The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-07-02
THE CRISIS

The following article appeared an
the Charleston Post. and was written
oy Mr.. L. NJ. Davis, one OF the owners
ana formerly the editor OF the Fair
mont West virsinian:
The proceedings against II. e.
Ogden. publisher OF the Wheeling In
telligencer, Wheeling News ana
other newspapers. in the federal
court are matters OF the greatest i'm
portance TO every newspaper editor
and publisher IN Thu state. and 10
every citizen Of the state.
IL Is not personal matter IN
which Mr.. Ogden is alone interested.
II Is question Of whether OF not the
twenty million dollars nonresident
corporation. like the Manufacturers.
Light 4 Heat company. Of Pitts
burgh, can stlhe and destroy the
freedom Of the press. the palladium
and bulwark OF our liberties?
Many OF Mr.. Ogden's friends will
lend him their support in this cause
TOT personal reasons. but he will ma
mat his strongest supporters ana
nrmest sympathizers will be the great
majority OF the people OF the state
with whom he has no personal &C
quaintance.
There are few, II any. newspaper
editors OF the state who can be brow
beaten and inundated by such tao
tics as this gigantic corporation has
brought into play to influence pub
lie opinion in this state. to discredit
Governor Hatfield and the Public
Service commission. and to mold sen
timent in its favor. and there are
tewer editors and publishers who
can be reached I'm an improper man
ner with the millions this company
controls and 80 freely uses. This has
been shown by The almost universal
refusal Of the publishers OF the state
70 publish the free plate matter that
this company has sent broadcast
over the state. In most every In
! stance this matter was returned I'M
used.
In many weekly newspaper offices
plate matter Ia a great boon. II
helps to OIL up the paper. and where
the typesetting facilities are not nj
the best. II IL great convenience TO
have a few columns OF plate ready 10
I'LL up the forms on press day. But
all publishers are wise enough to
know that when a corporation goes
20 the great expense 81 having sucn
matter prepared and furnished TO the
papers free 81 cost. with transporta-
ton charges paid. that q has a sin
lister az 10 grind on the peoples grind
stone.
Newspapers nave reliable means Of
gathering news An Important hear
ing like that between the gas com
pany and the Public Service com
mission IL always covered by an I'M
biased newsEatherinR organization
like the Associated Press and other
organizations. and there was no rea-
son Tor the Manufacturers Light a.
Heat company preparing such re-
ports unless % wanted garbled ana
unreliable statements made for rs
own profit and beneht
Tn this proceeding the people OF
northern West Virginia won q con
spicuous victory IN the lowering OF
the enorbltant rates charged BY this
monopoly and the very life and fu-
ture existense Of the Public Service
Commission now depends upon the
hnal outcome OF this case
Mr. ogden vas fearless In report
ing the proceedings Of this hearing
For such audacity he gained the dis
pleasure Of the company and re
chief counsel. Mr.. A. Leo Well. VINO
stands Indicted IN our state courts
for attempting 10 bribe members OF
tho Public Service commission.
There are other reasons Why SIR.
Ogden should have been sntaRonis-
tic 90 The encroaChments Of this cor
poration. The name Of bic late broth
or. member o. the commission. was
brought prominently into the pro
ceedinge. An attempt was made 20
besmirch BE GOOD name BY shoWing.
10 possible. that Governor Hatneid
had improperly Influenced the de-
cision of the commission. and ar.
Ogden would have been a coward
and IN migrate had he not combated
this attempt with every ounce % his
energy. lie IL nelther unnateful nor
Of cowardly disposition and for be-
inE man n honor. and a fearless
and elective antagonist. be 81 now