Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-12
BEFORE JUDGE BRADLEY.
Democratic Bureaus Suit Against thu
N. A. Winter Company.

Democratic Bureaus Suit Against the
n. A. Winter Company.
Justice Bradley OF the Supreme Court OF
the District of Columbia Is now engaged
framing the first decision ever rendered, it
is said. involving the subject of campaign
oratory by graphophone.
According to the papers in the case, few
months ago a democratic bureau was estab
lished, with headquarters in this city, for
the purpose OF supplying photograph or
graphophone records of the speeches Of the
democratic orators. with graphophone ma
chimes, to the various democratic clubs. or
CARNATIONS and associations throughout
the country. thus affordng small rural To-
caHties that would not be visited by great
political lights the privilege OF hearing the
questions of the hour discussed by these
national celebrities in their own voices, the
same as though they were actually pres
emit When an investigation was made for
the purpose of carrying out their plans. 1t Is
explained, they learned that the republic
cans had anticipated them. and that the
only campaign privilege In this line was en-
joyed by the M. A. Winter Company,
local corporation. contract was made
the Democratic Photographic Campaign
Committee bureau for the dissemination
Of freshly gathered campaign oratory was
established
1t is charged by the defendant that the
complainants ran short of money and the
Winter company refused to furnish graphic
phone materials until the agreed price for
the same was forthcoming. The complain
ants decided to proceed through the me
dunn of injunction. An order was there
fore procured IN the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia citing the Winter com
pany to show cause why 1t should continue
to suppress the forensic eloQuence of the
democratic party.
The case has occupied the attention Of
Justice Bradley for the greater part of the
past two days. The compliments alleged,
among other things, that they had been ar
bitrarily throttled in their business deals.
for no other reason than that Of being
democrats. after they had gone to great
personal expense to secure genuine graphic
phone records of short speeches by William
Jennings Bryan. the democratic candidate
for the presidency; Adlai E. Stevenson, the
democratic candidate for the vice presi-
deacy; OF Towne, the populist nominee for
the vice presidency. and Orations by Sulzer
of New York and Fleming of Kentucky, ana
Endorsements by w. r. Hearst. Richard
Of New York and ]. G. Johnson. the chair
man Of the national executive democratic
committee
In their answer the Winter company char
acterized the charge that they were con-
spring to suppress democratic oratory as
q fantastic delus;on," and denied that 1t
or its officers had "conspired with the re-
publican party or any person or persons
whatsoever to prevent the circulation of
the speeches of the democratic candidates
or the use Of the graphophone by the demo-
cratic party in the present presidential
campaign" On the contrary. 1t was averred
1t was wholly because of the Indebtedness
Of the complainants to 1t. and the violation
by the complainants of the terms of the
contract entered into between them to pay
cash for the records, that 1t rescinded the
contract. in protection of its own interests.
Attorney Andrew A. Lipscomb represent
ed the complainants and Attorney Henry
H. Classic appeared for the NJ. A. Winter
COMPANY