The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1904-09-17

plies which he expected to turn over
to outside print shops and charge
the county two prices for, r we'll
known by many who have been
connected with the Offices at the
court house. Being turned down,
they have been victims of his spleen
and subjects of Misrepresentation
and abuse in the columns Of his
paper and in the streets. The pay
ment of small sums-one of SIS only
in the case of a bottle throwing ep-
isode-to keep disgusting details
Of trifing differences between indi-
viduals, beating citizens and good
people out Of print, add luster to
this young and impetuous scribe's
career. and his roasts Of distin-
guished visitors who honored the
city with their presence on the &C.
casion of the celebration Of the or
ganization of the county last year,
will be recalled with disgust by all
good citizens. In fact. at the time
Of this episode, from one end of
the county to the other there arose
a merited opposition to such Jour-
nalistic outrages.
+ On other occasions, he threat-
ened business meu-the leading
merchants Of Wushburn-with dire
consequences II his wrath it they
continued to withhold their patron
age. He fixed u time when their
advertising should be forthcoming,
and beyond which it would be dan
gerous to delay. He intimated that
he would turn his mudmill loose,
and smear them all over. Then he
took another tack. He started in on
the sympathy racket" He printed
as if they were genuine, threats of
bodily harm and Of burning his
plant" Then, with a sanctimonious
and sorrowful face he attempted to
convince the public of the genuine
ness of these threats and the awful
mental strain he was under through
fear of financial ruin. But there
were some circumstances the pub
lie didn't know at that time. They
knew he had sworn to a valuation
of only 1926 for taxation purposes
one year and then, after adding
hundreds of dollars worth of ma
terial according to his own columns
the following year swore to 1920
valuation only-for taxation pur-
poses, mind you-while at the
same time he was insured for S. $500
for burning out purposes. The
LEADER had it $500, but after his
mysterious fire, which Harris, him
self, in his paper afterwards de-
clared was accidental, it discovered
the "burning out" valuation car
ried with the insurance companies,
was $1,000.
This is the sort of a man who
now claims to carry the county seat
in his pocket, and having promised
Turtle Lake, Coal Harbor and other
points, he now settles down at IN
derwood and offers it as an induce
ment for support in that section
|. failing to receive which, he may at
i, any time take the county seat and
,, plant it down some other quarter.
section. The good people of Un.
, derwood, live, energetic and pro.
. gressive, VII. of course, look after
those matters directlysto the advant'
age of dhe town. That they are
i, loyal and patriotic citizens goes
, without saying and is to thelrcredit
That is what makes Mclean county
famous. Her people are active ane
loyal. They are likewise sympa
! thetic, but they will resent fraue
. when they discover it, and Harris
> is self-convicted. He is deticien'
o in business principles, is a blanl
= in politics, and very recent devel
. opments prove hun to be a mora
. leper and minus the instincts o
= a true gentleman. And as if t.
mislead his readers and turn al
searchlights from focusing on hi
own character, he endeavors t,
. make it appear that The LEADER
or its owner, or some other bogi
:, man, is after him, but with threats
. in one column, playing the bah,
. act in another, and self-conscous
ness of guilt in his own breast, sucl
a leech upon the community mus
speedily meet with his iusttdeserts