The Daily Missoulian., 1912-04-29
FACTS concerning PROSECUTIONS
THAT CRIPPLED THE W0MAN'S LEAGUE


Champion Il. q. Lewis" the st. Louis
star publishes the following story
concerning Mr.. Lewis and his alleged
persecution In connection with his
publication. the Woman's Magazine,
and which caused the Gripping OF the
American woman's league the direct
beneficiary Of his magazine plans:
short review of the salient features
OF the Lewis case may serve to keep
THE people of the tinted States from
losing sight of the crucial facts In the
press of events and the cloudlng of the
issue by those who are seeking to de-
'stroy him, as they hive already de-
stroyed his enterprises and caused
'vss OF millions of dollars TO the thou
sands who invested In. them.
About 12 years ago Mr.. Lewis re-
allied that the financial success OF a
magazine lay In Its advertising pat
ronage. and that advertising Is based
upon the amount and character Of cir
culation. He saw that magazines
spent nearly all they received from
subscriptions In getting them and in
creasing their circulation. He con-
cludcd that a magazine selling for 10
cents year. and as good as others
costing subscribers so cents and 81.
would get its subscribers practically
for nothing and would increase in cir
culation faster than the others.
This was the germ of his whole pub
lication idea, to make the publications
cheap to subscribers. thus giving them
the same, or better. for less money.
In doing this he was carrying out the
fundamental idea of the second class
postage rate. that OF giving literature
to the people at lower cost. His idea
was to reach the millions of people in
the smaller communities all over the
country. He did II. In a short time
he had a magazine OF more than
100000 subscribers.
This enabled him to make II clean
and Wholesome as TO contents. and to
refuse to accept fake and question:
able advertisements. which were being
received by other magazines OF higher
price. lie practically set the example
IN what was known as mail order
publications" OF excluding undesirable
advertising for the protection OF sub
scribers. which example others have
since been compelled to follow. and
which the postal department itself
took up later for publication OF the
mails.
Then. Mr.. Lewis had a vision or
building up great publishing plant
and beautiful city on the confines OF
st. Louis. where he would found a uni
versity for the people, especially the
women, who would be associated
through his publications. II was al
most Utoplan In its beautiful concep-
tion. IN Its usefulness and In It's de-
sign to be of vast value to others. He
is an idcalist and he put all his heart.
brain and energy into this work for
the creation Of n great beauty and ed
ncational center for the good or
others.
He acquired large tracts OF real es-
tate and began to, convert II into q
city of beauty, Incidentally. 1t may
be remarked, that this set III motion
those forces which, have added mil
lions Of dollars to real estate values In
that portion Of the city west OF Ham
ilton avenue and In adjacent st. Louis
county.
Mr.. Lewis then saw the necessity for
bank to handle the money OF the
thousands or people all over the coun-
try who did not have local bank IA
cilities or who might want to invest IN
his enterprises. He organized the Peo-
pies United States bank, and evolved
system Of deposits and mail checks
different from anything hitherto In
use. and this bank had Its total capi-
tai subscribed and large deposits sent
It before II was ready for business, so
great was its popularity.
Some financial interests powerful
enough to enlist the government on
their side objected to this new depart
nre In banking. and right hero began
the long series of prosecutions to
wiiich lie has been subjected by the
postal department. and which has lost
to investors millions Of dollars and
ruined enterprises which would have
been Of tremendous value to st. Louis.
The postal department issued u
fraud order against the bank and
against Mr. Lewis personally. not be-
cause of any fraud they had COM
mItted, but on the assumption that
they were going to- commit fraud.
The bank was forced into liquidation
before II had opened It's doors. and the
stockholders had to lose the cost. of
liquidation.
The thousands of letters addressed
TO Mr.. Lewis personally. IA very large
portion Of which were on business
matters relating to the magazine. were
stamped fraudulent" and returned to
4, the senders. thus doing his publishing
: business irreparable damage. Later,
after the damage was done. this fraud
order was revoked, which revocation
was an admission that he was not a
fraudulent person. because he had
not changed his character, and if he
was fraud the order against him
should have been continued in effect
The bank had been destroyed, which
was the object of the attack.
Mr.. Lewis did not take this assault
upon his enterprises meekly and re-
turn thanks. He fought back In a des-
perate effort to protect them and his
investors. Then was issued that ter
rible Catalonian decree. "Dclendo esi
Carthage Mr.. Lewis being the Car
thage of the ruthless postal Romans
In common with most popular mag
azincs, the Woman's Magazine sem
- Ia a., hx