Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1909-05-07
MAY z, 1909.
THE JOURNALS BIG MISTAKE

THE JOURNALS BIG MISTAKE
: The people of Ramsey county are
wrought up to high pitch of indig-
nation over the appearance in the
Journal of this city of articles which
to say the least are very unfair and
unjust.
The article which seems to have
been the direct cause of the uncalled
for onslaught of that paper on Hon. J.
F. Cowan, appeared in the Journal
one evening last week. It sighted the
fact that a little child had died in this
city, whose father was serving a SEN
tence in the penitentiary having con-
fessed to burglary, and been given the
least possible sentence for the crime
by Judge Cowan. The Journal then
proceeded to. cite the case of another
party in this city who recently plead
guilty to selling liquor contrary to
law and who was also given the mini
mum sentence, which he is now serv-
III LIE Guilty jail.
Following this article in the Journal
the Edmore Herald took the matter
up and claimed that the Journal was
anarchistic in it's article and that such
matter served to discredit courts, law
etc. In answer to this the Journal of
Saturday contained an editorial which
directly mentioned Judge Cowan and
accused him of being the author of
the Edmore article and further criti-
ced and maligned the Judge.
To get at the real source of this
matter it is necessary to go back fur
Their to the time of the last campaign,
where in our opinion the real trouble
originated. AS that time Judge Cow
an was up for reelection to the posi-
ton which he has filled with credit
and honor for several years. The
Journal opposed him at that time, and
although the judge paid no heed to
THE articles published, the Journal
lost no opportunity to print articles
which were slurring insinuations both
as to Mr.. Cowan's character and off.
cial acts. a. 80,
tx Following the election things have
mot improved much, and the Journal
has occasionally published slurs on
the judge, until it was so open that
1t was taken up by the Edmore Herald
and the articles above referred to
followed. q 49, i: ~ ,.s t52
$s#ss While the Inter-Ocean has I been
.loath to enter into any controversy
with the Journal over these affairs
which to say the least were usually
only petty destinations, it seems tt
s%us that it Is only fair to al parties
Il. that I'VE review the affair at this time
and do our part In setting right mat
s55ters that are greatly exaggerated By
the Journal. IL n
is to be regretted that The Edi
q tor Of the Journal should have gone 81
B far as to adopt the means that It hal
IN airing, as we believe, a matter tina,
4 -
has developed into a personal feeling
against the Judge. No doubt the artf
d Gle in the Herald served as a prod e
spur the writer on to the article b
saturday still II e as we say regret
table that 4 paper ii this city should
go to the lengths that the Journal hal
lin assaiIing the Judge and court. Il
such articles as these that stir III
tiff. cause IaWle ssness ana discord
40 ID tsle hope off the people b
anasey county that this MA ter VIII
AZ closed # this time and that Shers
VIII pc 70 epetiticn of walat seems
III ia NJ BE- 4 istion from tho stand