Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-10-13
DOES NOT DENY
THE BENIN STORY STlRS UP HIS
PARTY PAPERS.
But Produces No Denial from Mr.. Benn. The
Story Has Been Public Property for Two
Years. and the Cry Of "Mud Singing"
win Not Explain It Away.

called upon E. B. Benn to explain the
story that was being told Of his attempt
to bride the county assessor, it did so in
the knowledge that it would be sure to
appear before election, and for the pur-
pose of forestalling such a line of defense
as has been adopted by his party organs,
j. e. by calling it campaign lie. This
might have worked had the publication
of the matter been delayed until near
the election, but, making it public nearly
four weeks before, and before republic
can candidate had gone on the stump,
gives Mr.. Benn ample opportunity to re-
flute the charge if he can. General
denlals entered by party newspapers, nor
abuse of the HERALD for printing story
already public, will not be accepted.
The story was told by Mr.. Jones at the
time OF the alleged attempt upon his
official integrity, and nothing but the
safety of bis party in political cam.
paign kept his indignation within bounds
at that time. Those who say they were
told of it by Mr.. Jones do not appear to
have been surprised at such break by
Mr.. Benn, and paid no more attention to
the matter. Nor would it have been
brought out at this time but for MIR.
Benn's aspirations for an Office that de-
mands higher ideal of official integrity
than is reve aled by this attempt.
For the better understanding of the
matter, we reproduce all that has been
said in the papers so far. On the 9th,
the HERALD said
"A story is being told over the county
that should be explained by E. B. Benn
before he can be considered suitable
person to represent the people of Che
halls county in the legislature. The
statement is made that in.the campaign
of two years ago. MIR. Benn went to Mr..
F. f. Jones, then a candidate for the
Office Of county assessor, and, after com.
planning that the Benn property had not
received fair treatment at the hands of
the assessor for the preceding Two years.
went on to assure Jones, that if he would
act right in the matter of assessing
the Benn property and that Of the N. p.
Ky. Co., for the ensuing two years, his
campaign expenses would be paid.
III true, this was specimen Of cheap
attempt At bribery that cannot be toler-
ated in representative in the legislature
Of the state, where greater temptations
along this line are apt to assail the un-
wary statesman who may have left his
conscience at home. AZ the story 10 be.
ing told quietly all over the county, and
is sure to be printed, the HERALD prints
it now, in order that Mr.. Benn may have
ample time in which to disprove it, if
untrue. and that it may not be classed
with tales Of this kind sometimes sprung
on the eve of an election, too late for
retutation. If Mr.. Benn shes, he will
be given space in the HERALD to flute
the charge"
The next morning, the Sun, with is
generally accepted as the personal organ
o. Mr.. Benn, adopted the defense advised
bv the old lawyer, on being asked by his
student what line he should adopt before
a jury in defending a defenseess case.
Ignore the case, my boy" said the Old
lawyer, land abuse the opposite coan-
sell" Here is what the Sun said:
"a campaign in Chehalis county with.
out degree of abuse and unfounded
a cusations against some or all of the
C .ndidates, would be rarity. 1t seems
t. be the only known mode of procedure
o the part Of some of the democratic
newspapers OF the county. 1t was
thought that the lack of public interest
in pending election would make this
campaign an exception and that it might
be concluded without an assault on any
candidates private character or reputa.
ton. But this does not prove to be the
case. The HERALD in its issue Of yester.
day has seen fit to discharge scow load
or two Of decomposed tide mud at E. B.
Benn, republican nominee Tor the leeis.
lature. The shot was not effective how.
ever. and 1t 10 likely that the HssAlD
was only skirmishing with . view to 10
eating II. Denn's Aattesiss: Ths Hnaaxp
would Hke % draw M. Henn's Aye snd
embro0 him In . newspaper contsovsssy.
In this the HsaALD viii probably ~
succeed. ~ 'e
This would be all right II 1t contained
the simple element Of truth, which it
does not. In the first place, the cam.
paigns in Chehalis county for the past
eighteen years have been marked by the
absence of personal abuss. Second. this
is not a democratic story. 1t was told
by republican official, who is just com.