The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-06-09
OF EDITING
MILLIONS
DUPLICATE
THE CHATTANOOGA Ne VS.
Writes Strong Letter Giving His
Reasons for Giving Up Job
Rather than Stultify Self

man who until yesterday was editor OF
the Chattanooga News, one of ram
pant reforming prohibition, mireless
judiciary papers of the state, has given
up the Job of reforming Chattanooga
through that Thunderer's columns.
Editor James G. Rice is the man.
He was for years resident of Browns
Vile, has had residence in Memphis
and GAINESVILLE, and for the past tWen-
ty years has been editor-in-chief OF the
Chattanooga News. He was the de-
voted friend of the late Senator Car
mack. A year or more ago George
Fort Milton, one of the high priests
of statewide prohibition, acyuired own
ership of the News, and now conducts
it in connection with his other state
with his other statewide newspaper
property, the Knoxville Sentinel.
Mr.. Rice was asked yesterday to
confirm the report of his resignation
and he prepared statement of his rea-
sons, Wnlcn Is as IollOhS'
at is true that have resigned the
position as editor of the News. 1t IS
also true that | will begin the publica-
ton Of a newspaper in Chattanooga at
an early date. For several years | have
behaved that could make living for
myself and family with a modern
democratic weekly in Tennessee, and L
know of no city in the state in which l
would rather live than Chattanooga.
"Some weeks ago | took the matter
up with few Of my personal friends,
informing them of them of my desirts
and intention. They looked with fay-
or on the enterprise, but some of them
are insisting that make it an after
noon daily. Probably later it will be
converted into an afternoon paper.
For the present, however, it will be a
weekly, and my plan now is to have
the initial number on the streets OF
Chattanooga Saturday, June IL, as you
said in your notice some days ago.
"There is one thing that | wish you
would allow me to make clear, and
that is that the paper will not be a
a temporary campaign affair. 1t Will
be permanent institution if | can pos
sibly make it so, and | am reasonably
certain that l can. My purpose, In
brief, is to publish dignified, intelll-
gent and conservative democratic news
paper, devoted to the principles OF
democracy, supporting party organiza
ton in the state and opposing num-
Der of false doctrines that have been
masquerading in Tennessee under the
cloak of democracy-living on hate,
fantacism and false pretense. | have
close student of political affairs and
men in Tennessee for more than twen-
ty years and | think | know the true
rom the false.
1T will be my aim to advocate the
principles of democracy, as | have done
all of my life with the exception of
the eighteen months that / have been
nominal editor of the News under the
Knoxville ownership.
Statement Of Reasons Leading to
Resignation.
81 have no objection to giving you
briefly the reasons that forced me to
resign as editor of The News. The
trouble is the Knoxville incubus. II is
ever and abiding, constant and de-
pressing on the force that has been try
ing to publish the paper. With the
collection of news as the pretext, a
private wire connects the two offices,
George f. Milton when in Knoxville
monopolizee this wire every morning
giving orders to the Chattanooga end.
Instead of permitting his men here to
exercise their Judgment and publish a
newspaper devoted to the interests of
Chattanooga, and in some respect for
sentiment in this city, he insisted that
they adopt the KnoXyilestandard and
methods even to headings.
"Knoxville is always first, Chatta-
nooga second Milton is suspicious
and sensitive. He has seemed to believe
4 from the start that every man who
was connected with the paper under
the ownership of Mr.. j. b. Pound was
worthy to be held in suspicion. Grad
ually every man in the editorial de-
partment who has been employed by
Mr.. Pound was eliminated. The bust
ness Office has undergone the same
changes. The only man, | believe,
now in the business office who was the
man under Mr. Pounds ownership is
Mr.. w. G. Johnson, and he has been
reduced to street solicitor, not
withstanding the fact that his name is
printed at the main head of the paper
as its manager. Mr.. johnson has nc
authority to do anything that is not
first approved by Knoxville. The