The herald., 1898-02-04

ciples The Herald espouses; that as {
member of that party he has been en-
abled to secure consideration of hi'
claims for further preferment at the
hands of the governor of the state. alst
Democrat, and that he occupies q
position which. however unenviable. en-
ables him to injure this paper to great
er or less extent, should be conclusive tc
the minds of all fair minded men thai
the defense of the public interest, COM
pretended in its exposure of the persons
utter unfitness, was undertaken at some
sacrifice; that 1t was not inspired by
political bias, and was prompted solely
by strong conviction of public duty,
from which it could not shrink had it
the disposition to do so.
The person assailed, in the latest issue
of his own publication, has furnished
abundant evidence of the heretofore toll
Grant if not amicable and sympathetic
relations between the parties to the suit
for libel that has been instituted. thus
minimizing if not altogether removing
the possible element of malice in the
exposure made by this journal.
The substantial truth of the allega-
tions made will be set up as defense to
the absurd pretensions of this mans
COMPLAINT that his character has been
maligned and his reputation injured. A
lit .,1,o n or 4
reputation, and as to the extent to
which the one may be maligned and the
other injured. In other words, we will
at the appointed time meet him at Phil
lipi. in the meantime consigning him
and his reputation to the keeping of his
clan.
But with the people whose interests
are somewhat involved in this contro-
versy, which we trust will have been
adequately protected by the precipita-
tion Of it. we would have another word.
by way of explanation, not of apology
The board of state bank commissioners
consists of three members, appointed by
the governor, to whom it makes an an
nual report. The commissioners are
charged with duties, so far as the finan-
cial institutions of the commonwealth
are concerned. identical with those per-
formed by the comptroller of the cur
rency in his supervision of national
banking institutions. The banks and
trust companies handling the money of
the people are periodically examined
and their condition reported, to the end
that the interests of their patrons may
be safeguarded in all of the ways pro-
vided by law.
Ii will be seen without further elab
Grafton that the proper discharge of
these duties calls for the highest order
of financial ability. skill, knowledge
and experience; that it calls for un-
questioned integrity and business prob
ity. The duties are nothing if not tech
nical, and the laws are abortive when
they are not intelligently and conscien-
tiously performed.
In the article complained of we at
without ambiguity or malice,
to show how utterly untitled Is H. W.
Patton for the trust We alleged that
he knows no more about the banking
business than a Hottentot knows of
heaven; that he is not an accountant;
that he is not man of business train
ing: that he is not man whose judg
nent can be relied upon to decide in
folyed and intricate matters. We pro- |
ested further that Patton is not a cred |
table or acceptable representative of
he Democratic party of Southern Cali
ornia in whose name he was seeking
his preferment. In support of this con-
ention we allege conduct upon the part
# Patton which should absolutely bar
1im from membership in the party, in
stead of emitting him to any Of its |
'avors.
But there was naught Of malice in our
feelings toward him. We traversed his |
equipment for the duties of the position
sought only so far as was deemed essen
.ial to the proper enlightenment of a |
Democratic governor and the awakening
If the people to the danger that was
nenaced, that the moral influence of
The community, without regard to polit
cal afIiliation, might be added to the
protest made by us in good faith. We
ire conscious of patriotic duty fear
essly performed, and we have no ap-
,rehensions of an adverse verdict at the
,ar of justice, or at the bar of that
,reates courts to administer them.
c0rrr crrooEcrrn DTTnDNc