The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-29
Manager Harlan of the
Jackson Lumber Company


The manager of the Jackson Lum-
Der Company, Mr.. w. s. Harlan, Is
probably undergoing a new expert
ence. Some OF the employees OF the
company come to Pensacola and file
serious charges with an officer Of the
United States court regarding their
treatment at the hands Of some OF
the company's overseers, whereupon
Manager Harlan jumps into the lime
light, pleads not guilty on behalf OF
the accused men and proceeds with
an attempt to try his case in the
newspapers.
As we said, Manager Harlan Is
probably undergoing a new expert
ence-for that Is the only explanation
of his ridiculously foolish attitude.
Were it otherwise he would have
learned long since that neither Grim
inal nor civil case can be tried in
a newspaper and, what is OF far more
Importance to him. the one who at
tempts to do it usually finds that he
has helped dig his own pit.
The Journal has been receiving a
series of letters from Manager Har-
Ian. 1t got one a few days ago in
which, in answer to the charge made
by some of the company's former en-
ployees that they were held in SER
vice against their will. he writes:
Some of the men who came were of
the no-account class who TREiD -
GET AWAY before they left New
York, merely working for the New
York agents so that they would get
their employment fee. These men
kept TRYING TO ESCAPE after they
were here. (The capital letters are
The Journals).
Yesterday The Journal received an
other letter from Manager Harlan
a saucy letter-one Of these cayenne
pepper epistles that superheated and
usually superconceited persons some
times write to newspapers. In tais
letter he said:
DO you want to hold a newspaper
investigation in order to supply your
selves with more rot" about which
to write? Does the Journal propose
by working up such sensations, to
place herself in the "limehght?" II
that Is the object you have in view,
dismiss It from your mind. ! cannot
be a party to the case. The men men
toned in your message are in our en-
ploy. and having done nothing unlaw-
full, are prepared to defend their &C
tons.
Following the receipt of this letter
came the current issue Of the Florala
News which contained the following
evidently inspired article:
The Pensacola papers doubtless
thought they were springing a sensa-
ton this week when they printed so
many columns about desperadoes,
manbeaters, and six-shooters, blood.
hounds and starvation at the Alabama
lumber camps around Florala and
Lockhart. The Germans Or whatever
nationality they were. who were inter
viewed by the industrious reporters
were under contract with the Jackson
Lumber Company and were furnished
them by labor agencies in the north.
The wages received was from 81 q
day and board to $3.50 per day. And
we don't believe they had any kick
coming about the kind of provisions
either, or does any one else around
here. In fact the whole matter came
as a surprise to people in this section.
TEIE COMPANY KEEPS TRAIN
End DOGS no RUN DOWN SUCH
FELLOWS As JUMP CONTRACTS
ArvD VIOLATE THE LAWS. (The
capital letters are The Journal's).
Now in view Of all these statements
and admissions, we must certainly
commend Manager Harlans statement
In the second letter above to the
erect that he cannot be party" to
any additional sensations.
We sincerely hope he will not be.
After voluntarily testifying that some
Of his men kept TRYING TO ES-
CAPE, and after the testimony Of his
newspaper. defender that "the CON-
pany KEEPS TRAINED DOGS TO
RUN DOWN SUCH FELLOWS" we
agree with him that 1t would be a
good time to quit
And here we are constrained to
offer you q word of advice. Manager
Harlan: Never attempt to try a case
OF this kind in the newspaper-the
courts are the place for all such
cases. And do not make the mistake
that many well meaning people fire.