The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-26
BANKS AND NOT MITCHELL.
Becomes Managing News Editor of
The News. Conflicting Statements.
Mitchell Says He Would not
Bow the Knee to Butler.

Especial to News and Observer
Greensboro, n. c., Sept 25.-It now
turns out that Roscoe G. Mitchell Will
not be managing news editor of the
Industrial News as apparently author
itively stated last weels, and that MIR.
Howard Banks will hold that position.
Mr.. Mitchell, who has been here for
about a week, left last night, and made
the following statement in explanation
OF how the hitch came:
II received an invitation from the
directorate of the Industrial News to
come and consult with a meeting Of
the board last Tuesday night. /
missed the train and got here after
the meeting was held. L found there
had been some misunderstanding by
some of the members as tG my posi-
ton in regard to demanding that as
News editor | should have control of
what was news and not have to be
governed by what any member of the
directorate should say what should
be published as news and what sup
pressed. | saw each member individ-
ually and explained the matter salts
factorily apparently and was urged
to so to Asheville and see President
Rollins, which | did, receiving the
assurance afterwards that L should
my old position in Norfolk
"In the meantime. ex-senator But
Ter, who had been opposed to me all
along, took his usual rank hold, and
decreed that / should not have the
place. He got Mr.. Rollins to go to
Washington, offered Mr.. Banks a
higher salary than was at first offered
and which l had thought sufficient
to justify my acceptance, and Mr..
Banks has accepted the position, and
is in North Carolina now ready to be-
gin work Immediately after the for
NAL ratification of Mr.. Buffers action
by the board at a meeting 20 be held
i'm Greensboro Tuesday night Mr..
Banks is a splendid man and will fill
the place admirably but he, like 9TH
ers, will have to please Mr.. Butler first,
and the reading public next, if he
finds the place permanently agree
able. / was offered a subordinate po-
sition to the one which had been as
signed me, but declined to take it.
II have been treated with great
courtesy and fairness by both Mr.
Rollins and Mr.. Douglas, the editor
in-chief, but riy mistake was in not
approaching the fact that the appro-
val of Mr.. Butler was absolutely nee
essary to gain or retain any place on
ing experience tells me he completely
dominates, even to filling mechanical
positions with Washington City ac-
quaintances at Washington City prices.
Had / known that Mr. Butler really
controlled the outfit l would never
have considered any position, for he
and | have not been friends for some
time
The people here were prepared to
welcome Mr.. Mitchell and his family,
but since he is not coming and Mr..
Banks is, they will be delighted to
have him back in North Carolina
newspaperdom, and proud to welcome
him and his family as Greensboro's
residents.
When told of the statement by
Mitchell as above, a member of the
board of directors, who knows all
about the circumstances and whose
word is undoubted said, THE state
ment now or at any other time that
the Industrial News ever had an idea
of employing Roscoe Mitchell in any
editorial capacity is absolutely and
unqualitiedly false. No longer than yes
terday he tried to get Rollins, while
here, to sign paper stating that he
had been offered a place on the In
dustrial News and that he had declined
it, saying he would not sign a lie.
Mitchell said it would be of service
in his getting a job elsewhere. Mr..
Rollins refused, saying he would not
make a false statement If he never
got job. The man is crazy to put
it in the mildest and most charitable
way" So that is all there is to the
closed incident it seems.