Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-07-12

recent tendencies Of the newspaper
business than all Of the newspaper
men Of experience, even though the
latter have not some Of the advantag-
es in other directions.
AS Mr.. Hight has risen in the nearer
view to vouch for the inconsistencies
Of Mr.. Pagan, we will deal with the
champion at hand. Does Mr.. Hight
know that this newspaper Office has
been bombarded with a mass Of stuff
eve use the term advisedly) from the
railroads and the brotherhoods. every
day for months, not only more than
we could publish but more than we
could read If We lad devoted our
whole attention to the controversy?
Does Mr.. Hight know that we have
been visited by prominent railroad
men and by representatives Of t he
brotherhoods, and that both sides
urged US to publish this" as news"
and that" as "editorial"-as our own
conception of the case, because it
would be worth more to them coming
from a "disinterested" party? Does
Mr.. Hight wish to stand before the
! people as arguing that that is legiti-
mate news" or editorial" or that
We would be fulfilling the real func-
ton of a newspaper by espousing
/ one side or the other and publishing
their publicity trash free of charge
and as our own view of the case?
Mr.. Hight will hardly assume that
we have had nothing about the facts
in the controversy, or that our readers
have not had a sufficient ration of this
and other controversies as would seem
to be a proportional part of the news
space.
Mr.. Hight assumes that we do not
know what WE are doing and HE
does; that he would go over our waste
basket (for six months perhaps) and
Gull from the material we have thrown
there daily. and hash up something
for our readers. He says such real
facts as come to your eye" For the
support Of Mr.. Pagan, whom he knows
SO we'll and We have never heard, he
intimates that we have had nothing
ABOUT a controversy that has pestered
every newspaper in the country for
months. In that he proves that he
hasn't looked into the matter and has
written us a stern criticism because
he thought Pagan ought to be de-
1ended. He goes on at length to tell
US what we should agree is news in
! dignified sense" and ignores all we
have said and used of what inf our
judgment was news. and he knows alb
solutely nothing of the mass of unre-
| liable claims from both sides which we
have thrown away. and which we
have frankly told both sides we
should throw away if sent us.
We have told them, and we tell Mr.
Hight as we'll as Mr.. Pagan, that il
these claims go refore our readers
they will be fathered by those who
are responsible for them. That is le-
Ultimate advertising. If these things
are worthless unless said by a news
paper which has the confidence or it's
held, then they will probably know
better than to advertise. No law
obliges them to do so; no law
obliges us to carry their many times
false claims as our own product or to
argue their case free.
Mr.. Hight knows, and Mr.. Pagan
would know if he has read the Ken
rebec Journal for any time, that We
publish the news and endeavor to pro-
tect our readers from swindlers and
false prophets. Mr.. Hight knows and
SO should Mr.. Pagan, that If either
has any facts concerning this or any
other controversy, which either wish
es to be responsible fo:, over his own
signature. the columns of the Journal
are wide open to them. We welcome
the facts but we propose to protect
ourselves and our readers from takers
and from those who pay big salaries
to publicity bureaus" which eternaliy
beg for something for nothing.
Just now DUPONT is begging news
papers to fight his case against Con-
gress. He is sending out cords Of
news" and editorial" to be used in
his favor because he is too poor to
advertise and the income tax may
knock s1.500.000 off his war order prof.
its. OF course the kennebec journal
should carry the burden for him-at
least Mr. Hight and Mr.. Pagan would
have our readers think so. That is
why they avail themselves Of our free
Letter Box, our generosity in giving
news space to the discussion Of public
questions.
If either Mr.. Hight or Mr.. Pagan
has any facts that have not appeared
in the kennebec Journal touching the