The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-08
"Strangeiv True."--But itOusnt
not to be True.--We ought 20
Stand by those Who
Stand by US.

Stand by US.
TIE Davie Times of this week com
pl;ments the Farmer and Mechdntc q
da, ny to utter the truth without
fear" We trust our friend is correct.
know, at least, that if we had been
willing to truckle, and trot at the coat
tails Of public schemers, or even to sell
our pens voice on a single subject, we
might this day walk the streets at our
ease, and print such . paper as any
journalist could be proud Of. 1t Is, OF
course, nothing to the credit Of an hon
ct man to act honestly. oar remarks
are simply to introduce a paragraph
from the Statesville LoRdmark az FOL
lows
Il pom noticing in one Of our cOuntr'
exchanges last week an item referring
TO its prosperity we recalled a re
cent observation of one of our contem
..poraries the Raleigh Farmer and
s.Ncchaaic. we think-to the effect that
st is not the newspaper that has con
'.victions, courage and cantor HIt sue
'.cte1s best, but the one that has feweet
''of these qualities and the capacity -
get on the most sides of a question.
This Is strangely true. People hold
That man in contempt who has no
Opinions or Is afraid to ayow them,
but they take to a paper OF that KIND
.'as a child does TO its milk. There are
those who will pass by the honest
candid, crisp, newsy paper, whtcH 8
'saearIu dIraQS IN u rOtp because ~ ITS
..maaLnesS m saytHg phdt Il THINKS, TO
take one which has little news and no
views
Is this true? Undoubtedly! 1t Is
easily proven by a score OF illustrations
But as the Landmark remarks-lt is a
'.strange' truth. Why? Because
seIt-iaterest ought to prompt the public
10 stand by an honest, outspoken edl-
tor. 4 stream cannot rise higher than
its fountain. If public sentiment does
not call for a bold, impartial, and free
thinking press, the latter will speedily
degenerate into a timid, time serving,
~favor-courting concern. We were ask
ed last week why we did not publish a
certain public scandal. Because, We
answered-''By SO doing we should
hurt the feelings Of one or W friends,
make two or three enemies, and gam
not a single supporter. The tune mas
been when we would have printed 1t,
let come what might. But we are
coming to conclude that it is pretty
nearly time to look for Number One. "
Yea, verify, if people would consider
how much they need a free, ~outspoken
paper, they would support it warmly :;
no matter if occasionally 1t made mis-
takes, or stepped on their W toes.
Consider the fate of the scores OF an
Gent and modern Republics IL Euro
pean history, Nearly all Of them pros
pered for awhile; but In the annals OF
each there soon came a time when sue
cess brought ease and carelessness
when the duties of the Citizen were
neglected in favor Of personal pursuits,
or pleasures leaving the field free to
professional politicians, and plotters.
Great wealth begot great M~onopolies
and they begot Corruption. Many pub
lie leaders were Influenced by ambition
and the smaller demagogues were
bought up" Plausible ones were
h ed to go among the uneducated
masses of the people. and puff the
SCueluCS u lie 1lIuSSlCic1 duu mdAS
''black" look white" and thus under
mine the State.
Rlr lid aohere aUere the Newspapers
things .frhere weFs no pewspapers II
those days-so the Republics one after
another we're overthrown until Liberty
banner feb throughout the world, and
oppression ruled mankind for ages
The American Republic has stood as
the beacon light of Freedom for one
short century because when it was
lighted, the torch of a free PREss was
lighted with 1t, and the daily growing
wealth of the land has net, as get, fully
corrupted it, and SO long as It's fame
| give not A false and misleading light,
the country will he safe.
But editors are only human and they
need all the encouragement you can
give thea. As a rule, Southern editors
are poor men-dependeut upon then
earnings, and even where independent
III means they are sc anxious to succeed
that they are at all times strongly
tempted to court favor, and follow the
nod and beck OF popular favorites.
And such lessons as the Landmarks re-
ters to are apt to teach this sort OF
"seli-prcServation.'
\. B.-Although we have written
more than we intended, it may be pro
per to add that the foregoing remarks
are not offered in a spirit of fault find
ing, nor as applicable to the Farmer and
Hechdnic. We keep a list in our office
OF the names OF men who have swindled
Us, by stopping their paper while still
owing for it, (Which the law pronounces
'prina facie evidence Of an Intention
to fraud the Pu6hsher'') thereby add
ing ingratitude (for our courtesy in
trusting them to their dishonesty.
But we feel proud to add that these
fellows are exceptions not the
rule" Scores Of our patrons are not
only honest, but punctudl; and not
only punctual, but literal. For IN
stance, last week, Dir. Thos. ID. Hogg,
Col. Thos. NJ. Holt, Capt. Il. a. Moye,
Of Pitt, Sheriff A. ). Mc3ryde, Of Wa
tauga, DR.. Kennedy, Mr.. Scarbo.o,
Dr.. A. r. LeDoux. and others,
came forward tn sub.cri Jtions
tor a year or more from lst Of January
next. Others have done 50 in previous
weeks as our Receipt List has
shown. We repeat that this article Is
not So much for ourself, but in behalf
our brethren. Wherever a paper is
seen to stand by the people, the peop'e
ought to stand by the paper.
STRAYED OR STOLEN ,-(Probably the
iatter)-from the yard Of a store in
Raleigh, a good m~edIum-size, black