Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-01-12
OBSERVER oVERsHooTs.

SCeff 'As ~
The publisher Of the Observer in a
lengthy article in the last issue has
endesvored to demonstrate, and evi.
IDENTIFY does to his own satisfaction,
that the Courier proprietor is a
sneak, and implies that he is per-
jurer In the spirit, and other naughty
things, the matter arising from a
circulation controversy before the
County Court, and the appointing Of
the Courier as the official county
paper. The Observer man doubts the
sincerity Of the afiidavits submitted
by the Courier, which is not to be
wondered at since Mr.. Chausse would
swear to something Of which he had
no positive knowledge, as was the
case when he submitted an affidavit
TO the County Court stating that the
Observer has larger number Of bona
flde subscribers on its list residing in
Josephine county than any other
newspaper published in the county.
Later on Mr.. Chausse made affidavit
that the Observer had "bona fide
yearly circulation Of 702 subscribers
In Josephine county" and the pub.
Usher Of the Courier submitted an
affidavit that "tbe number of papers
distribu ted weekly to subsci ibers
within the boundaries Of Josephine
county is 1926" Owing to the fact
that portion Of the names we're Sc
cured by paid solicitor who was
working by the day and had no incen-
tive TO bring extra names, the Courier
proprietor could not swear that they
we're bona fide yearly subscribers, al
though they were to the best Of his
knowledge and belief. Accordingly
an amended affidavit was submitted
showing 872 bona 6de yearly sub.
scribers residing within Josephine
county. These S72 names being per.
SOUS who have been subscribers OF
long standing to the Courier while the
remainder OF those on the Josephine
county list were the new names SO.
cured by the solicitor, some Of whom
had not paid In advance, but all sub.
scribers to the best knowledge OF the
publisher Of the Courier. The County
Court also had other means Of asoer.
tanning the circulation Of the papers
OF the town and decided that the
Courier reached greater number of
readers than any other paper published
In the county.
In reference to an article published
In the December 22 issue of the
Courier tho Observer infers that be.
cause we did not get the figures from
the Observer management we had to
resort TO underhand methods. We
will state that we did not seek this
information from the Observer force
as might be implied, neither did we
endeavor 10 create a leak" in tho
local post office. but II was secured in
q perfectly legitimate way, a way
common to all progressive news.
papers, that Of house TO house eau.
vas by n solicitor. In which among
other questions oheerfully answered
by the occupants OF the various houses
was the number and names OF the
newspapers taken in the family.
A perussl Of the article in question
will reveal the fact that what it says
and what the Observer tries to make
II appear are ut variance In at least
one important point, viz no reference
is made to the number of copies Of the
0Ss rver distributed in the Grants
Pass post office, many Of which 20 to
farmers aud those residing outside Of
town yet who get their mail through
the Grants Pass office, but simply to
the subscribers living within the city
proper,
n"is Chhuunoi III nth dlNlNIts utns
tions that copy of the Courier list is
held by the Observer. This list will.
no doubt, he of value to them aud we
note that IL has already come into
requisition Ms an aid in the sending
out Of sample copies OF tho Oh ervor
The Observer also states that the
county printing amounts to but about
$50 year. This of course must be
an error Of the types, for judging
from the balance of the article the
Observer never would attempt to con.
vey wrong impression. However.
the Observers bill at the last term of
county court for the county's share Of
printing the tax roll was $l56. This
amount the court cut to 500. The
Observer Is now sueing the county for
the 300.