Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-21
The viIifiers Of the Public Printer

The viIifiers Of the Public Printer.
During the past winter the Lewiston
Journal, which claims to be an advo-
cate OF fair play, has pursued the Pub
lie Printer with a stream of misrepre-
sentation, aspersion and vilif1cation Inc
reason for this malicious and persistent
abuse may be due partly to business
jealousy and partly % the failure OF
the Kennebec Journal to accept the po-
Iitical dictation of the paper in ques-
ton. is there any other reason? While
the publication above referred 10 Is
nominalIy Republican its best known
editor did Iusty work upon the stump
during the last political campaign for
the Democratic party, and its editorials
furnished the subject matter of the last
political supplement which was sent
broadcast among the voters of Maine
prior to the September election by the
Democratic newspapers.
At the beginning Of the present ses-
Journal announced, with flourish of
trumpets. that it was entirely disinter-
csted so far as the State printing was
concerned and that it purpOsed to give
it's readers full reports Of the hearings
that should be eninently fair to both
sides. It even professal personal friend
shin for the Public Printer! Up to the
time of those hearings where the testi-
mony overwhelmingly sustained the
Printer, and where Mr.. Nichols himself
admitted on the stand that he had
found nothing wrong in the manner in
which the Printer ha1 discharged the
duties of his position under the law. 1T
did publish the full stcrOgraphic re-
ports of the hearings. from that point
forward. however, these stenographic
reports were rot only excluded from its
columns. but it WAS unable to find
space for the important testimony that
completely indicated the Public Prin-
ter OH the points it mad raised editor
tally against him. It vas thus guilty
not only of gross injustice to the
Public Printer. but Of an even create:
injustice. to it's readers who were at
least entitled to fair if not j full re-
port of the evidence.
With rare tenacity and bitterness.
this publication mas vriously parked
and snapped and snarled at the heels
of the Public Printer throughout the
winter carefully supp: cssing the evil
dcnce that was in his favor and magni-
fving with persistent venom every
thing that could be distorted to his pre-
JUDGE. 1t is certainly cOnjccturablc
that. in addition to its "dispatcheS"
at the Capital. its Augusta correspon-
dent had been instructed to admit to
ris reports nothing tina. would be fav-
ora bic to the Public Printer. Hence the
cross-examinations by Mcssrs. Baker
and Williamson, attorneys for the Pub
lie Printer. and the testimony of the
ter Of Observation-Disclosures appeared
before the committee and whose evil
,Ience completely sustained ard vindi-
Gated the Public Printer in the posi-
tions he had taken. was carefully ex-
cludcd from the columns of the publ
cation in question.
And this from great family
newspaper" the alleged discovcrcr OF
the Real Thing (whatever that may
Of "i,ooseveltian fair play" Just mag
inc. if you can. Theodore Roosevelt de-
nlcratcly suppressing testimony in or
der to prejudice any mans cause!
1t was too much, perhaps, for the
Public Printer to look for fair play
from the publication in question. There
was time this might have teen con-
hdently expected. when a great, clear
headed citizen Of Maine directed its af-
fairs. and when it's policy was vastly
different from what it is today-a time
when it's opinions carried weight with
the Republican voters OF the State,
when its editorials were not given the
place of honor in Democratic newspap-
ers. and when the county in which it
IS published stood as firmly in the
Republican 'Olumn. as the county of
EeUnebcc. ~ were not surprised.
therefore. to find an anonymous conf
munication III ne columns of the Lew
istOn Journal, immsfi: W following
its publication Of the ,.lalnnous re-
port Of the Committee ny Printing.
That report was write. by Senator
Potter Of Cumberland. whose eminent
fairness the Lewiston Journal has fire.
quently commended during the session.
and was complete vindicatIon Of the
Public Printer agains. the false an !;
seurrilous charges and insinuatiors
made against him by the newspaper m
question. This anonymous Commul. "a