The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-11-19
COLONEL KELLY
ROASTS THE news
THE DEVILS LAKER COMES BACK
AT MANAGER M'ANDREss or
THE FARGO MORNING PuRLIcA-
TIoN--HE WANTS INSURGENTS
TO PAY FOR PAPER.

Il
News had little to say about the con-
troversy with Colonies Kelly and
Bloom of Devils Lake In It's Wednes-
days issue-The Devils Lake Journal
contained the following interview with
Colonel kelvin which some inside
deals are exposed and more light
thrown on the switch OF the paper
| from a democratic to an insurgent
sheet:
With reference to the attack made
upon him by The Fargo News Tues
day, Col. Jos. M. Kelly Of this city.
said today:
1T is a well known fact to all DEM
Gratis who have attended conventions
and conferences Of the party in the
state that on such occasions repre-
sentatives Of The Fargo News have in
variably been on hand begging assist
ance. Although / did not become q
member of the board of directors until
this year. / always responded as liber-
ally as anyone to these appeals and
urged my friends to do likewise. AT
the last Of the conferences which was
held at Fargo several months ago,
among others, was asked to sign a
bond in the sum of $4,000 In order to
secure the Northern Trust Co. against
loans they had made to The News
Publishing Co. A number of those
present, including myself, signed the
bond. Shortly after, having doubts as
to the success OF the enterprise, 1
communicated with several of the Of
ficials of the company, making inquir-
les as to the condition of the business
informed by these officials that they
knew nothing as to the condition Of
the property. Thereupon, believing
that for the protection of those who
had signed the bond, that it was time
someone knew something about the
condition of affairs, demanded an ac-
counting Of the business, and when
this was done 1t was found that the
company had lost approximately $780,
600 in publishing the paper and were
still losing money at an enormous rate.
1t was then decided by the directors
to either stop the publication or buy
out The Call thus eliminating all COM
petition in the morning field The Cali
was purchased, the purchase price be-
ing guaranteed by less than a dozen
men, including myself. At meeting
held at this time ]. G. McAndress and
myself were elected to the board Of
directors to I'LL vacancies, and this was
the first time had anything to do
with the company in an official capac-
ity. AS the paper had been operating
at heavy loss under the previous ar
rangement proposed that the property
be leased to a practical newspaper
ho rhA
knew that if 1t was possible to make
a success of the enterprise Mr.. Bloom
could do it, and / with other demo-
Gratis residing in Fargo, urged him for
the party's sake to make some sacri-
fees and take hold Of the paper until
it was at least put on it's feet. He re-
fused to consider any proposition
which would take him permanently
from Devils Lake, but did consent to
take hold Of the property and stay
with 1t until it was put on a paying
basis and someone else could be pro-
cured to take charge. He never offer
ed to buy the property at any price,
and doubt if he would take il as a
gift. His offer for the lease was 81, 200
per year for two years and $2,400 per
year for three years following, with
out privilege of buying. McAndress
raised the bid to $2,400 per year for
the full five years, and as Mr. He'll
strom, one Of the lessees, informe me-
he has since put in $4,000 in keeping
the paper up, / still believe the offer
made by Mr.. Bloom was a fair one
Certain 1t is that no newspaper man
could be induced to make as good an
offer at the time. The McAndress bid
was accepted although / opposed it
for the reason only that Mr.. McAndress
was wholly without experience in the
newspaper business, fact which has
become patent to all. Besides the
price agreed upon, the lease also pro-
vided that The News should be run
as democratic paper. Soon after
AGcAndress secured his lease he an
nounced editerially that the paper
would be independent in politics. /
protested against this as being unfair
to the democrats who were backing
the paper. Being unable to obtain any
satisfaction from him. McAndress was
dropped from the board of directors
at the next annual meeting OF the
stockholders. At this time was elect
ed president, j. B. Eaton vice president,
and ID. B. Holt secretary. Although
under the lease the board has a right
to compel the lessees to run The News
as a democratic paper 1t has feared to
exercise that right because the finan-
cial obligations Of The News were
largely held by republicans, and when
ever protests were made against the
policy Of the paper in supporting GER
tain republicans there were at once
rumblings of foreclosure proceedings.
dislike to be dragged into the con-
troversy, but l shall defend myself
against this and all other attacks the
paper may make against me- Senator
George r. Duis, who owns the control
ling stock in The News will testify
that neither myself or Mr.. Bloom have
ever attempted to acquire control of
the paper or steal it, as charged by
| McAndress. In fact there has never
been anything to steal except a mass
OF Indebtedness, and all I am seeking
to do now is to get the republicans
who are directing the political policy
of the paper to assume the financial
burdens OF the paper which myself
and friends are now carrying"
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