Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 October 1905 — CONTEST STOPPED [ARTICLE]

CONTEST STOPPED

At Least Clark of the Journal Says So, AND HE SURELY OU6HT TO KNOW. Entered Complaint to the Postal Au* thoritles, and Now Says They Have Ruled Against It, Although They Said Twas “All Right” Before The Democrat Started It. Clark of the Rensselaer Journal says the postal authorities have taken steps to stop The Democrat’s piano contest, and, as he is evidently the party who entered complaint to the department, of course he ought to know. There are perhaps some matters connected with this contest, however, that Clark doesn’t know, and that is that The Democrat is not often caught napping, and while several other prominent newspapers in the state were running precisely the same kind of a piano contest —including the Kokomo Tribune, one of the Plainfield papers, etc., etc., —the writer informed the Starr Piano people that there was sure to be complaint made by some of our competitors here if we took hold of this matter, and while there was nothing wrong in any way with the plan that we could see —it being an out and out gift, no votes being sold no chance scheme, or anything of that kind —we proposed to get an opinion from the postoffice department ourself ere taking hold of the matter. The attorney for the piano people (an ex-attorney general of this state) had looked into the matter thoroughly and had corresponded with the department regarding it. He said the matter was perfectly “straight” and legitimate. But The Democrat knew Clark and his man Friday, and it wanted to be thoroughly satisfied of its ground. To this end two letters were written to the department—one stating the proposition in brief and a later one containing copy of the advertising matter setting out in full the plan of the contest.

To these the department replied that it was not allowed to give out an opinion except on the request of postmasters. We then got Postmaster Meyer to write, enclosing a “proof” of the ad (this letter was written July 10, 1905,) and in a few days he received a reply stating that the matter was referred to the assistant attorney general and the latter had given his opinion that there was nothing in the plan that in any way conflicted with the postal regulations, but suggested merely that we add that “in case, of a tie vote the instrument would go to the tieing contestants,” which was done. The contest was then pushed to some extent, and as it wa sperfectly straight and honorable and legitimate in every way, no one could object to it except, possibly, a jealous business competitor whose own circulation bad dwindled down to about 300 copies and whose little old 35 pound express package of ready-prints would make about enough “proof” paper to last The Democrat two weeks. We knew complaint had been made—knew it would be made before we started the contest —the party who made it did not tell us that he had done so. It wasn’t necessary. You have seen a dog, no doubt, that bad been killing sheep, seen how sneaking he looked when he met you; could not look you in the face like an honest dog ought—it was not necessary for you to find the wool in his teeth to know that he had been doing something that. he knew was despicable and mean and something that no self-respecting dog would have done. if Uncle Sam's attorney general of the postoffice department should now reverse his opinion in this matter the contest will either be carried on without the aid of the mails or be dropped entirely, and any subscriber who may have been induced to subscribe for The Democrat by reason thereof —in case of the latter

who desires his money back, will have it cheerfully refunded. The Democrat has no desire to carry any advertising that in any way conflicts with the postal regulations. The assistant attorney general said this did not, and we believe he was right, but should he now decide differently, and his superiors also so hold, we shall not object, although we shall have little confidence in him as a “guesser.”