The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-04-07
SHOWS KNOCKERS"
REAL MOTIVE
DR.. GATES REITERATEs THE
TRUE CAUSE OF RAsELEss AT.
TAcKs OF THE MANAGEMENT
OF NEWS UPON HIM-REFUs-
AL TO ADVERTISE IN WORTH
LESS MEDIUM SOLE CAUSE OF
ATTACK.

In order that the public may under
stand the motive for the hysterical ac-
tons of The News upon me / will give
few facts.
Having tried The News for two
months as a means OF reaching the
public while in Fargo about a year
ago, / decided, upon my return last
fall to advertise in 1t no more, as
could trace no results to it. After in
vestigating the matter / found that
there were two reasons for this One
was that its circulation was grossly
misrepresented; that it's real subscrip-
ton list was very much smaller than
its claimed one. The other reason was
that The News was discredited by the
public as one man expressed it, IF
you see II in The News, it is not true"
However, by persistent solicitation, the
paper secured three advertisements
from me, when / emphatically declined
to be solicited any further, and told
the advertising man not to call at my
Office any more, as it only bothered me
and did him no good. He declared and
persistently argued that he was enti-
tied to as much advertising as / gave
The Forum. / told him that was the
sold judge of what he was entitled to
and that did not think he was entitled
to anything Soon after thissI learned
Of others who had been attacked by
The News because they refused to adj
vertise in that paper and was warned
that 1t would probably try to injure me.
was, therefore, not surprised when
man, who said he was the editorial
writer Of The News, called upon me and
threatened to use The News against
me. saying that there were two or three
doctors who had it in for me-" and
that he thought might be interested
in knowing what he thought of doing
AS expected, he was followed in about
half an hour by the same advertising
man who had formerly solicited me.
/ asked him what he wanted and he
replied that he wanted an advertising
contract from me. reminded him that
had told him not to come Co solicit
me for advertising, and he replied that
he thought perhaps / had changed my
mind. / then told him that I would
not be blackmailed into paying The
News a cent, and from henceforth The
NEWS WOuAu nCNGA get u lAllG VI dU=
vertising from me under any circum-
stance. then ordered him out of the
office and told him If he came back Il
would kick him out. He went away
very angry. Shortly after this the at
tacks began and for nearly a week have
appeared daily.
Now, If these were not the facts, The
News would be compelled in self de-
tense TO prosecute me for libel. I dare
it to do so. This Is the real question at
issue: Does The News practice black
mail?"
1t evidently does not wish to discuss
this charge, which made in The Fo-
rum some time ago, but attempts to
line up three of my disgruntled com
petitors - Osteopaths - and put into
their mouths such silly questions as.
Where did yor get your knowledge or
training?" How long a time did You
devote to study Are you spiritual
ist?" With all Difference to this self |
constituted inquisitorial board whom
The News has given full authority to
inquire into my physical mental and
spiritual condition, my reply is: 1T is !,
none of your business" / have never
claimed to be an osteopath. However.
in the near future / will have few
questions to ask these Specialized. ex-
perienced' individuals, which they will
find vey embarrassing.
Can The News afford to longer ignore
the charge that / bring against it and
for which have undisputable proofs? Tf
so, 1t stands convicted II not what i
1t going 60 do about 1t?
MELVIN L. GATES.