Arizona republican., 1915-10-24
Corporations and Publicity

The mining companies involved in the Clifton Afor, nci strike we think making very serious mistake: We do mean in their attitude toward the strike but in unnecessarily putting themselves on the defensive when they have not been called upon by public opinion to defend themselves The public generally the business the farmers and all who interested in the prosperity of Arizona have been inclined sympathy with the mining companies. That because the public be- lieved the original controversy between the companies miners there peculiar merit on the side of the companies. The public knew nothing about that. If it had had time to inquire and had found that merit the side of the strikers public sympathy would have been with them
 But that question quickly obscured by the entrance of the Western Federation of Miners into the controversy. The public is overwhelmingly against the Federation. It has never brought pros lerity into any region which has invaded. It has always been accompanied by tumult and disorder IL has always been blight upon employers and employees alike The controversy to be one between the companies and the Federation. The companies stood in the doorway blocking the entrance the Federation and the public stood behind them. hoping that their resistance would be successful In these circumstances the companies should have offered no defense. But offered It has sought statewide publicity through channels calcu lated to awaken suspicion. It has succeeded only in refreshing reading of Shakespeare
 My iady doth protest much, methinks"
 Doubt has been raised in the public mind as to the entire reliability of many of the statements which have passed through certain publicity chan nels and when statement appears to have been oIouded filmy covering is apt to extend itself over Q them This publicity has had the effect diverting public attention from the main contro- versy. in which the people have been chiefly the fight between the companies and the Federation and turning back the original quar- rel between the companies and their men at Cliff lon. Morenci Metcalf.
 In times past great corporations profited by sstly moulding opinion in their favor through the columns of newspapers. controlled by them. Even vet in populous communities, the relation between a newspaper of wide circulation and great uoratiun may be concealed that the newspaper may be of service the corporation which employs it But in a small community like Arizona, where the relations if any, between newspapers and cor rorations are understood by al- blind and unques- tionins newspaper support a positive handicap. Even when corporation is in the right, and when the newspaper is just the natural tendency cd the support of is to quicken suspicion that the corporation is in the wrong and that the newspaper is prostituting itself.
 We believe that the corporations would in- yestIsste they would divorce themselves from the newspapers the advantage of both and they would enjoy more fully confidence of the public cases of controversy like the present corporations could all the publicity that is good them without Any reputable news paper gladly print their straightforward state merts and all relating the affair, The Republican has done in this without expense to companies, though a a considerable expense to itself.