The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-02-28
editor and Publisher, n. Y.


ielphia on Friday evening February |
2, proved to he the most notable and /
exciting in its career The speakers /
were Governor woodrow Wilson OF /
New Jersey, Senator La Toilette OF
Wisconsin. L. F. Metcalf dramatic
critic Of Life; DIR. S Weir Mitchell |
Mayor Randolph Blankenburg and
VIM ]. Burns, the detective.
Two hundred members and guests
listened to the addresses and applaud
ed the speakers, and they were in tine
fettle when Senator La Toilette was
introduced by Don c. Seitz, the toast
master. Everybody was anxious to
hear the distinguished candidate Tor
the nomination of President for it
was believed that he would seize upon
the opportunity to make one of his
characteristic speeches.
When Mr.. La Toilette began his adj
dress he laid upon the table the man
uscript which he had read coming
over from Washington in forty-seven
minutes. He had not been on his feet
five minutes before he discarded the
manuscript. His remarks were at
times almost incohereht. He talked
rapidly, sometimes so rapidly that ne
could not seem to get the words out
of his mouth fast enough
His hearers soon realized that there
was something the matter with the
senator. At midnight, although he
had spoken an hour, he kept on talk
ing. At i o'clock he was still at it,
and not until 1870 o'clock did he sit
down
The diners naturally became impa-
tient during his long diatribe. Many
left the room and wandered about in
corridors of the hotel until he had fin
ished. Others went home. Those who
remained at the tables were first as
founded and then indignant at La Fol
lettes abuse of the newspapers. His
attack was so violent that they eX-
pected to hear him called to time at
any moment.
Mr.. Seitz, the postmaster, let him
continue until the end and then arose,
and in a voice trembling with anger
at the senator's Incorporate remarks
said:
81 shall not attempt, nor have l the
! time. to come to the defense of the
newspapers of the country which have
just been foolishly, wickedly and un
truthfully assailed."
General Felix Agnus, the veteran
publisher of the Baltimore American
a Republican newspaper, voiced thu
sentiments of many when he said;
Poor La Toilette. He has killed
his chances for the Presidential nomi
nation. I certainly believe he is suf
fering from a mental breakdown. The
man should not be out making ad
dresses, but should be home undel
treatment by physician"
Here are a few of the senator's ut
terances concerning the newspapers
There are only two agencies that
in any way can reach the whole PEG
ple-the press and the platform, bu
the platform in no way compares Will
/ the press in its power Of criticisms
repeated instruction,
But the money power controls the
newspaper press. The people know
this. Their confidence is weakened
and destroyed. No longer are the edi
torial columns of newspapers a poten
force in educating public opinion. The
newspapers, of course, are still pat
ronized for news. But even as t
. news, the public is fast becoming t
understand that wherever news item
:. bear in any way upon the control G
- government by business. the news
colored; so confidence in the new
- paper as a newspaper is being undo
mined
Cultured and able men are still
1t be found upon the editorial stats
s. all great dailes, but the public unde
% stands them to be hired men who l
longer express honest judgments al
sincere conviction, who write VIII
they are told to write, and who
judgments are salaried.'
Wiley on Commercialism.
In an address before the New },
g, sey Editorial Association at TrentC
ly on Monday, Louis Wiley, busine
h manager Of the New York Times,
discussing the La Toilette incident
the Periodical Publishers dim
said
. Much has been said about the &C
mercialism of newspapers. 1t is
altogether a criminal offense to s
] coed in business if that business
- conducted from an honest standpo
if every stride forward is gained
continued adherence to the high
moral standard, when every c
made is derived from an enterpris