The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-12-17
Yes And No.

4 prominent member OF the State SEN
ate. in q private letter. Asks Us TINS
Ques ton:
is there not too much tendency to
break down our public men in the est-
Of the people: l favor open,
manly criticism OF their acts, but no at
tack upon their motives until there Is
some positive evidence TO base it Do
we not. in North Carolina. either over
or underrate our public men: Are
we a. candid and discriminating - we
should be? l merely throw out these
enquiries ; do not say that they snou1d
be answered IN the affirmative.
We do not think that there 5 any Sc
rious tendency TO break down u pup
lie men," To the contrary we thlnk the
press has been long-suffering and for
fearing. especially towards some OF the
party leaders. There are men in full
favor with the best Democratic papers
who have records that would not bear
the light Of day. No paper feels Itself
called upon 10 make exposures or TO De
come the leader in the work OF assalllnS
character. and so the leaders 60 on IN
their careers petted. magnihed. wor-
shipped. We believe that since the
war North Carolina has had men ID
office who ought never 10 have been
honored as thew have been. We believe
the tendency - in North Carolina Is TO
greatly .overrated our public mem
not all. but many. Within six months
we have seen laudations Of the ability
Of certain men that were fulsome and
ridiculous TO the last degree. livery
man of ordinary observation and candor
knows thits TO be true. There Is pdeed,a
sad need of.'candor and Discrimination :
Newspaper writers ordinarily let their
adiectives take possession OF them when
they would write Of quite ordinary more
tails. and those understanding the real
meanius of words could not see from
the language used why Hon. John Nc
Lane Commonplace was not as great
thinker as Calhoun, as great a mastel
ter Of English as Webster. and as greaI
a magician in enthralling the crowd al
PrentlsS.
We think that there should be more
sobriety of language in describing thu
efforts Of men of mediocre talents. l
YOU exhaust the adjective yer then
o have no words left for high abilitle:
and great speaking power and a noble
eloquence. We believe u friend i
right as to the want of proper discrini
nation. The same words are used Il
describe John Smith and Peter,Wilkins
| although John and Peter are very IN
like. Unless criticism be just, fair con
scientious. penetrating, exact 1t IS IN
scientific. unreliable and. therefore
valueless.-Wilmington Star.
You are emphatically correct. GU
North Carolina press has a grievons faul
in this respect. If you talk privatel
with the editors you willhear them laugI
or sheer at THAT bag OF wind.' or yon
der bundle of conceit," or that 'too
of the Get s. Keep Monopoly but tn
very next week you mag see some con-
pliment in their paper, and when 20
speak Of it, the answer con4es-"O
well, the people think him a wonderfr
fellow and we have to humor tie thin
aloBg."
Then. too, the pride of section
so great that the Western papers wi
puff any Western man; and the Ea;
tern papers do the same for the.
'.Giants;" while the Centre-well, til
Centre puffs both ends.
Back of the press. OF course, are til
thoughtless masses Of the public VIII
applaud every ofiice-holder. y speak
e.. . H~Iv:.ht1 zcci,
bratlon virtually claimed the result {
the election as a personal complimer
Of his Administration. Il asked Mort
Carolina TO elect Gen Scales as my sue
cessor, to carry out the work | have bt
gun, and she did as L asked. -
Now the truth is that Gen Scales wa
elected by 10000 Democrats who ii
not rote IN 1880. And everybody know
that if Gen. Scales had not been the ma
he is-he would not have been elected
III short, the party candidate if suspec.
ed of the least Ring" faint, would nc
have been elected!