Researched and Transcribed by :
Tina Easley
From the Daily Soliphone - Vol. 4
Mar. 20 , 1902
HOPKINS ' WRITES
ANOTHER BROADSIDE AT THE COUNTY FARM WHICH HE WANTS ABOLISHED .
PROPOSES TO MAKE IT HOT FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION UNTIL SOMETHING IS DONE .
I HAVE WRITTEN A PIECE OR TWO IN REFERENCE TO THE CONDITION OF AFFAIRS AT OUR POOR FARM.
OWING TO THE HIGH REGARD I HAVE FOR OUR COUNTY OFFICIALS , I HANDLED THE SUBJECT WITH CONDSIDERABLE DELICACY. I FIND THAT MY VIEWS ON THE SUBJECT HAVE MET WITH ALMOST UNIVERSAL APPROVAL , AND I HAVE BEEN URGED TIME AND AGAIN BY SOME OF THE BEST PEOPLE OF OUR TOWN , TO BE MORE EXPLICIT , GIVE IT IN DETAIL , OR IN OTHER WORD , STRIKE IT HARDER.
SO I CONCLUDED LAST MONDAY MORNING THAT I WOULD MAKE A MORE COMPLETE EXPOSITION OF THE FACTS AS THEY ACTUALLY EXIST . PERHAPS I WAS TOO PERSONAL. PERHAPS MY LANGUAGE WAS A LITTLE UNBECOMING. OR PERHAPS AT THIS CRITICAL PERIOD THE TRUTH WOULD BE TOO HURTING . HOWEVER , THE EDITOR REFUSED TO PUBLISH MY LETTER , ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT WAS TOO HARD A HIT , AND BESIDES JUST AT THIS JUNCTURE , PEOPLE WOULD LIKELY BE MORE SENSITIVE THAN AT ANOTHER TIME. I TOLD THE EDITOR THAT I HAD WRITTEN NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH , AND HE SEEMED VERY MUCH SUPRISED , AND SAID IF SO IT OUGHT TO BE KNOWN , THOUGH THE LANGUAGE WAS TOO PLAIN . A PROMINENT CITIZEN WAS PRESENT WHO SAID THAT IF I HAD NOTHING PERSONAL TO GAIN BY ITS PUBLICATION I SHOULD DESIST. I TOLD THE GENTLEMAN THAT I HAD NOTHING PERSONAL TO GAIN BY ITS PUBLICATION , THAT I HAD ONLY TAKEN A DECIDED STAND IN FAVOR OF HUMANITY. MY OPINION IS THAT WE TOO OFTEN REGARD OUR PERSONAL ????? HIGHER THE PUBLIC
(REST OF PAPER MISSING )