Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-01-20
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around by advertisements; fraternal
lodges were worked by various agents
for stated stipends. One lecturer in a
Masonic lodge was employed to talk
with people in hotels and on trains.
A member Of the United Commercial
Travellers was paid $3.50 salary and
expenses to go around and talk with
travelling men, and yet we are told
that there was no violation Of the sta
tute; that only the usual and proper
and legal methods Of carrying on cam
paigns were employed. I deny the
statement The methods employed in
conducting the campaign were cor
rupt and damning and were calcula-
ted to undermine the very structure
of government Such methods cannot
continue under this government, and
they will not continue much longer.
Substituting the Daily Press a
Public Disgrace.
1t may be well to note the subsidiz-
ing Of the press. A large. part Of the
press Of the state was subsidized. The
most dangerous thing in this govern
ment today is the power of the great
interests to substitute portions Of the
American press. That is not a popu
lar statement, but it is the truth, and
it was shown in this case 1t is con
ceded that at least $4,000 was spent
for publicity purposes. 1t is claimed
that Mr. Newberry was unknown in
Michigan-which is hardly probable
for he had been secretary of the navy
that Mr.. Ford was well known, and
hence great publicity was necessary
So this unheard-of amount of money
was expended for publicity
What more insidious and corrupt
ing campaign can be carried on than
by advertisements in newspapers for
the purpose of affecting editorial op-
inion? Of course, it does not do SO in
every case, but when newspapers
which have received large sums for
advertisements become active in the
support Of the man who furnishes the
money for the advertisements the or
binary individual has a right to be
suspicious. There is no use folding
ones hands in holy prayer about it,
for everyone knows that the majority
of those newspapers were bought
You can not fool all the people all the
time about what is going on in this
country under the influence of the big
interests with the newspapers. We
have seen it at work in the enormous
advertisements of the packers thru
out the country We have seen it op-
crate in presidential campaigns. 1t is
apparently innocent, but its effects
are powerful No one can read the rec
ord in this case and not be satisfied
that large portion of the press of
Michigan was subsidized in manner
well known to the professional poll
ticians.
There are other things that could
be discussed ickening exhibitions
Of attempts to suppress evidence. The
original books, records, and nearly all
the checks which would have shown
these transactions, were destroyed,
lost, or stolen soon after the primary
Valuable records were kept in barn
and, Of course, stolen at the oppor-
tune time. There Is the amazing sto-
ry OF Mr.. Frederick P. Smith, finan-
cial secretary, that in the first week
in September a paper sack had been
delivered to him containing $4,000 in
currency No one knew where it came
from. 1t was a complete shock to him.
This interesting witness was unable
to give a statement Of moneys adj
vanced and returned, because the
books Of the NeWberrys had been sto-
len. 1t seems that the books in which
contribution statistics were kept were
stored in a barn for safekeeping; and
to the amazement of the witness,
when he went to get the books and
papers they had been stolen, and the
barn doors were open. Sad, sad story!
He was under the impression that the
mysterious $4,000 in the paper sack
had been deposited to the credit OF
John S. Newberry in one Of the banks
Of Detroit The committee apparently
did not go into this question and the
bank officers were not brought.
At the end of the campaign certain
books seem to have been prepared,
the books of original entry having
been destroyed. These new books
showed no entries of thousands of
dollars paid to hundreds of workers
throughout the state.
Payments of the Office pay rolls
were shown only to the extent of