Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1902-02-07
.ENNONS COUNTY RECORD.
BY D. z. STREETER.
Linton, North Dakota.
Pioneer Journal Of the County.
The Record is entered at tho Linton Post
Office as second-class matter.
as TO BUslN Ess ETHICS.

As TO BUSINESS ETnIcs.
When man violates promise or an
obligation it is only reasonable to ex-
pect that he will offer an excuse for
the violation, even If such excuse be
fliipsy and puerile in the extreme.
This observation is !educed by q
recent lengthy article signed by c. A.
Patterson announcing that he had
purchased Mr.. McFarland's interest
in the paper established by the latter
last year in Linton. In said article
Mr.. P. makes certain statements that
are far from jibing with the truth.
The facts regarding the purchase Of
the Winona Times by the Record man
are as follows, aud several people Of
the county hays full knowledge there
Of: In the spring Of 1899, after the two
papers came to Linton, it was soon
seen by both publishers that the field
was too small for two papers, as the
few business men could not be expect
ed to furnish advertising in any great
volume to both. The day of the meet
ing Of the county board in April OF
the same year, the two publishers met
and during the afternoon and evening
discussed the outlook. Both agreed
that the field was too limited for both
papers to earn a decent living, and
Mr.. Patterson stated to great many
people that that was why he sold. The
writer offered Mr.. Patterson $500 for
his paper, but he asked 500. Finally,
about Midnight Of the same day, an
agreement was made At the latter fig
ure. The writer said 1T would be Of
little benefit to him to buy the Times IL
Mr.. p. at once started another paper,
whereupon the latter willingly agreed
not to publish 3 paper In the county
for five years. The papers were made
out in the presence Of and at the dicta-
tion Of both parties.t0 the contract.
Everything ;Yas GUne in the most
friendly and agreeable way. There
was no attempt by any one to take ad-
vantage Of the youth, fnexperience
and constitutional guileleSsneSa Of the
phcnOmenally modest and retiring
owner Of the Times. The whole trans
action was public, and two or three
county Officers were present when the
paper was made out, and both parties
to the deal heard It read before they
signed it.
While running the Times Mr.. p.
claimed that it had ythe largest circu.
'latiop In Che DISTRICT but whether
the congressional, judicial, legislative
or school district, an eager and won
dering public was not informed. After
the paper came into the Record mans
possession he at once proceeded, fgu.
ratively speaking, to open the bag and
examine his pig. He found that q
liberal estimate OF the cash value of
the material would not reach sum
shove e40O; that the ads In the paper
were worth not more than els a
month, mostly to be paid for by Bis
marck clothing stores In gorgeous rail-
ment with which to array the young
mans person; that the subscription
list was padded with dead-head adj
dresses, with no dates as to the begin
ming or ending Of the subscription pc
riod, and that, after striking of all
but bona-fide circulation, there were
including those to whom a years
subscription had been presented at
the time of Mr.. PattersOn's cOmbtna-
tion dance and newspaper gitt enter
prise in Linton the winter preceding
barely 200 subscribers, and that was
about the number when the paper was
taken to Braddock.
For about aaftEtnight Mr.: Patterson
was greatly pleased, and related to peo-
pie about town how he had gotten y
pretty good deal out Of Streeter.
Then, after the novelty Of the thing
had worn oil, he complained that
CT tor l,n n lad him acfrav-in q 6r.
urative sense-and mourned like unto
the AYtle boy who swaps marbles and
then wants to trade back.
When MIR. Patterson was postmaster
and was striving to ipjuro the Rec.
Ord's circulation by sending its bun.
!; dies Of papers to wrong pt)stOtflces
| the writer and he had an. extremely
spirited discussion one day in which
the former told the p. nj. a good many
Things that were trueAjusL what We
do not remember now. But his polit-
ical partner next door can tell hin
that, until he had obtained = formal
release from his obligation recorded
In the registers office, he was bound
! by Its provisions. That he has SO CON
sfdered the matter is shown by the
| fact that he has stated frequently
within the last year or SO that III
would begin the publication Of a pa
! per inx Linton AFTER 1Ye years hae
expired. ~ &:
We do not he1ieye that Mr.. Patter.
son imagjneS for q moment that he hai
acted as q fair and square bushes,
| man in this matter. Two publishers
knowing that to the ADVERTISING buSl
ness men Of little village two paper,
were burdenSOme, aud also knowing
{. from experience that the Held was tOi
! small for. two paperS-make an agree
!! ment that one should have fora tern
| Of years SO far as the OtherSHa con
j Cerned ip the matter the fell
Tor which he paid hiBa we'll. Is not tn
Iagreement OF the seller to keep 0ul
for y time just as much 9 part OF tn.
consid deratiOn US the presses and type
And Is not the seller wh0 attempts t
rob the buyer Of one cOnsfd fderatiOn al
! dishonest as heSWOuld be II he at
tempted to rob him Of another con
i sideratiOn- fact, just as blamabl
as he would be IL he went into tn
j purchasers office by stealth and at
tempted to pilfer some or the typ
that he had sold? We do not believ
that In his own Onscience Mr.. Pattel
tsOn thinks otherwise.
Below is given = verbatim copy Of tn
q bill sale, as copied from the record
and certified To by Registe Schweitzel
!. The writer Is aware that there is n
more reason for the public discussion
1 Oftthe business relations between tW
newspaper men than there Is far
public dtsputatjp II two merchant
make deal; but the other sid
Of the matter has been publlshed, An