The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-10
NOT A VERY Rad SHOWING.

Golfers Weekly. In a recent issue. explains
the mystery Of the letter 10 the newspapers,
weekly and daily, OF West Virginia offering to
purchase space in the editorial columns in the
interest OF the liquor traffic during the prohibit
ton fight in that State
The letters were supposed to be from the big
brewing interests with headquarters in Wash
ington, but when traced to their source 1t was
discovered that they were used as trap by
an opponent OF the saloon. and that answers
to them were received at Anti-SaIoon league
headquarters in the national capital those in
charge, however, knowing nothing of their con-
tents. but merely forwarding them. by request.
IT, the man to whom addressed
Interest lies in the answers to these letters
and not to the alleged batter of the trap"
OF the 21S dailies and weeklies in West vir-
ginia replies were received from about seventy
CT which but ten fatty refused the OFFER while
sixty either accepted offered advertising
space. but refused to sell the editorial col
umns. OF those who yielded to the temptation
to sell their opinions for money there were
about half hundred or less out OF the 21s
Coliaers apparently believes that it has ex-
posed the press of West Virginia and held II
up to scorn, but when the figures are analyzed
and the conditions made plain 1t is evident that
the proportion of subsidized to independent and
honorable newspapers in the State is no larger
than the proportion of undesirables in any
other profession. That II Is larger than 1t
should be and larger than in Virginia may be
admitted, but it IL not large enough to warrant
the conclusion that the press of West vir-
ginia is corrupt The struggle of country week
lies to make living ds we'll known. and when
poor man has the opportunity OF getting
dollars in place Of turnips and cabbages, and
even nothing: when a weekly which goes year
after year barely making both ends meet and
often failing In the undertaking has a chance
to make 81. 600 in few weeks enough to buy
its plant, 1t la not to be wondered that some
of them yield When 1t is taken into consider
who agreed to accept the subsidy were already
championing the very cause that they were to
be paid for championing the case against the
press is greatly weakened II must be remem
bered also that those who we're to be paid for
UNFOLDING this cause were to be allowed to
write their own editorials In other words
they were to receive more money than thev
could hope to make In years for doing what
they were already doing The Virginian ia not
defending even this. but merely showing that
those who agreed to accept the money were not
all newspapers willing to champion for money
cause which they conscientiously opposed, but
to support a cause which they had always SUP
ported.
Including these well as those who were
willing to sell their convictions outright we
find them to number one-ffth OF the news
papers OF the State. In other words when put
to the test four ffths OF the NEWSPAPERS OF
the State spurned a bride seductively offered
while at, those who were willing to accent the
bride many already favored the cause they were
being bribed to support.
II tested, how many other professions would
be foun1 to make better showing?