The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-04-09
"Donnybrook Journalism"

Our Columbia c~otcmporary, The Beacon, 6
well conducted and Independent Journal, on
dorses our recent leader OF "Donnybrook
journalism and adds to our article and ar
guments the following:
In u thoughtful and pointed article under
the above caption, the A66ertUe Erest and
! Banner gives the editorial fraternity sOmt
wholesome advice about the captious, quarrel
some, intolcrant dispositions too often mani
tested by The State press. He thinks thu
knights o. the quill are too quick on trigger
and too much inclined to waste their preciOu!
amunitioiso on small g,tmc The Sir Oracle o
the press considers himself supreme, from
whose decision there Is no appeal, from thu
simple fact that there Is no higher court; ant
when he speaks let no dog bark. This is al
very foolish when viewed from n common
sense standpoint. In this country, by flctior
and one mar has us good n right p enjoy hi
own opinion and promulgatc 1t, too, as anoth
er. But this right seems not to be always re-
cognizcd by the tripod, and every man mus
bcd-Stcad of the head centre, which every cdi
tor, more Or less, conceiveS himself to be. Ed
itOrs should be- the most generous and tolerant
people In the world, M no other class, calling
or profession have more sins to be covered by
the mantle of charity than they. They should
allow the largest latitude to every mans opin
lon, and be exceeding lenicnt to those WHIT
disagree with them, especially If their oppo
ncnt is an editor. Just think what a stale
nat, monOtonous and drOwsy state Of affairs
would exist, II every editor in the State woulc
cSpOuSt the same cause und advocated tho
game principles. We hope never to see thu
editorial millennium, when the pen shall bt
beaten into plOw-Shurcs and the scissors int
pruning-hoOks, and editor shall no longer lif
up pen against editor, and the press shall learn
war no more. But then there IL Il good-natur
cd, gentccl way of fighting, and as shedding
ink seems to be an unavoidable necessity, Lei
1t be- done according to the most modern ant
approved fashion. The Press and Bannc,
closes It's article with u paragraph, which We
commend to the serious and thoughtful con
sidcrntion OF our brethren Of the quill.-CO'
lum6id Beacon.
Our valued friend, the Union Times, also
prints our leader in fnil and adds TO 1t the fol-
lowing strong and sensible words.
Worse than that. No gentleman cares to
run the risk OF being called n liar, u dema
goguc, or u paid advocate Of bondh0lders or
Inonopolists, by advocating or opposing either
side OF the settlement Of the public debt, tho
phosphate question or the University, and tho
consequence IL, thrce>fourthS OF the press Ol
the State have said but little II anything
about those subjects Of public interest," The
fact Is, the people have become disguised with
the vulgar and offensive, personal abuse which
has characterized the discussion Of the above
named question. We united in lowering the
dignity Of the press OF South Carolina by
fighting the thieving carpctbHggcrS with the
filth that would make them most offensive 20
decent people, but now that they have been
driven away,S let us not besnlear ourselves
with the same Kind OF hlthlncss and Odium.
Let the press o. the State resume It's wontcd
dignity and discuss public matters with cour.
tcsy, and like men who know and can apprc-
ciate the difference between billingsgute und
decent language.-U Union 1incS.