The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-12-29
THOUGHT BETTER
OF THE TRIBUNE

Henry Montgomery, who has recent
~ completed a term in the convict
camps, and who charged a continu-
ance of the whipping boss custom
which for so long placed Florida
convict camps in the category Of
abuses. The Star prints aff1daFits to
show that Montgomery is a disrepu-
table character, negro, and alleges
that his name was used by someone
who had a grievance against r. S.
Hall, the owner of the camp at
which the cruelties are charged to
have been practiced.
The Tribune did not and does not
now stand sponsor for Montgomery
letter. 1t was printed simply as a
signed communication. We have the
highest respect for Mr.. Hall and We
have no idea that he is cogniZant of
Or has any knowledge of improper
conduct on the part of his guards or
whipping bosses. At the same time,
the Star, with all its extensive de-
tense, does not disprove any OF the
statements made by Montgomery,
contenting itself with a denunciation
of Montgomery himself and much
laudatiOn OF Mr.. Hall.
We do not often hear defenders OF
the convict lease system and of the
. camps where the system is IN opera
tion- When we do, it is worthy of
more than passing comment. Natur
ally, We cannot get evidence of the
highest character about abuses which
occur there. The only information
obtainable is from prisoners who
have served there. However disrep-
utable this particular accused may
be, it is yet to be shown that he
made false statements about the con-
duct Of afairs.-Tampa Tribune.
The Star thought better Of the
Tribune than to suppose it would
either make such lame defense, or
sneer at another newspaper for de-
Tending the good name of one Of it's
neighbors.
The Star is not anywhere near as
big and successful a paper as the
Tribune, but it never has, and does
not believe it ever will, print such a
letter as Montgomery without ac-
quaintance with the man who wrote
it, and an Investigation of the mat
ter written about.
The Star is not acquainted with
the particular camp Of which Mont
gomery wrote. 1t is acquainted with
other of Mr.. Halls camps, with Mr.
Hall and with Montgomery. Accord
ing to the Tribune's own confession
1t doesn't know anything about any
of Mr.. Halls camps and doesnt
know anything about Montgomery.
If the public accepted without in
vestigation the statements of eX
convicts, we would soon have to turn
our penal institutions over to tn
criminal class. The Star 0oesn'
think that would suit the Tribun
and the other philanthropists YER
we'll.
The Star is not a champion of tn
convict lease system. After a niue
closer investigation than the Tribun
seems to have made of the subject,
has come to the conclusion that it
better for the convicts and better fo
9he taxpayer than any plan yet sug
gested to take its place. Its bette
for the simple and indisputable re;
son that it is to the interest of th
lessee to keep the convicts in goo
physical condition. Convicts are
rough crowd, and it takes a certai
degree of roughneSs TO handle then
They would be just as rough If the
we're working direct for the stat
and their custodians would not ha7
the same incentive to keep them
good condition.
Sometimes, printers who con
thru Ocala speak very disparaging
Of the Tampa Tribune The ST
doesn't pay any attention TO VIII
they say, taking it for granted tn
their grievances are of their ov
making If it printed the yarn
some drunken bum about the t
bune Office, it would be just as ia
and have better authority than t
Tribune had for printing the Mon
gomery letter.
In the meantime, the genjlem;
IN St. Petersburg who was going
give thousand dollars toward
fund to have the convict camps