected The Republican, and intimates that the board had no power in the matter. This is untrue The mem bers of the board were not of the same opinion regarding a choice, and competition was sharp between the News and The Republican, the only papers under consideration. It was rendered more so by the fact that the then chairman of the board had as- sured the News publisher that his pa per would be chosen. and that it only required statement to that effect in full meeting to make it so. But it didn't. The exact inducement held out to the then chairman by the News can refrains from mentioning at this time; also the contents of a telegram received by this member of the board from the News man when the board was on the point of making decis- ion. Suffice it to say that The Re publican was at a decided disadvan- tage. In view of the facts in this case the boast of the News that it pub fishes the stray list gratis for the benefit of it's patrons, while The Re publican charges for such service, falls rather fiat. The News tried hard enough to get the privilege or charg ing, but failed. It is now obliged to perform the service gratis or go out of business. The News without the official stray list, which it takes bodily from The Weekly Republican, would be less valuable to cattlemen than Ayers almanac. That is why the News does something for nothing. Because The Republican advertises it's stockgrowers' edition, the News states that we are disappointed at the amount of patronage received and are 'tendeavoring to gull stockmen into be- lieving that it is in no sense a par tisan newspaper" The Republican be- lieves in advertising and makes it pay. If the News does not, it is a poor me dium to patroniZe. We have no reason to be disappointed at results so far and are willing to compare sub scription lists with the News at any time and will venture the assertion that The Weekly Republican has as many patrons in the counties of Gra ham, Cochise, Pima and Pinal as the News has in the whole territory. As to partisanship, the News has an un- enviable reputation in that respect which is not forgotten by many repub- lican stockmen. The Weekly Repub- lican is not partisan, but has always been paper for all parties, and will continue to be so. The News also charges inexperience and seeks to make comparisons. To this we have to say that the News man cannot be accused of being experienced in much of anything, the newspaper and live stock business especially. He was a bookkeeper only two years ago, | when he became the editor of this local weekly, which Is probably the best comment on his experience. The News never contains more than four
 columns of matter beside the stray 1 list, that could be construed as of in
 terest to stockmen. The Weekly Re publican devotes from seven to ter columns beside the stray list to these interests. It also contains the lates
 telegraphic, mining and territoria
 news and is an eight-page weekly, solo
 at two dollars per year. Our Willco,
 contemporary possesses none of ths
 news features of The Weekly Repub
 lican and is a six-page weekly sold a
 three dollars per year.
 The livestock sanitary board mad
 no mistake when it did not choose tn
 News as it's official paper. Tn
 News is certainly entitled to know tn
 doings of the board, and to publisl
 the stray list. The board would nc
 be doing it's duty by the stock
 men and the public should it seel
 to withhold these privileges from an
 one. The present board is compose