Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1908-06-11
AFTERMATH OF
THE "CHARIvARI"
Champions OF "Harmony" Denounce
News-BuGget as HWrong" Be-
cause of Word HSaloon''

Since the consolidation of the News
and Budget little over a year ago, the
publisher has aimed to treat every news
item with fairness, stating the facts
and leaving the reader to draw his own
conclusions. AS this method was new
departure from that of either Of it's pre-
decessors, which papers were the organs
of two contending factions, the publish
er of the News-Budget has been contin-
ually criticised by first one and then the
other for being partial in "coloring
news items.
1t was in this same manner the re-
port was published last week of the de-
monstration attending the return from
Eau Claire of the officers of the defunct
First National Bank of Ladysmith. The
article stated that the crowd repaired
to the Baker saloon, where Messrs.
Newman and McGill made speeches.
These were the facts briefly stated.
Were we disposed to "color" the matter,
or had the time before going to press
PERMITTED, we might have given such
yellow" details as the hand-shaking
which took place on arrival in the hotel
Office, the happy greetings of the Off
GERS by their families in the parlor on
the second floor, while the bulk Of the
crowd surged down the basement steps
to the saloon like hired mourners eager
to receive their compensation in the
form Of free drinks; how the principals
returned to the office where there was
more handshaking, from there to be
hurried to the saloon or barroom in the
basement, where their friends and CO.
horts were impatiently waiting to drink
with them, it being after midnight;
how they each in turn mounted chair
at the end of the bar to make his
speech; how some of their statements
which were published do not correspond
with evidence on file in the case.
All these were facts also. We might
have truthfully stated for the benefit of
readers not acquainted with the size of
our city that the crowd of 200 men and
boys was but small percentage of our
population. We might have quoted
some of the EXPRESSIONS of disgust made
by members of the crowd who appre-
ciated the absurdity of such a demon
stration over the success of the techni-
cality unon which the alleged bank
wreckers had "backed out of court"
We might further have stated that
there was and is among the citizens Of
Ladysmith generally, who are acquaint-
ed with the details of this now famous
case, genuine respect and sympathy
for John A. Corbett, the young man
who was cashier of the bank, and for
his aged father, Robert Corbett, and
J. w. Fritz, and some others who were
unfortunate enough to have been bonds
men for the bank as a depository.
We might have added as delectable
side-light to the story brief biography
of Messrs. Newman and McGill, to-
gether with the manner of their becOm-
ing connected with the First National
Bank of Ladysmith, and concluding
with their most recent failure-the Cit
liens Union.
In fact the eNews-Budget's account of
the "charivari," as it has been dubbed,
was so fair to those who claimed to
court investigation that it excited the
righteous wrath of people who were I'M
prejudiced in the matter.
But the simple statement of the fact
that the speeches were made in the
saloon reused the Indignation of Mr..
Newman to such pitch that when as
sured that the word "saloon" was not
inadvertently used, he, in the arrogance
of his temporary freedom, loudly de-
nounced the publisher in the strongest
terms, ordered his News-Budget dis
continued and vowed that he had hun
dred friends who would do likewise.
In stating that the use of the word
''saloon" was "a dirty slur,' Mr.. New
man did not stop to consider the refiec-
tion he is casting upon the business of
many of his political supporters over
Rusk county. In substituting the word
''hotel' for saloon" in the circulars he
had printed and credited to the News
Budget, he forgot that the Baker hotel
and the Baker saloon have been skillfully
divorsed in the public eye with the in
tent of giving added respectability to
his political headquarters.
In short, the man who S k e d
only to be permitted to mind his own
business" started out to do it on q
strenuous scale the next day after being
liberated.
After making this brief exposition OF
facts, the News-Budget wishes to an
nounce that it's policy will continue tx
be that of an independent newspaper,
belonging to nobody's faction, but ready
to uphold the right and condemn the
wrong, whoever it may hit, with malice
toward none.