The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-10
CALLS IT A TRUST
Usage City Excited Over News
paper Situation.
Barnes Sells Paper and ExcIu-
siVe Contracts Made.

Usage City, Kan, April 1O.-In the
consolidation this week of the Free
Press and Public Opinion under one
management, newspaper sentiment in
Usage county was dashed to the mast
of the Stubbs-Jackson following in the
Fourth district. To protect against a
break in the corner on public sent1-
ment, contracts were made with a
number of advertising firms, which
eliminates the possibility of a self
supporting opposition Stubs and
jackson paper in the town.
Under the management and control
of Henry G. Sticher, both papers will
be printed, giving the county two pa
pers advocating the same cause. OPP
position to the policy has already de-
veloped and it is declared that Attor-
ney General Dawson will be asked to
investigate the matter as violation of
the law in restraint of trade. The
iron-clad contracts secured this week
have bound the merchants not to sup
port an opposition paper and the anti
Stubs followers declare that this ac-
ton is clearly a violation of the law
as was shown in the recent Standard
Oil and Harvester Trust cases.
The corner in editorial opinion came
when Charles Barnes sold his Free
Press to Sticher. Previously Sticher
had taken over the Public Opinion,
owned by Congressman Fred S. jack
son. The change did not affect the
editorial policy of the Opinion and
under Stichers management the pa
per's support of Stubs and jackson
was never more ardent and sincere.
1t was when the theories of the
Free Press became antagonistic that
negotiations for Barnes paper were
made. Contracts were made for the
purchase of the Press and the final
purchase was followed by the circu-
lation of contracts binding the adver-
Users not to support an opposition
sheet.
Forty-eight hours before these
contracts were circulated, Governor
Stubs came to Usage City. He spent
much of his time with Sticher in the
Opinion office. After his return to
paper situation in Usage county was
completed. Whether Stubs is finan-
cially interested in the two papers is
not generally known. Sticher has al
governor and when Congressman
jackson began to look for a pur-
chaser or manager for his Usage City
paper Sticher appeared as the logical
man to go to the helm.
Almost before Sticher had become
familiar with the wards and voting
precincts in the county, the new editor
began to negotiate for the purchase
of Barnes paper To what extent
Stubbs and Jackson figured in this
made public. The new contracts which
Sticher offered his advertisers bound
them not to use the columns of Oppo-
sition papers for a period of three
years. This contract successfully COW
ers the campaign period this year and
eliminates another paper from the
field until after the 1914 election.
1t was after Sticher had secured the
signatures of a number of the heavier
that a report was circu-
lated that the Sticher contracts were
illegal and were made in restraint of
trade Then, it is claimed, several of
l.. H14v- 1<pfc
and refused to become a party to the
transa ction. The opposition Stubs
crowd did not stop with the blocking
eff the contracts, however. They now
propose to check the matter up to the
attorney general and ask for legal
opinion rewarding the transaction.
In the meantime, the editorial col
umns of the Usage City papers are
loaded with convincing arguments of
the virtues and accomplishments of
the Stu bbs-Jackson contingent.
Lewis Single Binder straight &c cigar
10 20 Irfx