The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-04-21
|NEWSP APER LOBBY
OPPOSES POLICY
Washington Post, With its Corps Of
Correspondents, Criticising Presi- ]
dent for His Position on Tolls
HAS EFFECT UPON CONGRESSMAN
Indiana Editor Shows Telegram
Which Plainly Shows Methods Be-
ing used Plot Against Wilson

Which Plainly Shows Methods Be
ing used Plot Against Wilson
BY Congressman G.. H. Tavenner.
Washington, April Washing
ton just now is witnessing an exam
lple of expert lobbying that surpasses
in cleverness anything in recent
years. The lobby is opposing the
President in his policy of repeating
1.-THE exemption granted to U: S.. coast
wise vessels in the matter of Panama
tolls.
The chief instrument in the lobby
is the newspaper known as the Wash
IingtOn Post. The Post is owned by
John r. Mclean, who also owns the
Cincinnati Enquirer. The Enquirer
is one of the greatest newspapers in
the United States. 1t maintains its
own corps of correspondents scat
tered throughout the United States.
In news gathering ability the Cincin-
matt Enquirer ranks with the As
ISOLATED Press. The press associa-
tions could quit business, and the
Cincinnati Enquirer would continue
to print the important news of the
United States, however remotely
from Cincinnati it may have occurr-
ed.
For some reason or other John r.
Mclean took UP the: propaganda
against the repeal of the tolls provi-
sion of the Panama Law The deci-
sion on his part was arrived at sud
denly, for his broadsides Of publicity
were turned loose on Congress in a
single day, and have continued their
firing UP to the present.
Each day the Washington Post
prints at least one full page Of
news articles against tolls repeal
The papers editorials are almost
completely given up to the propagan-
da. The news articles come from
towns and cities in all sections of the
country For the most part they
are interviews with alleged leaders of
thought in these several communit-
les, denouncing the surrender" to
England, and the other arguments"
Of the anti-repeal advocates.
The average con gresham is a
countryman. He is IMMERSED in the
ways of newspaper crusades. Each
morning he opens his copy of the
Washington Post and sees little in it
but broadsides of denunciation for the
President. There are dispatches
telling how hard it is going to be
for any Democrat who is supporting
the President to be reelected because
of the storm of public indignation
against the Administrations tolls
policy. s
The congressman may be unable
to analyze the motive behind these
articles. He is likely to come to
the conclusion that the Washington
Post is merely reflecting in the CAPT
tol what is going on in every city of
the country. He is likely to think
that all city newspapers are carry
ing these same columns of "news" of
the tremendous uprising against
President Wilson.
1t was left to an Indiana editor,
w. c. B. Harrison, of the Elkhart
Progressive Democrat, aided by Sena-
tor John w. Kern, to expose this la
test lobby and to show that this al
legged popular uprising is being man
ufactured out of thin air by John r..
Mclean and his newspapers: Mr..
Harrison sent to Senator Kern copy
of telegram which he received from
the Cincinnati Enquirer. It read:
Cincinnati, Ohio April 10, 1914.
HSome Reliable Newspaper Man,
! HlhuldIL, l1lu.
Please file early Friday evening
800 words showing unfavorable SEN
timent your section toward President
Wilson's stand on Panama Canal
/ Tolls. Interview big business men
and get them to say something hot.
ENQUIRER"
In other words, the Enquirer's
own great corps of corresponds is
not big enough to get the favor
able" sentiment that John R.. Nc
Lean wants and is willing to pay for
So blanket kilograms are being sent
to "any reliable newspaper men
You Can