Ladysmith news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1906-1907, 1906-09-01
LAST GASP FROM TONY KINNEY TALKS ISSUES
The Enterprise Eclipses Itself in Rank
Statements Without Basis or Rea-
son to Rest Upon.

The alleged newspaper that energies
semi-occasionally from the Helm COM
pany's blacksmith shop at Tony de-
votes one of it's two pages almost
exclusively to the News, and that,
together with notice of old papers
for sale at five cents per package,
some patent medicine locals and a
gazetteer of people coming to Lady
smith comprises the last issue.
There are two or three things to
which we will give attention, lest that
some of it's few readers might think
that it had told the truth.
That paper says that some one in
connection with the News force made
affidavit that the paper had been print
ed six months within three months of
the time it was started and that this
affidavit was made to get $100 from
the state for publishing the session
laws. Now, this statement is unquali-
fiedly and excuselessly false and brands
the editor of the Tony sheet as falsi-
fer and slanderer. That ought to be
plain enough to be understood by the
most stupid. The fact is that a state
ment concerning the absorption Of the
Ingram News by the Ladysmith News
was made to the state department
having charge of the publication of the
state laws, which department decided
that the combination continued all the
rights of the Ingram News and that
it was proper that the session laws
should be published. The $10O went
to the original owners of the Ingram
News. Now let the Tony sheet apol-
ogize or carry the brand of slanderer.
The Enterprise shouts hard because
the News said that there was neither
room nor excuse for a paper at Tony.
This is no recent opinion of the writer.
Three years ago, when the Helm COM
pany urged us to go to Tony and print
the Enterprise, we declined with as
many thanks as the occasion suggested
for the assigned reason that a paper
could not succeed there except by tao
tics of fraud and fakiry. We still hold
the opinion and observation strengthens
that position.
The Tony paper says that it MIGHT
assert the opinion that it has more
subscribers than the News. 1t might;
but it doesn't, and the assertion would
MT alter the fact. In February, 1905,
100 copies of the county board pro-
ceedings were enough to fill the cir
culation of the Enterprise. A few
months later it's circulation was swollen
sufficiently to secure the publication of
the session laws.
The Tony sheet insinuates that the
News has been "called down" by the
postoffice department : another falsi-
fication. The News understands the
postoffice regulations pretty we'll and
it also understands the conduct of some
postmasters pretty well too, and unless
there is change in tactics there will
be calling down from the other end
of the line-not far remote from the
Enterprise either. The postmasters
that appear to be making the Enter
prise their advocate would do we'll to
equip it with an automatic muzzle.
Having disposed of the froth and
foam of the Tony sheets last issue
what about graft? That paper says
that we have never pointed it out.
Here is one instance: The law makes
the sheriff's pay between $50 and $35
for trips to Mendoza. The sheriff,
by the grace Of the district attorneys
approval, is collecting nearly double
that amount. If that is not graft,
what is? If the Enterprise cannot see
graft in such action, it is hopelessly
graft blind. It says it can't see the
element of graft probably it can't.
Newspapers published in town by
Vic 81 dCC VI IIlSII WIN OCCuIC Oil 1oOCoS-
ment of SIS and $40 on $3.50 and $3.50
lots, generally are unable to see graft
it is we'll to fail to see. But others
can see, and seeing sometimes act.
And the wheels started in motion do
not always stop upon dictation. Kings
sometimes find it we'll to call down
their testers. Josh Billings once re-
marked that ''good sized hornet,
that feels well, can break up whole
camp meeting" Tony sheet is
playing hornet with it's bosses as the
camp meeting.
The Tony sheet boasts of having sur
vived seven years. Yes, with four diff
ferent owners-if, indeed, the owner
ship has changed at all. But why con-
sumo space on paper published in a
swamp, bossed by a czar, serving a
ring, mailed from a practically empty
store and read by dozen or two people?