Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 February 1918 — REPUBLICAN EDITOR IS IN BAD [ARTICLE]

REPUBLICAN EDITOR IS IN BAD

Caught With the Goods He Attempts to Evade the Issue, The editor of the Republican uses nearly a column and a half of valuable space in NOT telling his readers whether he owns an interest in one or more Rensselaer coal yards or whether he does not, as The Democrat charged. On the other hand, much personal abuse was indulged in and the fact that he was "real mad’’ at having been caught with the goods is evident. The public at this time is not concerned in whether The Democrat man is a horsethief, a bigamist or a counterfeiter. But it is deeply interested in whether or not the editor of the Republican, who has given so much time and such close attention to the coal business, who has defended the hold-up prices here and has “helped the fuel administrator every way he possibly could,’* both with advice and accompanying him to Chicago to see one of the mine agents, is himself interested in a financial way in one or more of the coal yards that might benefit by his “help.’’ Mr. Hamilton doesn’t seem to grasp this fact, and perhaps we should be charitable and charge his lack of acumen up to nature rather than to the man himself. But the public knows this and has known it since The Democrat made the charge, and it is anxiously waiting for a straight answer from him before pronouncing judgment. Yet his evasion is to most everyone an admission that the charge is true. Of course, it is no crime to own an interest in any legitimate business, and it is not the fact of itself that Mr. Hamilton DOES own an interest in the retail coal business here that condemns him in public opinion, for scores of-people would like to own an interest in a business in which so much money has been made as Mr. Hamilton boasts he did make in the few years he was actively engaged in that line. But, still ownihg an interest in the retail coal business, should he attempt to advise and help the fuel administrator in his work or defend’ the excessive profits made here through his paper without telling the people that he had a personal interest in the matter and that the bigger profits made meant just that much more to him —in other words that he was getting his share of these profits? This is a public question, Mr. Hamilton, and it is not prying into your private affairs at all. Your action in defending the excessive profits made here on coal and yotir “unselfish” help to the fuel administrator —who, in justice, we believe knew nothing at the time of your private interest in the matter — makes it a question' In which the public has a right to know. It is up to you to speak out. This is not a personal matter and your undignified resort to personalities in squirming about only makes you

more ridiculous than ever, if that were possible. The Democrat again—because of the position you have taken heretofore and for no other reason what-ever-—charges that you are financially interested in at least one of the retail coal yards in Rensselaer—or were up to last Friday---and asks you to publicly deny the charge through the columns of the Republican if it is untrue. Now, don’t squirm. Be a man or a mouse, and speak up. If your work of slim-slamming the public has been done without your having any financial interest in the benefits accruing, say so.