The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-05-23

halt. In every fight in the interest OF
the citizen and the taxpayer the States
man won and the grafters and tax
dodgers went down to defeat, branded
with the public odium they deserved
That the victories achieved were only
temporary in some instances were que
to causes beyond the control of the
Statesman and its owners.
| MANY times have the enemies of the
Statesman organized to drive it out OF
existence. Times without number boy
colts were formed to destroy it's bust
ness standing. injure the credit of its
owners and resort to questionable
means of intimidation to throttle its
free speech and smother the fearless
exposes, but without success. Each
! time the Statesman suffered losses
financially, but its fighting capacity
was increased and the results are
well known to the reading public.
Many times, too, efforts were made
to bride and purchase the owner and
| his employees, but without success. 1t
is the proud boast of the management
that not one dishonest dollar ever
/ passed into it's possession, not one cent
of bride money, or graft, after its own
err took charge. On the contrary, offers
of brides, or graft, were met with swift
and sure punishment.
! Cne instance may be cited that is
well known. within two months after
| the representative of one paving con-
| Germ entered the Statesman office and
| made his last cash offer to it's owner,
that company packed up its plant and
departed to other cities, too thoroughly
| exposed in its graft methods to ever
be acceptable to the honest property
owners of Walla Walla.
That the fight against municipal and
financial corruption, against the tax
dodgers and the taxeaters, could have
been kept up successfully goes without
! saying. But it was a strenuous life. The
enemy was, and is, strong AMI we'll en-
! trencled His business connections are
wide. and firmly dashed together. Ad-
vertisers who fully recognized the
value Of the Statesman as a medium
bringing quick results were broWbeaten
until they were afraid to advertise to
any extent in the Statesman for fear of
D ing injured financially and through
destruction OF their credit.
Others already in the grasp of the
taxdodgers were compelled to obey or
ders and refrain from public support,
although secretly assisting the paper to
the full extent of their ability.
SO. too. the owner Of the Statesman,
was compelled to venture into outside
business fields to keep up the fight.
These rev interests developed SO rap
! idly they required all of the time OBJ
success which resulted in the estab-
Iishment of the finest and largest print
ing plant in this territory, second to
none in the entire northwest.
There came changes affecting the eff
/
fighting for the property owners and
the people It's owner was compelled
to devote all of his time to the new
business and leased the newspaper. In
the change he lost his editor whose
brilliant paragraphs and able fearles
writing. backed to the limit by the
management. mad made the editorial
page of the Statesman second to none
in the state. and one of the most vile
ly read ard discussed in the entire
northwest other changes followed un-
I'll the paper became a burden to its
owner.
1 men came the opportunity 10 retire
with financial profits. the first actual
: profits enjoyed in four years from the
; newspaper. 1t was accepted and the
change in ownership in the printing
plant and the Statesman takes place
at once.
To those who have supported us we
return heartfelt thanks with the ex-
pressed wish that the old times could
continue with profit.
To our enemies we say we have
fought good fight, and have enjoyed
it from beginning to end. and were i
. not that We are leaving with better
> financial results. entering a field that
promises larger opportunities and more
successful business, we would stav tC
> the end and keep up. or renew the mer-
ry chase. AS it is not We have lost
nothing except time which is balanced
h. Sc,