Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1914 — Wrong for the Other Fellow But Right for US. [ARTICLE]

Wrong for the Other Fellow But Right for US.

1 he brief mention in Wednesday's Democrat as to the astonishment of the public that the Rensselaer Republican would put on a voting con test, after having bellyached so much over the contest conducted by The Democrat three years ago, has brought forth a column of the usual billingsgate which emits from the egotistical paunches of the editor* of that sheet. Now The Democrat doesn't care a rap about this contest of the Realthough it is making assertions as to the value of some of its prizes which are amusing, to sav the least. Now as to the $506 Ford automobile, by reason of the “great amount

ot advertising" that would be given this make of car, the agent was induced to sell it for much less than the wholesale price and then take considerable of this out in advertising." This was precisely the same proposition, it will be remembered, that the Republican made to the manufacturers of the piano give i away by The Democrat three years ago, in its telegram to them after our contest had closed, and in addition to all the several months advertising given the piano and the spec ial mention several times during the contest, which the Republican falsely stated, it desired to put on, it was offered an instrument for $145 cash, but a cheaper piano than we put on But, suppose the Republican does get this Ford automobile for S3OO. it doesn’t detract any from the retail value of the car no more than did the price we paid for our piano detract from its retail value. Its S3OO piano, will probably cost SIOO. its S2OO building lot, it admits jlocated in the "factory addition," which is not an addition to Rensselaer at all, but lies away off east of town where many other victims of misplaced confidence, urged on perhaps by the Republican which has always stood for every gold brick scheme that has been proposed h- re would be mighty glad, no doubt, to give title to their lot to anyone who would agree to pay the taxes thereon.

Its •'SC I S sewing machine," sls cash, $1 0 advertising. W hile its ‘‘s2o gold watch"—a local jeweler informs us the contest man wanted to buy three “prizes" from him for $25 and put them in at $< 5, $35 and sls, but he would not stand for any such swindle—is probably not diamond studded. In every contest conducted by The Democrat the Republican has tried in every way possible to have it stopped by the postoffice authorities and has knocked from start to finish, and even after the finish, yet every one was honestly conducted and none of the contestants but felt that they had been treated fairly in every way. The prizes given away by us were precisely as represented, and the S2O silver set and the $35 “Free’ sewing machine given away in ou> last contest, was precisely the retail price of the local dealer for their and within a very few dollars of the cash price we paid for them. ;i'he $350 piano, we paid $278.40 for besides the freight, and it was as good an instrument as could have been bought for $350 from any local dealer. And yet the Republican took on terribly about the value of these articles and tried in every way possible to stir up trouble and dbsension over the contest, even after it had closed and the prizes were awarder’. The contest being run by the Republican, we understand, is being conducted by professional contest promoters, who receive a fat per cent of all moneys taken in, and T’.p Democrat’s experience with such “contest men" has been that they do and promise most anything in order to get the "mon.” After the contest closes they are gone and the prom ises they made go with them.

After the many efforts the Republican has. made to Injure The Democrat and the success of the voting contests, it would be less than human nature for us not to mention a lew matters in connection with its own contest, although we have not written frantic letters to the postoflice department ,n an endeavor tj have them interfer and put a ston to it. Of course the Republican expects to make some money out of the contest, otherwise it would not Put it on. i'he Democrat's circulation exceeds that of the Republican by about 1,000 copies and it is and has been for years, making legitimate gains right along. As stated in the beginning ol this article, it doesn’t care, a rap about the Republican’s contest nor had it expected to say any. more regarding it than -was sai i in Wednesday’s issue, had not the Republican vented its spleen on us. The fact was that The Republican had intended to put on precisely the same contest then that we put on, but we beat 'em to it, hence its wail. But the public may not be able to quite understand why it is so unscionable for The Democrat to run a voting contest and so religiously right for the Republican to do the same thing.