Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-06-13
THEODORE's TRIAL AND THE
PAPERS,.

NJ
One thing at least will have been at
tanned by Roosevelt's recent libel suit
in Michigan, aside from the colonel's
personal vindication, and that, in the
opinion of the editors of this state as
expressed by the Navy Yard American,
Bull Moose paper, will be that 1t
will cause the large number of news
paper men who like to print good
story, regardless of its truth, to cur
tail somewhat the wanderings of their
imaginations when dealing with mat
tiers of serious import"
More frequent than any other ex-
preston with reference to this trial,
aside from the vindication all agree it
affords Mr. Roosevelt, is this one with
reference to the credibility of newspa-
pers. at is always best to know what
you are talking about" says the Island
County Times, after commenting that
1.-THE mistake made by the Michigan
editor is not the first time that editors
have been imposed upon in this way
by listening to unreliable reports"
"Col. Roosevelt did only what any
self-respecting gentleman should do
he sought to, and did, take out of the
mouths of scandal-mongers the reports
covering the country that he was a
drunkard," says the Skagit County
Courier Much along this same line is
the comment of the Elma Chronicle:
mo one in the world is so far below
public contempt as the vulture on hui
man reputation who matches spicy bits
of gossip from his putrid brain. The
action of Roosevelt may be good ex-
ample to the scandal-mongers and the
intelligent people of the land will GER
tainly be slower to believe these vile
connections the next time some of
them make the rounds"
A little bit of history is recalled by
the Chehalis County Call when 1t says,
referring to accusations that Gen.
Grant was q drunkard: None Of us
today can defend Grant from these at
lacks because we are not certain of
our ground. But in the future, when
the name of Roosevelt is mentioned.
we can defend it from such an attack"
while both the viewpoints taken by the
editors Of the state are epitomized by
the Kent Journal in this wise: "The
outcome of this suit is good news to
the colonel's loyal friends who were
satisfied that q common drunkard
could not perform such amount Of
work which Col. Roosevelt has done
during the past 20 strenuous years. II
will also have good effect on news
papers who love sensation rather thar
fact"
Echoes of the Portland incident dur
ing the campaign last fall, when vari
Gus and sundry rumors were rife con
corning the colonel's bibulosity, ar
called up by the Port Orchard Inde
pendent. Now it is up to him." thi
paper says, "aId to his friends to e1
plain why, If he was not drunk at tn
time, he acted SO much like a drunke
rowdy at Portland last fall" Tn
Douglas County Press is the only othe
newspaper that came to our attentio
which veered from the general vie,
of the press. I'VE don't know but
we were the colonel we would ADM
getting drunk" it says, las it woul
be better way to explain some of hi
queer actions"
A little humor is injected into til
situation by the Benton Independent
Record and the Tacoma New Heral'
Says the latter: 1--WE have at lea.
two points settled Mr.. Roosevelt
not booze fighter, while Lyman A
bolt must be an occasional drinker, fc
Mr.. Roosevelt asserts that he is as a
stemious as the distinguished educ
tor" The former picks up the col
nel's jocular remark during the tria
TITS tough when man gets shot, hi
wedding in the family and has
libel suit on his hands, all in or
year." and adds: And even then Te
dy didn't mention the worst thin'