The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915, 1912-10-25
BLETHEN>S CHIMES DON'T CHINE

There was more than music in the air at the
University of Washington last Monday alter
noon, for mingled with the sweet Ginning chimes
of the Blethens, present to the University
were the excited protests of number of the
students against the fair fame of the University
being put under everlasting obligations to Alden
T. Blethen, whom they openly accused of buying
a place of honor in the history of the state. The
Student Paper, which is supposed to publish all
of the news that's fit to publish about the stu
dents and in the interest of the students, was
suppressed by Presiden Kane because 1t con-
tanned vigorous protest against the University
prostituting itself by receiving the tainted chimes
Not to be outdone, the students had their pro-
test published in circular and distributed 1t as
best they could The daily papers of the city
referred to it, but none of them reproduced It,
and therefore The Seattle Republican, IN order
that the people may know the exact position OF
the students, gives it in full:
"To the Regents, Faculty and Friends OF the
University of Washington:
Ever since the announcement last spring that
Mr. A. J. Bethen was the donor OF a set OF
chimes to the University, we have felt that
protest should be made against the acceptance
of this gift from Mr. Blethen, or of any gifts
from men of like reputation and character
For justification of such attitude toward Mr
Blethen's chimes, ask your candid cons1dera-
ton of few authenticated facts regarding his
life. We have selected them from among many
similar incidents and reluctantly present
them in the belief that they fairly exhibit the
true character of the who seeks to perpet-
uate his influence at University.
Minneapolis Activities.
In Minneapolis, Blethen's activities were of an
unsavory character They typihed by an
account which Mr. Ed. w Bemis gives in "Mu-
nicpal Monopolies" page $50 Mr.. Bemis
quotes from a statement made in court (accord-
ing to the Minneapolis Journal, Feb 10, l896)
by Judge Shea, counsel for Colonel Blethen. In
this statement by Mr.. Blethen's attorney, it
was disclosed that Mr.. Lowry President of the
Street Railways of Minneapolis and St Paul.
desired newspaper support in one of the cities
inasmuch as his franchise was for animal power
only and not very After meetings be-
tween Blethen and Lowry at New York and ST.
Paul, Bethen purchased the stock of the Trib-
une for $25O,OOO, and Lowry indorsed his pa
per for the balance of 100000 and the purchase
price.
From that time," writes Mr. Bemis, ''the edi-
toral policy of the paper was conducted in Mr.
Lowry's interest and he was always consulted
At that time Anderson and Douglas made the
cities a proposition for a cable line. Every
paper in the city of Minneapolis favored it
cept the Tribune, which fought it with fifty or
more editorials Some claimed that Mr. Lowry
was part owner of the Tribune. OF course
Blethen peremptory denied the allegation. Mr.
Blethen was technically the owner of the paper
and it would never do to allow the people to
know that Lowry had endorsed his paper for
$16OO0O"
This book may be found in the University
Library
Backed White-Slavers
During the administration of Mayor Gill in
Seattle, Blethen was a backer and friend of Lu-
dovc Dallagaovanna and Chas. Bergman of
the alaskan" saloon. For several years Berry
man was a keeper of house of prostitution in
this city According to editorial in the Post
Intelligencer of May a. 1911, Ludovic
Commonly called the King of the Maques'"
He was engaged in the business of conducting