Graham guardian., 1910-11-11
RATES OF LEGAL ADVERTISING
NOVEMBER IL, 1910.
CORPORATION PRESS AND
CHARACTER ASSASSINS

CHARACTER ASSASSlNS
During tke past several months
the character assassin has lived in
his glory in Graham county. He is
the most dangerous and most to be
despised reptile God permits to ex-
list. He makes no open charge
against anyone; he has not the
moral courage; he is slick, smooth,
oily individual, who is full of SYM
pathy for everyone. Since Mr..
Willis began auditing the county
books, this same reptile, only there
have been several, would start a
story after this fashion: Meeting
some one who loves to gossip. he
would say: Wouldn't it be too
bad if so and so should be found
short in his accounts, and should be
indicted. Oh, how sorry I would
bel" Mr.. Gossip can be relied on to
do the balance.
Since the Detroit Copper Co..
experts finished their auditing, Mr..
Willis gave out the statement that
he had been compelled to give up
his Investigations on account of be-
ing hampered and intimidated by
county officials. Every person in
Graham county knows this was a
falsehood, yet it gave the corpora
ton press its opening. Failing to
find the corruptness that the people
were led to believe existed in the
court house, this press must defend
its masters by publishing broadcast
such absurd statements as those
given out by Mr.. Willis. Mr.. Willis
spent about seven months in Gra-
ham county, with one assistant most
of the time. He appeared before
two grand juries and if what he
says about intimidation was true,
he would have reported there.
Because The GUARDIAN had the
nerve to brand these stories as false,
the corporation press has been hav-
ing fits ever since. Our statements
of the work done by Mr.. Willis were
true and not colored in favor of
anyone, yet the Globe Belt, with no
knowledge of conditions here, at
tempted to show that The GUAR
DIAN was defending criminals. Of
course all fair-minded people know
this to be false.
The Gila Valley Record followed
the lead of the Belt with:
The following article clipped
from the editorial column of the
Silver Belt, is printed in full, in order
that the public may fully understand
the stand taken by the Gila Valley
Record in the recent case Of Address
and other grating officers"
The Record stands for clean
government, be it county. state or
nation. We have printed in full as
near as we could learn the true
facts of this investigation, and have
defended none, neither have we
censured or condemned.
We do state, however. for the
honor of the press in Graham coun-
ty, and in defense of the citizens of
this county that neither the Record
or the people are in accord with any
paper that will in any measure at
tempt the defense of any man who
was convicted by twelve jurymen
for graft in any form whatever,
even though it is claimed that the
case was one in which corpora
u0n was after a mans scalp and
got it,"
The Record certainly wants to be
fair when it says and other graft
ing officers" The people demand
to know who these other grating
officers are, and the next grand jury
will make the same demand of the
editor of the Record. He certainly
knows, and if he withholds this in
formation he has proven himself
not to be that loyal citizen that he
says he is. Then it says the Rec
ord or the people are not in accord
with any paper that will in any
measure attempt the defense of any
man who was convicted by twelve