Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-15
HEARsT's TROUBLES


MIR. HEARsTS troubles are nearly
ali those OF man who has
A'A obstinately refused to mind his
own business. In his life work of being
meddlesome Hearst has been assisted
ably by a staff of lieutenants, some OF
whom we could name, but for the pres
ent refrain, because we think that since
Mr.. Hearst has invited the peculiar
honors which are now being heaped
upon him he should be allowed to en-
joy them without rivalry.
Several of Mr.. Hearst's papers are
threatened with libel suits. Into the
merits of these suits we do not propose
to enter, and we certainly do not make
the assertion that because a paper is
sued for libel it necessarily means the
plaintiff is a just man with a real
grievance. On the contrary, we are
aware that in many parts of the Union
libel laws are such that the freedom Of
the press is fraotically interfered with
At the same time the allegations made
by persons who bring libel suits
may sometimes throw a little light on
dark places, and explain courses of
conduct that may have been regarded
as irresponsible or erratic. Similarly,
statements made by aggrieved persons
who have not as yet brought libel suits
are useful because they help the pub
llic to arrive at solution of journalistic
or other puzzles. Take, for instance,
Hearst's attack on Taggart. Now Mr.
no 4s oh fnl "
nothing in 1t excepting Hearst's re-
Venge on the former chairman of the
national committee for refusing to aid
and abet his inordinate and baseless
ambitions and support him at the st.
Louis convention. Mr.. Taggart's state
ment Is made in detail. without excite
ment or hysteria. 1t is plat sible. 1t
is believable. Along with it, by an
opportune coincidence, the readers of
The Herald received from Joe Simons
the information that the Hearst work.
ers had adopted bully-ragging methods
in order to attempt to intimidate Tag
gart into giving his aid and comfort
to Hearst, but that Taggart had re-
fused to be overawed or bullied.
Then, according to the "honest per-
sonal opinion" of Mr.. Simons, Hearst
resolved to make the best of a bad job,
and to use his political adventures and
misadventures for the purpose of build
ing up circulation and advertising for
his syndicate of papers, which had
been allowed languish while Hearst
was playing politics, Some of them,
indeed, were reported to be on the
verge OF financial ruin, and it is al
legged We're saved only bv deals and
dickers with Hartman and ~thers.
Hearst started in to use his family
of newspapers to catch the readers with
the 1O-cent socks" says Mr.. Simons.
Having got them, he has turned
around to please the fellows who wear
the dollar hose, and to try to corral
their advertising. He is just working
his own system to catch them a-coming
and a-going."
We should think even Hearst's secret
allies would be sick and tired of their
bargain he-dark by this time. When
| the inquiries into Hearstism are carried
higher up" and another chapter of
revelations is added to the secret his
tory of yellow journalism in California
and elsewhere, what will become of the
reputation of magnate who perchance
may be caught in a corner with the
yellow one?
An Independence league serving the
purposes of a far from independent"
founder is surely a tVpicallY HearStian
and yellow" paradoXical anomaly.