The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-05-19
THE CASE OF THE BRooKINGs
REGISTER.

THE CASE OF THE BROOkINGS
REGISTER.
Says the Sioux Falls Press:
1.-THE Mitchell Republican defends
the right Of the Bookings Press to
sell its columns for political adver-
Using to either side it desires. This
right is not denied, but will The Re-
publican explain what it thinks of
the change In editorial policy coin
cident with the making OF a contract
for advertising. Is 1t not a reasonable
conclusion that the editorial endorse
ment of the paper was virtually a
part of the contract! Does The Re-
publican approve of such a transfer
of a newspapers infuence?"
Well. it is hardly incumbent upon
this paper to make defense for the
Brookings Register because it chang
ed from q "progressive' to a "stal-
wart" organ. The coincidence is
enough. Of course. to arouse suspi-
cion. But It is too often the DISPOSE
ton Of South Dakota newspapers to
leap from suspicion to conclusion.
The editor Of The Republican is per-
sonally acquainted with Mr.. butcher
OF the Brookings Register and must
confess to respect for the man as he
has been known. It is just possible
that the decision to 90 over to the
"stalwarts" ante-dated the acceptance
Of . contract from them. The Press
does not know that 1t did not and II
such was the case. 1t Is doing the
Register grave injustice In making
so much Of it, suspicion against It.
II suspicious were to be allowed
to mother indictments, few, II any,
newspapers. would escape. The Press
itself. for example. is now holding
up Mr.. r. o. Richards for emulation.
whereas a year ago 1t denounced him
as unworthy Of confidence or leader
ship. The Press publishes legal
notices distributed by the state adj
ministration. MI. Richards is now
manager Of the campaign for the
.'progressives". who control the pres
emit administration. From these acts
It might be possible to construct a
plausible q 9 against the Press,
But The Republican does not mean
to do anything Of the kind, for it rec
ognizes the sincerity of its Sioux Falls
contemporary.
But even IL the case Is proved
against the Brookings paper. the fu-
tility Of It remains. Are virtues to
be cast out of humans as the evil spir-
It's left one possessed and entered
swine? And r these virtues
then to enter some other persons and
make them nobler? Has either Gov
ernor vessey or Tom Thorson become
a better man because the Press has
accused the Bookings paper Of COM
mercialism?
The weakness Of the progressive"
|campaign in the state is its negative
nature. There seems more interest
lin attacking the record of Treasurer
Johnson or the editor of some news
paper than in giving character to the
movement which the "pr~ogressives'
profess to represent. Whether or not
johnson paid the state all the inter
est he should has a bearing on the
contest for that office. But what does
1t signify as to the curse that
Schrader will take If elected to con
gress, or what a continuation of Yes
sey's term would mean? A cam.
paign of personalities characterizes
those who wage it as we'll as those
against whom it is directed. The
"progressives" ought to have enough
self respect to put themselves on q
higher plane.
NEITHER SIDE SHOULD BRAG.
The Republican commented a day
or two ago upon the weakness of the
Hsprogressive'' primary campaign, its