The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-04-09

| The Duluth Evening Herald, an In
dependent paper, quite recently repro
qnced With: pride "a story written by
Walter Wellman,, Washington cores
pondent OF the Chicago Record Herald.
The story was we'll written, and was
intended as an exposure of the private
life OF. w. r. Hearst. It was an attack
upon his personal character. 1t was
bold, brutal and uucalled for. 1t denied
the fact that Mr.: Hearst had any per-
sonal ability. All Of, this rot was wide
ly copied - by the press opponents Of
| Mr.: Hearst. Many of his admirers be-
came alarmed and on account of their
| lack Of knowledge of Mr.. Hearst per-
sonally some Of them accepted the at
tack as gospel! truth.
It was written by Walter Wellman,
who appeared In this city recently on
! a lectuxe tnure, and who has a wide rep
-tation as' q Journalist and correspond
ent. Mr.. Wellman would not lie But
Mr.. Wellman does not own news
paper. He Is employed by the Chicago
Record Herald. Mr., wellman does not
! dictate the policy Of that subsidized
sheet. He is simply an employe.
| When he is asked to write an article
to knock Nr:SseI4sarst, it is his busi-
ness to do so: He iss like lot more of
the hired scribblers Of the press who
sell their talents in the open market,
for a stated sum per week.
All men appreciate writers of merit.
Mr.. Wellman is endowed with a pc
cuiiar talent. He cain write, and write
well. But his pen and his brains are
upon the market, just like so much
produce. RI.
A Duluth friend of Mr.. Hearst wrote
| to Chicago: to ascertain the reason for
Mr.: Weilman's story. He received the
following reply:
Ny Dear Sir
T. l do not know whether Mr.. Hearst
will consider it worth while to reply
to such, a plain falsehood as. is con-
tanned in this article. I quote Mr.
Walter VI ellman himself in talking
| with several leaders In DesMoines, Ia
| He said: II had instructions from
the RECORD Herald for a, long time to
ignore ssMr. SHearst's q candidacy. II lad
issfsa .hle
f::epuld not ignereait was t HE most
Important thing iii Wa Ellington The
answer came back to me by telegraph,
ignore the candidacy until you get
further orders" I again wired Mr..
| Noyes telling: him It was impossible to
ignore it, that thesMhole city of Wash
| ington was discUg1lh4 1t as the most
important POLITICAL edeVelopm of the
| age, indicatine4a< trend on the part Of
| the people toward a final disposition of
the. criminal trusts. I then got per-
mission. to handle Mr.. Hearsts candi-
sdacy, and knowing him personally to
be one Of the brainest men in the coun-
try, treated it with respect. Anything
1 have written against 1Mr. Hearst was
under orders.",
This will indicate to you, I think,
what Mr.. Wellman. really thinks.
Now. as to the motive of the Record
Herald. The Record Herald is owned
and CONTROL led by Frank W. Noyes, one
of the leading spirits Of the great mo-
nopoly known as the Associated Press.
Under decisions ofsthe supreme court
of Illinois this, Asegoscc;iafed Press cannot
do as 1t Is now doing, that is sell it's
news to- only one or two papers in a
city and prevent the establishment of
other newspapers. In a word, they are
| common carriers. Under that decision
we are suing the Associated Press in
the. City OF Chicago, to force them to
deliver their service: !: The winning of
this suit practically means the de-
struction Of the; greatest monopoly in
existence in the United States today
a thing with more influence for good or
evil than. every trust in the country
combined. This would also Withdraw
from Mr.. Noyes one of the principal
sources of his income These facts are
susceptible of proof anywhere and are
so well known in the big: news centers
that anything printed in. the Associat-
ed Press is thoroughly understood.
thank you for your letter and hope
you will take the opportunity to ex-
press TO your friends or anyone else
the FACTS as contained i'm this letter
Very. truly yours,