Washington sentinel., 1900-03-31
Congressman Lentz vInAed.

parent each day. To us here 4
Washington the news asit appear
in outside papers is a revelation
Even when there is a semblance o
truth il is warped and woven so a!
to be worse than the direct lie. a
few weeks since Mr.. Lentz was ac
cused of attacking the German
press. AS a matter OF tact he die
not say that the German press
could be bought, but that Repub-
licaus would do their best to gel
control OF the German papers and
through them try to inference
German public opinion. For this
reason the Democrats ought to
cater more to these papers.
More recently he has been in,!i-
rectly alta acked in connection with
the Loud bill. We notice that the
Steubenville Gasftte and Lancas-
ter Eagle contain the stateme Mt,
without explanation, that Mr..
Lentz was accused by Congress.
man Mcpherson OF being the agent
OF lobby opposed to the bill. Mr..
Lentz was absent at the time the
charge was made by this amateur
statesman, attending a meeting OF
the Military Committee, and on
being told OF it, declared 1t on the
floor OF the House to be "an un-
mitigated falsehood." The only
ground tor the charge was that
Mr.. Lentz exhibited some reprints
that under the bill would be shut
out as second class matter. These
reprints were given to Mr.. Lentz
by a stranger at the door, who, on
subsequent inquiry, turned out to
be the private secretary of Mr..
Tawnev, a Republican Congress
man from Minnesota. This is all
the foundation there was for the
accusation, which Mr. Mcpherson
later withdrew. Yet on this Himsy
basis the Hanna machine gave to
the press what would seem to be
a charge against Mr.. Lentz.
We cannot too strongly warn
the press and the people against
charges against the peoples cham
pions. Even in the honest press
they sometimes creep in unawares.
But all the press is not honest.
The corporation interests have
sought through its means to con-
troll public opinion. This is especi-
ally so in the great centres. John
Swinton, in an address before the
New York Press Association, said:
There is no such thing in America as
an Independent press, unless out in the
country towns. You are all slaves.
You know it, and know it, although il
you express il you know beforehand it
will never appear in print am paid
$3.50 week Tor keeping honest opinions
out OF the paper / am connected with.
Others Of you are paid similar salaries
for doing similar work. III should allow
honest opinions to be printed in one
issue OF my paper, like Othello, before
"a hours my occupation would be gone,
The man who would be so honest as
q honest ha
out on the street hunting another job,
The busin SIS OF a New York journalist
IS to distOrt the truth, to lie outright, to
perVert, to vilify, to iawn at the ieet Of
Mammon, and TO sell his country and
his race for his daily bread, or for what
is about the same thing, his salary. You
know this, and ] know it, and what
foolerYit is to be bOasting of an inde-
pendent press. We are the tools and
vassals of rich men behind the scenes.
The Mckinley machine has here
a Press Agency working night and
day. callous, corrupt, adroit, un.
scrupulous. II public man can
not be purchased or intimidated,
he is to be traduced and vilifed.
When It suits them he is ignored.
A magnificent address delivered
here by Mr.. Lentz in connection
with ex-Secretary Boutwell, and
ex Senator Henderson, was sur
med up by the EVeHtHg Star in
these words: Congressman Lentz
attacked the President" Ifa word
slips from a mans mouth in the
heat Of debate or extempore speech
it is magnihed or msconstrued.
Not infrequ emily lies are invented
out of whole cloth. Living as we
do IN the centre of thought and
action, where we can run down
roorbacks, we have thought it our
duty, in this connection, to advise
our readers and exchanges OF the
agencies at work to destroy the
reputation OF the honest and fear
less public men who are the hope
and mai1staY OF the Republic.
A Disgrace TO Massachusetts.
John d. Long. the antediluvian