The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-08-25
NJ IL. DA VENPORT En-
PLAINS.

To the Editor: 1t is always well to
make every possible allowance for the
other fellows story in matters that
depend entirely upon recollection, and
to believe that he intends to tell it
straight, even If he does not. But
the Burlington Free Press last state
ment regarding it's negotiations with
me about Democratic advertising is
beyond even the utmost stretch of this
amiability. Instead of its being true
that 'hesitated for some time to say
what he ~ wanted the space for,
though pressed for an answer" every
one of the forty mine publishers whom
[ visited on this matter-forty- five
OF them made the contract, and only
four of them have been bulldozed by
the Republican bosses into backing
out-will bear me witness that the
first thing 1 said to them, after
friendly greetings, was that l repres-
ented the Democratic State committee
and wanted to contract for advertising
space for the Democratic argument,
explaining then the details.
The conversation took no different
course at the Free Press office than at
the others except that inquired for
Mr. Howe, the manager, and finding
that he was away, inquired of the
man in the counting room-whose
name do not even yet know-f-who
was authorized to contract for adver-
Using and he said he was. l then
told him, just as 1 had the others,
what l wanted, the proposition being
entirely above board, there as every
where. The Democratic State COM
mittee is not in the habit OF operating
otherwise, and if it were, L hope
l couldn't be made the agent for
skulking tactics, and certainly not in
work [ am doing entirely without
remuneration, for what believe to
be the best good of my State and coun-
try.
The man at the Free Press office re-
marked that it was an unusual"
proposition, to which l assented as re-
CARDS this State, but added that
thought it the manifestation way and
believed it would have good results in
the future for publishers whom the
party leaders had dead headed so lorg
and SO ruthlessly, asking of them
heavy cash outlay in white paper and
type setting of party matter, outside
of and often different from the edit
or's own opinion, while paying Law.
ishly stumpers and political workers
of every kind, not for cash outlay
made but for time and services.
TO the best of my recollection the
Free Press man made no particular
reply to this observation. l distinct
ly said to him in the course OF the
conversation that if it was beyond his
authority to make contract of that
kind we would drop it; he offered no
disclaimer but devoted himself to
making figures. showed him where
they were wrong on his own basis, and
he submitted fresh ones, which de-
clined as just twice too high. 1t was
then for the first time-and / do not
think I can possibly be mistaken ABOUT
thls-that he said something to the
effect that he could give no assurance
of publication of the matter, though
at the same time he indicated his be-
lief that if Mr. Howe were at home
he would do the work at the price Of
fered. Respectfully,
O. H. davenport.
1t is due to Mr.. Davenport to say
that his statement respecting his way
of approaching the publishers is en-
tirely true as to the Waterman and
Journal Office.