The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-03-22
THE REPLY OF HEARST
TO THE ATTACK MADE BY GROVE
l. Johnson.
self-Confessed Forger, But that Lapse
OF Time Shielded Him He'd Have
Made it in Sing Sing,
Says Hearst.

ten heard
In a late issue of the New York Even
ing Journal-Gt belongs to Mr.. Hearst
lis the following that is printed in black
type, making a whole page:
''The New York Evening Journal pub
lishcd on Monday a page devoted to a
certain personal attack on William Ran
dolph Hearst. The attack was made in
the Congress of the United States in 1897
by member of Congress, Grove l.. John
son, of California.
Because it was uttered on the floor OF
the United States Congress and made q
part of the Congressional Record it
seemed proper that this attack should re-
ceive some notice in Mr. Hearst's news
papers. Other newspapers have reprint
ed Mr.. Johnson's speech. Undoubtedly in
the course of newspaper and political
discussion the speech will become fairly
familiar. The editor of this newspaper
feels that his readers are at least entitled
Il know what has been said against him,
Or, at least as much as has been said
with the slightest semblance of authority
He feels also, of course, that those read
ers should know the source whence ema-
nate attacks upon man whose news
paper success is due solely to his readers
confidence and support Consequently, as
we announced in the Evening Journal on
| Monday we shall send to any reader who
| asks for it the complete text of the speech
which Mr.. Johnson made in Congress at
lacking Mr.. Hearts character. With that
speech we shall send Mr. Johnsons re-
cord.
GAS has beer shown in our San Fran
cisco newspaper, the Examiner-and in
the San Francisco Chronicle. one of our
| competitors, and in many public speeches
| Mr.. Johnson is man indicted for for
gerry and self-confessed to forgery, who
led under the name of Miller from the
| consequences of his crime. Our San Fran
cisco newspaper, in the discharge of its
routine duty, exposed him and prevented
! his reelection to Congress. After his de-
feat in the final months of his term. he
| made a speech. which we shall now send
TO those of our readers who may ask for
it. The lapse of mere time prevented his
! oeing sent back to New York to serve his
term in the penitentiary.
Except for an accident the speech which
he made to the Congressman of the
United States could have been made only
burn. Speeches such as Johnson made
against Mr. Hearst are often heard i'm
Sing Sing and in Auburn. and in other
| concentrates in San Francisco, Chicago
and elsewhere against the editor Of this
newspaper. Men guilty of bribery, of
| forgery, of robbing the public have been
sent to various pententiaries through the
agency of the newspapers which W. r.
| Hearst controls. The convicting of these
men Of the johnson type Is dsagreeable
| 1uty. But it is a duty, and must be
done.
1T was not possible to send Mr. John
3on to the penitentiary, because the lapse
of time shielded him from the conse-
luences of his crime and because of his
light from New York. But it was pos
sible to prevent, his going back to the
United States Congress to misrepresent
! the people and serve as the hired tool
| IF the Huntington Railroad He was de-
Gated by the Examiner and sent back to
private life, his district changing from
}570 Republican majority in 1894 to a
majority of 5,037 for his Democratic OPP
| 1onent in 1896 in reputation of him.
I'VE should print the speech which he
made in Congress complete in these news
| ,apers except for the fact that parts of
it are unfit for general publication. 1t
ean, however be read by any voter that
| cares to send a two-cent stamp to this
office to inform himself as to the views
| which an indicted and confessed forger
entertains as to the character of William
Randolph Hearst
Eve shall supply a large number of
pamphlets containing this speech We
1 oI1 tn ~ he &c
Mr.. Hearst that have been expressed by
Bob Ammon and Five Hundred and
Twenty-Per-C Cent Miller. at present in
Sing Sing. We shall, perhaps, add in
!ater editions the views of other felons,
convicted by the Hearst newspapers, and
also some opinions by Mr.. Oswald Willard
son Of the national railroad pirate, editor
Of the non-union New York Evening Post,
and defendant in Il suit brought against
him by his own sister, charging him with
depriving her of her inheritance.
'As time passes and as the interesting
attacks on Mr. Hearst by criminals. for
gers, hribers, theving trust managers
owners of scab newspapers and others ac-
culate, we shall try to give them
through our pamphlets. as wide publicity
as possible. We want all of our readers
to know what these various men say
forgers like Johnson, criminals in prison
hired editors out of prison. If the we'll
earned animosity of such men is not. in
the opinions of our readers. tribute to
character, we shall tie very much mis-
taken
The Hobson- Bankhead campaign in Ala
bama is the hvelest political fight going
on in America, except the contest between
Blackburn, Linney & Co., in de ate
North Carolina district. The Birming-
ham Age-Herald has a long account Of
the speaking every day. A correspond
ent figures that the contest is so close
that it will not be $50 either way. From
the Age Heralds account OF the meeting
at Livingstone, the following is taken: