The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1910-02-18


given him out of the Western Union
telegraph office at Wenatchee. After
the departure OF Mr.. Debord, on Mon
day, the World reasserted the truth Of
its story, and because The Echo de-
MED its truth, in connection with some
animadversions on the course OF that
paper, it accuses The Echo of polecat
journalism.
The Echo has been under its pres
ent management for over five years and
never has had less than twenty-five
regular subscribers among the people
of Wenatchee; at the present time has
nearly one hundred, last week received
four unsolicited subscriptions from that
place, and has never had subscriber
discontinue his paper unless he in
tended to remove from the county. 1t
has never had a complaint from one
that this paper had been unfair in its
treatment Of the town or any of its in
situations. To its readers in Wenat-
chez it submits the proposition that it
never in its entire history began a
newspaper controversy or made YER
bal attack without provocation. 1t is
quite true that The Echo does not
carry its religion to the extent Of turn
ing its left cheek after being smote on
the right, but it never strikes first.
The publisher of the World knows,
and the people of Wenatchee know,
that the World has repeatedly given
offense to the people of Leavenworth
in the past by printing offensive and
untruthful statements about the town
and the people of Leavenworth. The
readers of this paper know that it has
frequently made complimentary men
ton of the World and advised the peo-
pie of Leavenworth that it was deserv-
ing of support. 1t will never do so
again. 1t will from this time on re-
mind the people that the World pur-
sues studied purpose of returning
evil for good. Is there man living
who remembers one single sentence
ever contained in the World commend
atory of Leavenworth or any of its peo-
pie or institutions? Reader, can you
call one to mind?
The following additional facts in re-
gard to the riot and other lawlessness
which the World still insists occurred
here. Harry Lawson and man by the
name of Morgan, striking switchmen,
who claim to have been assaulted and
threatened by armed men, made re-
port to that effect to Assistant Train
master Gerhard, which report was
wired to Spokane, and is presumed to
be the story given to the World by the
Wenatchee operator, has been proven
to Mr.. Gebhard's entire satisfaction to
be entirely without foundation. 1t is re-
ported that both Lawson and Morgan
were discharged by Mr.. Gerhard the
first of this week. Certain it is that
Lawson departed on Monday and Nor
gan on Tuesday Mr.. Gerhard has
stated that he was taken in by Lawson
and Morgan, and so reported to his
superiors.
If there is reputable man in Leav-
enworth or Wenatchee who still insists
that the false and misleading story
printed in the World is true in any
part, this paper will make public
acknowledgment that it has withheld
the true facts and is unworty of conf
dence.
1t is quite possible that the World
will have an opportunity to prove the
truth of its story in ten thousand dol
lar damage suit growing out of the
breaking off of large trade, due en-
tirely to the story printed in the World.
The Wenatchee Republic, an enter
prising, up-with-the news paper, did not
contain a line in regard to trouble at
Leavenworth. 1t took the prec aution
to ascertain the facts, course which,
in common decency and fairness to a
neighboring town, the World might
have pursued, but in the hardness Of
its upness for yellow news it rushed
the story into print for fear it would be
denied.
To the candor and fairness OF the
Wenatchee reading public is left the
decision Of the character of journalism,
with the confident belief that the