Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-05
A Contemplate Publication.

Nunsey's Washington Times. which has
heretofore been conducted on reputable
lines on Saturday sunk to a lower level.
1t has been printing for several days In Its
news columns a series of attacks upon the
Post Office Department, and especially
upon the rural free delivery bureau. In
this matter 1t has fitted to it's shoulders
the mantle dropped by blackguard black
mailing sheet recently deceased, and 1t
seems in its Saturday issue to have adopted
us congenial the principles and methods OF
campaigning peculiar to that publication OF
unfragrant memory.
The charges of the Times news columns
against Post Office Department officials are
still in the preliminary, tentative stage.
They have not been discussed by any local
or prominent outside newspaper, and have
not even been reinforced by word OF
vigorous and confident Endorsement in the
editorial columns of the Times itself.
The Times first editorial on the subject
is a splteful assault in Saturdays issue on
The Star for not discussing the Globe
Times charges, which the Times it.
self has not editorially discussed, and
for not editorially denouncing those
officials whom the Times alleges to be
rascals and it intimates that the fact that
the Post Office Department has until recent
ly leased a floor in The Star building to
house a fraction of it's overflow of clerks,
and still rents some rooms for that purpose
In the Eleventh street annex explains The
Stars silence. In other words the accusa-
ton is that The Star has been hired by
room rentals to cover up official rascality.
The Star company having erected, partly
through philosophical motives, a building
of dimensions which make it an architec-
tural adornment of Pennsylvania avenue,
does not need for it's own uses all the
space which that building affords. Conse-
quently it has rooms to rent as we'll
newspapers and advertising space to sell.
In these business transactions it gives for
the money received full consideration in
office accommodations or In news or in
publicity. Everybody in Washington knows
that Its editorial page Is not for sale, or
mortgage, directly or indirectly, either for
the venal expression or suppression of opn
ions. The serious suggestion that the ten
ant OF a newspaper secures a lien upon its
editorial and news columns. and hires it
through his rentals as a protector against
the consequences of his criminal misdoings
will attract attention as a novelty here at
the capital. and will doubtless be classed as
q whimsical vagary of the new journalism
from Bedlam
Department. Whenever they have devel-
oped The Star has vigorously attacked
tnem and pushed for the prosecution and
punishment OF the criminals. This has
been Its course from the time of the Star
Route scandals down to the comparatively
recent rascalities in Cuba. II anything
tangible develops from the Globe-Times
charges The Star will denounce the rdscals
exposed whether they turn out TO be cor
rupt officials inside the depart ment or spite
full or mercenary libellers outside of it.
While The Star cannot respond at the
present preliminary stage of proceedings to
its cotemporary's demand that it discuss
editorially the merits of the Times charges
1t will permit itself to break Its silence long
enough to say that, whether the Times &C
cusations against officials be right or
wrong. its method of conducting it's cam
paign. SO far as concerns The Star, Is dis
tinctly malignant, libellous, base and dis
reputable.
The professional scandal-mon gering or
habitual matchmaking sheet in making such
a publication as that of Saturdays Times
would have In mind the purpose either of
suggesting to corrupt officials the wisdom
Of paying it to keep its mouth shut in some
such manner as that imagined and imputed
in the article, or of eliciting from the repu-
table paper attacked the advertisement
which Is involved In the printing by the lat
ter of notice to the public Of the publication
by the former of defamatory and sensational
charges. The Star not desiring to crafty
either of these desires, would, Of course.
take notice OF sucn attacks. But as this
Is Mr.. Munsey's first Washington excursion
into the field of degraded Journalism" and
as there may be doGct whether the vicious
habit has been unalterably formed, The
Star will give its contemporary the benefit
OF the doubt and of any Incidental advant-
age in publicity which 1t may derive from
this publication.