Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-09-11

a special pleader, to make Wright
think himself too much an idealist-
| il he could-in opposing the just
claims Of the stock-yard company.
i suppose you found the News
/ somewhat run down when you took
| hold of it, Kendall remarked casually
Yes. the name was about all
/ bought"
/ I thought the paper had a pretty
good mechanical plant" interjected
Gilbert
/ Instinctively Wright felt the con
/ certed action masked under the limo
/ cent question and the remark by Gil
bert. Just what Kendall had to gain
he did not know, but since he recog-
niZed him as representative of large
| interests he thought best to let him
! know what stand the News might be
/ expected to take. 1t was just as well
| that Gilbert should have it clearly in
/ mind also. If the clients of these men
were playing the game fair and
square they would welcome his kind
/ of newspaper If they weren't, and
| Wright knew there had been lapses
! from grace on the part OF some of
| them, he hoped they would recognize
in the paper the power which would
first seek to prevent, and, falling in
! this. then try to correct. Judge Gil
bert's allusion to the good mechanical
plant he seized upon for a text.
That's true. the News has a good
mechanical plant" He paused to let
that sink in before he continued
Somehow or other when | think of a
newspaper I never think of that side
of it. l have in mind only the feel
ing of confidence with which a news
paper inspires its readers
What do you think the ideal news
paper is like" asked Judge Gilbert.
He wanted to know to what kind of
star this young man had hitched his
wagon
The ideal newspaper is one which
has no AK to grind, and no personal
animus in the discussion Of private af-
fairs OF public questions. but only a
constant regard for the truth and the
Kendall went to what he considered
the heart of the matter.
Aren't you leaving out of eonsid-
Grafton, Mr.. Wright. that everything
this government, events but a COM
promise?"
No, | recognize that, and l believe
in compromise. Without it We would
still be cave dwellers. 1t is exactly
because of this everpresent ccmpro-
mise that an honest newspaper is 80
valuable. It must see to it that this
compromise is open and above board.
It mustn't be the give-and-take trade
of low politicians in the back room OF
a saloon or the far more dangerous
| trades of men higher up and powerful
| interests; not that kind of compro-
mise, which after all is sale of some
thing one does not legally own to one
who cannot or will not secure it hon
! estly. | tell you that the majority
must rule fairly and with a proper
| Difference for the rights Of the minor
! ity, that's where newspaper can be
| of service"
| Having decided to deliver a broad
side, Wright had gone about it with
great enthusiasm. The sight of Mrs,
! Hayes gazing wonderingly at him, for
| she did not understand what he
meant. caused the editor to break off
with a laugh. He recognized that
! Judge Gilbert's drawing-room was not
the proper place for lengthy exposi-
! ton of his views.
| I'm afraid I'm preaching" he apol-
| ogized. and there's nothing l hate
more than that"
! Not at all" protested Kendall.
Your views interest me greatly, Mr..
Wright. When / come again | am go
| ing to see how far along you are on
! the road to the ideal"
With this Kendall announced that
he must be going, and made his
adieux. To have a few last words
about Wright, Judge Gilbert accom-
PANIED the visiting attorney even to
the front gate. His very last asser-
| ton was that he himself would have
nothing to do with the proposed fran
/ chise grab and that he was morally
certain David Kerr was of the same
| frame Of mind
! CTO BE CONTINUED