Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1911-10-27
The Cosmopolitan Szander.

SA~~sS %AN s7O0AA AAANS 'OAJ AAaNh w
make a psychological study of
that fellow Bilbo," for he re-
garded him as being more kinds
of a crook than any person he
had met with in his entire jour
nalistic career.
And thus one of Americas S
foremost muckrakers refused to
sacrifice his self-respect by writ
ing the story of "Mississippi,s S
legislative scandal" No article
on that topic appeared in the
Cosmopolitan Magazine during
the year 1910. although Charles
Edward Russell had been sent to
this commonwealth under in
structions to write it. And, so
far as this writer has observed,
no other article under Mr.. Rus
sells name has appeared in the
Cosmopolitan Magazine since he
made his report to that prince of
political fakirs, William Randolph
Hearst,
1t goes without saying. Of
course, that Hearst was not sat-
isfied. Political renegade that he
is, imbued with an intensified
hatred Of the decent element in
Mississippi politics that his Presi-
dental pretensions a few years
since when he sent his hirelings
all over the state to stir up
Hearst sentiment. William
Randolph Hearst thiristed for
revenge; and it was not hard for
him to find a conscienceless Great
ure in the person of George Creel
to come to Mississippi and write
a Bilbo-V -Vardaman story that
would be just to his liking.
Creel arrived in Jackson dur
ing the early part Of the present
year. Unlike Charles Edward
RUSSELL, he did not bear letters
OF introduction to the local news
paper men, or to reputable citi-
zens Of this community. In fact,
he Stunned the members of his
fraternity, and from the hour of
his arrival until the moment of
his departure, was in the custody
of the booze-fghting, poker-play-
ing friends and cohorts of James
X. Vardaman.
Charles Edward Russell came
to Jackson with instructions to
investigate the Bilbo bribery
charges, George Creel undoubted
came here with instructions to
write that story, and to make it
just as unfavorable as he posi-
bly, could for Senator Leroy
Percy. Judge w. A. Henry,
Governor Noel and other citizens
who had shown the courage to
oppose the political pretentions
of that miserable fraud. fakir
and CRATER, James K. Vardaman.
Creel followed instructions. He
literally out-Heroded Herod in
his literary effort Vardaman,
Bilbo & Company were.lauded to
the skies, and all who opposed
them were made fit candidates
for the penitentiary of the gal
lows. How any man possessed
of even rudimentary knowledge
of newspaper or magazine work
could have been so completely de-
ceived by set of ~conscienceless
scoundrels, such as he associated
with while here, passes all COM
prehension. But the fact re-
mains that he did. Perhaps Creel
had been so thoroughly schooled
in Hearst's peculiar style of
Journalism that he is now devoid
Of any semblance of conscience
or discrimination, and the ques-
ton of truth or falsity didn't
bother him in the least. He was
sent here to AK up some plain
and fancy lying for his master,
and simply carried out instruc-
tions,
The Daily News will not at.
tempt to discuss Creel 9 article
in detail. for 1t Isn't worth while.
No man who is familiar with 10.
litical affairs In Mississippi can
possibly place credence in the
horrible tale he tells Of corruption |
rampant in this state. It sufices
to say that he has spun his yarn
In a truly Vardamanesque man.
ner, and it must be apparent to
every Mississippian that each
every word he has written was
from Vardaman's head
quarters.
However, as creatures of his
,lasss sometimes will, Creel has
served a useful purpose. Good
comes out of evil,
syeH when the evil inspiratiQH
ss;.siistss ssei;i @ lss,ssi ..,ss;; .ssI'isss;p:
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