Page:History of Oregon Newspapers.pdf/325

316 demonstrate the fact that there is a regularly organized and well drilled band of outlaws operating throughout East ern Oregon and Washington Territory, and our settlers will have to look well to their interests, as neither life nor property will be safe at their hands when want begins to press them this winter. ..

Cox sold his half-interest in the paper to Charles Christie, a young man from Portland, April 2, 1881, and published a veledictory pointing out that his venture into journalism was an experiment.

"I had no practical experience in the business (he said) and had not money enough to pay the printer's devil for rolling the first issue; but I undertook to pay for it on the 15th day of November and on the 16th I paid the last dollar of my purchase price. For being able to do this, I am indebted to the kind assistance of my associate, Mr. Turner, and to the support of our patrons."

Mr. Cox explained that his first choice of profession was law and that he was unwilling to give it up, therefore had insufficient time to make the paper what he wanted it to be. . ..

Mr. Cox proceeded to explain that he personally had written whatever had appeared in the editorial columns. . . "be the same good, bad, or indifferent, I claim the authorship of it. Mr. Turner has been more than once unjustly, and without cause, criticised in an unfavorable manner for publications in the paper. He wrote nothing during my association with him and . . . had no connection with the paper editorially for a long time previous thereto."

The new editor said in his salutatory that he had a holy horror of "personal journalism," but that he would not allow anyone to attack him without at least a show of retaliation. Only a few weeks later (May 27, 1881) Christie announced his retirement on account of ill-health. The next week Turner & Cox, in a signed statement, explained that this really was the reason for his early withdrawal.

It is generally known that C. S. Jackson, noted Pendleton and Portland publisher, bought into the paper in 1882; but perhaps it is not so well known that this was after he had made a previous effort to get possession of it the previous year —when he was only 21 years old. The East Oregonian contained a friendly statement by John Hailey Jr. and C. S. Jackson explaining that they were selling the paper back to L. B. Cox, and wishing him well. A statement by will Cox in the same paper said: "Having drawn from my practice, hereafter go it alone." Thus the situation rested, with Cox running the paper, until January 20, 1882, when young Jackson was back in the picture. On page 1 there appeared the firm name Guyer & Jackson as publishers.