Page 2 Advertisements Column 2

Temuka Leader, Issue 1633, 13 September 1887, Page 2

WILL ADDRESS THE ELECTORS AX MILFORD SCHOOLROOM, ON SEPTEMBER 15xh, at 7.30 p.m. AND AT RANQITATA ISLAND SCHOOLROOM, ON SEPTEMBER, 17th, at 7.30 p.m.

TO THU ELECTORS OF GLADSTONE. GENTLEMEN,— I am driven lo appeal to you to look upon the present contest from a light and wrong point of view. Some of you are opposed to me—it is only natural that you should—but lam persuaded that political bias has not deprived you of a sense of self respect, or stifled your instincts of justice and fair play. When I entered upon the contest I determined on conducting it in a manner that would leave as little bitterness behind it as possible, and to do my opponents full justice with regard to reporting their speeches in my papers. I have adhered to this as larges possible. I have been attacked at my meetings, end had to defend myself, but no one can accuse mo of having struck one blow below the belt. In my first speech 1 never mentioned the name of any of the other candidates, and I raised no class cries. At any of my subsequent meetings I said nothing about Mr Rhodes except to refer in the mildest and most respectful manner possible to a few poiipH'n his speech. The majority of the electors have now heard me speak, and they will not hesitate to boar testimony to this fact. Readers of my papers must also admit that Ur Rhodes has been treated in their columns with great consideration, and that not one unfair or disrespectful word concerning him has been published. His speech was reported so that it read ten times bettor than it really was, and its subject matter has scarcely been Commented upon since. Now, how have I been treated ? The reports given of my first speech in the Timaru papers were simply disgraceful. I never read any worse attempt at reporting in all my experience, and it is now currently rumored that the reporters had instructions to turn my meeting into ridicule. They did so, so far as decency would allow them, Language which I never used was put into my mouth, and incidents were recorded which never happened. The short reports given in the Herald of my meetings at Albury, Faitlie Creek, and Burke’s Pass, were fair and honest, but everywhere else I have been completely misrepresented. Mr Rhodes soys ' now his paid Secretary and the reporter of the Timaru Herald are one and the same person, and this may account for floras of the injustice. In addition to this, anonymous letters and articles have frequently appeared in the Timarn papers and Christchurch Press in which I have been held np to ridicule. 1 have so far taken no notice of these because 1 thought they were all the work of one man whose enmity to me is well known, and i hat it would be unfair to put i hem d* wn to Mr Rhodes himself. I had hopes tbat sooner or later Mr Rhodes would protest against bis followers resorting to this style of fighting an election, but to my great astonishment he took the whole responsibility on his own shoulders last Saturday morning by circulating a broadsheet which here his own name, and into which most of the abuse hitherto published had been collected. Now, gentlemen, I cannot afford to go into this style of argument. Whatever the result of the election may be I shall have to live amongst yon and it therefore becomes necessary for me to retain your respect if I do not aeoure your electoral confidence. Mr Bbodea has, I am told, an immense income, and can do what he likes. What is virtue in the rich is vice in the poor. Let Mr Rhodes' conduct be what it may he will still have flatterers, but if I were to descend to a similar level I would be called very ugly names. Besides, Mr Rhodes, whether elected or not, will leave here and live in Christchurch, and will not be seen here again for perhaps three years. In this respect therefore the contest is unequal. I have a character to maintain, ani cannot afford to follow Mr Rhodes into the lower depths of Billingsgate. With regard to “Cold Tea’s" letter I must say a word. Mr Rhodes said at Hilton it was written by hia Committee. In the paper be has circulated it is said it was nos written by the Committee but by one of Mr Rhodes' supporters, who sent it to Mr Rhodes’ paid Secretary., to. insure its insertion. There ii a discrepany between the two statements, but let that pais. Teen Mr Rhodes’ paper Bays “Let ns have the truth out about the answer to Mr Ley’s letter onoe and for all.” Tety well. On the ].7tb of August Mr Joseph Ash well, Mr Rhodes’ paid secretary, brought to my office Blotter written in his own handwriting, and "lathered " by one of Mr Rhodes’ sup- ' porters. This letter wae inserted. Later on acotbor man brought in tbe letter signed "Cold Tea,” and this also was in Mr Ashwell’e handwriting. The facts that there was a meeting of Mt Rhodes' Committee on the previous evening, that both letters were in tbe handwriting of his Secretary, and that Mr Rhodes said at Hilton they were written by his Committee, do not harmonise with the second-thought assertion in Mr Rhodes’ paper, il owever, the charge against me is, that “Cold Tea’s” letter was not inserted, and my reply is that I bad not time to write the necessary footnote to it. On the IBth, I published the letter brought to my office by Mr Ashwoll; on the 19th, I was away in Timaru all day ; on the 20th, I addressed a mee ing at Winchester; the 21st was a Sunday; on the 22nd, I addressed a meeting at the Washdyko, and on the 23rd, I left early in the morning for Albury. During this interval of time, I had to attend to my ordinary business, and prepare my speeches, and it appears to me that the public will see that my time was pretty well occupied. Now all Mr Rhodes accuses me of is that I did not insert this letter, and beoauie I have said I had not time to attend to it he at much as calls me a liar. Let the people now judge for themselves, but I must say that 1 feel I have conducted the campaign well, when this charge constitutes the head and front of my offending. Yonrs truly, J. M. Twombt. Temuka, September 12, 1887.

SPECIALHOTIOE. Having sold my business, and being about to leave Geraldine, I respectfully request that ALL ACCOUNTS OWING TO ME may be PAID AT ONCE to bbto further proceedings being taktn. J. S. WAITE, Victoria House, b# l2 Geraldine. PROOF OF DEBT FORMS. PROOF OF DEBi’ FORMS ON SALE at the OFFICE OF THIS PAPER. #u3o