Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1910-10-10
MIX-UP OVER
CAMPAIGN "AD'
Colonel TOwnSend'S Action
Starts Interesting Con-
trOversy at Milford
EDITOR EXPLAINS
HIS ATTITUDE

1
rest and conviction OF election brib-
ers, Colonel Theodore Townsend. edi-
tor and publisher of the Chronicle, has
notified Dr. c. Layton Grier, Of the
committee, that the advertising space
cannot be used In future is
sues of the Chronicle. This caused
DR.. Grier to send a spirited reply TO
Colonel Townsend, who is the newly
I appointed State auditor and the cor
respondence between the two was
\ made public on Saturday. presumably
/ by DR.. Grier.
In conversation with THE EVEN
\ ING JOURNAL over the long distance
telephone. Colonel Theodore Towns
end. editor of the Milford Chronicle,
said that he would be in Wilmington
late this afternoon when he will pre-
pare a formal statement regarding the
Townsend-Grier letters.
\ Colonel Townsend said that a diff
/ ferent construction had been put on
his attitude from what had been iu-
tended. Colonel Townsend said that
he had seen the advertisement relat-
ing to the offers for the punishment
of bribers and he had no objection to
it. He had printed that advertisement
and would be glad to do 80 again,
! but Il was what was to come,- said
the colonel which Influenced him In
I his decision. Colonel Townsend said
that DR.. Grier could have easily seen
him In the beginning as well as his
manager. Colonel Townsend said
that he was not so told, but he had
very good grounds for believing that
the advertising space would be used
by the Grier committee for the pur-
pose of attacking individuals on the
Republican ticket and 1t was this
phase of the matter to which he OBJ
jected and not to the advertising re-
lating to bribery. II is understood
that the Grier committee intends to
fight DR.. Marshall and George Fish
er Pierce. candidates for state sena-
tors. and Edward Beswick, candidate
for the lower house in the Tenth dis
trict.
The letter sent by Colonel Townsend
cancelling the advertising order, is as
follows:
Milford Chronicle,
Theodore Townsend, Editor and Pro-
prietor.
Milford, Del. Oct Z, 1910.
To c. Layton Grier, Milford, Del,
Dear Sir:
I herewith enclose your check for
thirty-six dollars, which you gave to
Mr.. Reynolds my bookkeeper and
manager, to pay for five weeks use Of
forty-eight inches of advertising space
in the Chronicle. the purpose OF which
was to be the defeat of the Republican
ticket, as 1t was nominated.
You Will, after consideration, appre-
ciate~ the fact that my permission to
| ~ - ko 81
a purpose of this character, would
place me in an unenviable position,
and am sure you would not care to
assume one of similar character for
yourself.
My sense OF honor alone-were there
no other reasons--would stop me from
permitting the Chronicle being used as
a medium with which to bring forth
obstacles for the success OF my party.
want to be fair with you, and for
that reason, l am returning your
check and notifying you that the
agreement made between Mr.. Rey-
nolds and yourself, at the first OPP
| portunity-after learning of the OBJ
| ject to which the use of the space Is
! to be put, so that you will have OPP
portunity to do as you may think
proper.
/ will not permit the Chronicle to be
made a medium, even through its ad-
vertising columns, to attempt to bring
| defeat to the Republican ticket, In
! State or county.
am very truly yours,
Theodore Townsend.
Editor and Proprietor, Milford Chron-
icle.
Mr.. Grier Replies.
In reply to Colonel Townsend, DR..
/ Grier wrote the following letter;
October z, 1910.
Colonel Theodore Townsend, Editor Of
The Milford Chronicle, Milford, Del.
Sir: On Monday last, made con-
( tract with your manager for a GER
/ tain amount of space in your paper
| for each issue till the election. to be
used for political advertising. This
matter was to be furnished by me. not
! to be libelous and to bear the appear
ance Of advertising matter.
| One such advertisement appeared in
your issue of to-day, and this evening
/ have your letter declining to con-
/ tinue the contract, returning my
check and giving certain reasons for
fdoing so.
Now, It seems important that
should call your attention to . few
facts / did not state to your agent
or to anyone else that my purpose
was or is to defeat the Republican
ticket; but / will say frankly that 1t
Is my hope that the decent people Of
the districts on either side OF the Mis-
pillion will defeat certain candidates
whose nominations are an insult to
the character and intelligence OF our
people and which drag Republicans
deeper into the mire. You may feel
that no matter who happens to get on
the ticket he should be elected; but
that Is a view of politics that is get
ting to be ancient history.
But the real Significance OF your
position lies In the fact that you have
seen the copy for but one of our adj
vertisements, and we have discussed
no other copy for these advertise
ments with either you or your repre-
sentatives-and you now refuse us
space on the ground that these ad-
vertisements would injure the Repub-
lican party.
\ That one advertisement contained
simply an offer OF rewards for the de-
lection of vote-buyers. No distinc-
tons between Democrats and Republi-
cans we're made. There is no con-
clusion possible but that you regard
vote-buying as a necessary part OF
Republican politics-at least locally
and will not permit your paper to be
the means of discouraging II, even
though the space is paid for.